Isaiah 21

1 A declaration about the desert by the sea. Like stormwinds sweeping through the Negev it comes passing through from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

The word about the waste land. As storm-winds in the South go rushing through, it comes from the waste land, from the land greatly to be feared.

2 A distressing vision has been given to me: the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up and attack, Elam; besiege, Media; I will stop all her groaning.

A vision of fear comes before my eyes; the worker of deceit goes on in his false way, and the waster goes on making waste. Up! Elam; to the attack! Media; I have put an end to her sorrow.

3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pains like the pains of a woman in labor have taken hold of me; I am bowed down by what I heard; I am disturbed by what I saw.

For this cause I am full of bitter grief; pains like the pains of a woman in childbirth have come on me: I am bent down with sorrow at what comes to my ears; I am shocked by what I see.

4 My heart pounds; I shake with fear. Twilight was my desire, but it brought me terror.

My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.

5 They prepare the table, they spread rugs and eat and drink; arise, princes, anoint your shields with oil.

They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates.

6 For this is what the Lord said to me, “Go, post a watchman; he must report what he sees.

For so has the Lord said to me, Go, let a watchman be placed; let him give word of what he sees:

7 When he sees a chariot, a pair of horsemen, riders on donkeys, and riders on camels, then he must pay attention and be very alert.”

And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention.

8 The watchman cries out, “Lord, on the watchtower I stand all day, every day, and at my post I stand all night long.”

And the watchman gave a loud cry, O my lord, I am on the watchtower all day, and am placed in my watch every night:

9 Here comes a chariot with a man and a pair of horsemen. He calls out, “Babylon has fallen, fallen, and all the carved figures of its gods are broken to the ground.”

See, here come war-carriages with men, horsemen by twos: and in answer he said, Babylon is made low, is made low, and all her images are broken on the earth.

10 My threshed and winnowed ones, children of my threshing floor! What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

O my crushed ones, the grain of my floor! I have given you the word which came to me from the Lord of armies, the God of Israel.

11 A declaration about Dumah. One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?

12 The watchman said, “The morning comes and also the night. If you want to ask, then ask; and come back again.”

The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again.

13 A declaration about Arabia. In the wilderness of Arabia you spend the night, you caravans of Dedanites.

The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!

14 Bring water for the thirsty; inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet the fugitives with bread.

Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.

15 For they have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the weight of war.

For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.

16 For this is what the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a laborer hired for a year would see it, all the glory of Kedar will end.

For so has the Lord said to me, In a year, by the years of a servant working for payment, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end:

17 Only a few of the archers, the warriors of Kedar will remain,” for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.

And the rest of the bowmen, the men of war of the children of Kedar, will be small in number: for the Lord, the God of Israel, has said it.