Isaiah 21
1 [I received] this message [from Yahweh about Babylonia], [a land that is] near the [Persian] Gulf [but which will soon be] a desert. [An army] will soon come from the desert to invade that land; it is an army that causes its enemies to be terrified, an army that will come like a whirlwind from the south.
The burden of the wilderness of the sea. 'Like hurricanes in the south for passing through, From the wilderness it hath come, From a fearful land.
2 Yahweh showed me a terrifying vision. [In the vision I saw an army] that will betray/deceive people and steal their possessions [after they conquer them]. [Yahweh said], “You armies from Elam and Media, surround [Babylon] and prepare to attack it! I will cause the groaning [and suffering] that Babylon caused to cease!”
A hard vision hath been declared to me, The treacherous dealer is dealing treacherously, And the destroyer is destroying. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Media, All its sighing I have caused to cease.
3 Because of that, my body is full of pain; my pain is like the pain that women who are giving birth experience. When I hear about and see [what God is planning to do], I am shocked.
Therefore filled have been my loins [with] great pain, Pangs have seized me as pangs of a travailing woman, I have been bent down by hearing, I have been troubled by seeing.
4 I cannot think straight/correctly, and I tremble. I was eager for it to be nighttime, but now it is night, and I am horrified.
Wandered hath my heart, trembling hath terrified me, The twilight of my desire He hath made a fear to me,
5 [In the vision I saw that the leaders of Babylonia] were preparing a great feast. They had spread rugs [for people to sit on]; everyone was eating and drinking. [But] they should get up and prepare their shields, [because they are about to be attacked]!
Arrange the table, watch in the watch-tower, Eat, drink, rise, ye heads, anoint the shield,
6 Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.
For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Go, station the watchman, That which he seeth let him declare.'
7 Tell him to watch for chariots pulled by pairs of horses, and [men riding] camels and donkeys, [coming from Babylon]. Tell the watchman to watch and listen carefully!”
And he hath seen a chariot — a couple of horsemen, The rider of an ass, the rider of a camel, And he hath given attention — He hath increased attention!
8 [So I did that], and one day the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on this watchtower, and I have continued to watch during the day and during the night.
And he crieth — a lion, 'On a watch-tower my lord, I am standing continually by day, And on my ward I am stationed whole nights.
9 Now, I saw a man riding in a chariot pulled by two horses. [I called out to him], and he answered/shouted, ‘Babylon has been destroyed! All the idols in Babylon lie in pieces on the ground!’”
And lo, this, the chariot of a man is coming, A couple of horsemen.' And he answereth and saith: 'Fallen, fallen hath Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods He hath broken to the earth.
10 My people [in Judah], [the army of Babylon has caused] you to suffer greatly [as though] [MET] you were grain that was threshed and (winnowed/thrown up into the air for the wind to blow away the chaff). [But now] I have told you what the Commander of the armies of angels the God whom we Israelis [worship], told me [about Babylon].
O my threshing, and the son of my floor, That which I heard from Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, I have declared to you!'
11 [I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Edom: Someone from Edom has been calling/shouting to me saying, “Watchman, how long will it be before the night is ended? [DOU]”
The burden of Dumah. Unto me is [one] calling from Seir 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'
12 [I], the watchman, replied, “It will [soon] be morning, but after that, it will [soon] be night again. If you want to inquire [again about what will happen in our country], come back and inquire again.”
The watchman hath said, 'Come hath morning, and also night, If ye inquire, inquire ye, turn back, come.'
13 [I received] this message about Arabia: Give this message to people traveling in caravans from Dedan [town in northwest Arabia], who camp in the scrub there. Tell them to bring water for those who are thirsty.
The burden on Arabia. In a forest in Arabia ye lodge, O travellers of Dedanim.
14 And you people who live in Tema [city in northwest Arabia], must bring food for the (refugees/people who are fleeing from their enemies).
To meet the thirsty brought water have Inhabitants of the land of Tema, With his bread they came before a fugitive.
15 They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.
For from the face of destructions they fled, From the face of a stretched-out sword, And from the face of a trodden bow, And from the face of the grievousness of battle.
16 Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.
For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Within a year, as years of a hireling, Consumed hath been all the honour of Kedar.
17 Only a few of their soldiers who know well how to shoot arrows will remain alive. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”
And the remnant of the number of bow-men, The mighty of the sons of Kedar are few, For Jehovah, God of Israel, hath spoken!'
