Isaiah chapter 21
English Standard Version
2A stern vision is told to me; the traitor betrays, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam; lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end. 3Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor; I am bowed down so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see. 4My heart staggers; horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. 5They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield! 6For thus the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees. 7When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently.” 8Then he who saw cried out: “Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights. 9And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” 10O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you. 11The oracle concerning Dumah. One is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what time of the night? Watchman, what time of the night?”
12The watchman says: “Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again.” 13The oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.
14To the thirsty bring water; meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of the land of Tema. 15For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the press of battle. 16For thus the Lord said to me, “Within a year, according to the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end. 17And the remainder of the archers of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar will be few, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.”
New International Version
2A dire vision has been shown to me: The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot. Elam, attack! Media, lay siege! I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused. 3At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see.
4My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me. 5They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields!
6This is what the Lord says to me: 'Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees. 7When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.'
9Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: 'Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!'' 10My people who are crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD Almighty, from the God of Israel.
11A prophecy against Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, 'Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?' 12The watchman replies, 'Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.'
New American Standard Bible
1The pronouncement concerning the wilderness of the sea: As windstorms in the Negev come in turns, It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land. 2A harsh vision has been shown to me; The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media; I have put an end to all the groaning she has caused. 3For this reason my loins are full of anguish; Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor. I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see. 4My mind reels, horror overwhelms me; The twilight I longed for has been turned into trembling for me. 5They set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink; 'Rise up, captains, oil the shields!' 6For this is what the Lord says to me: 'Go, station the lookout, have him report what he sees. 7When he sees a column of chariots, horsemen in pairs, A train of donkeys, a train of camels, He is to pay close attention, very close attention.' 8Then the lookout called, 'Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, And I am stationed every night at my guard post. 9Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.' And one said, 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground.' 10My downtrodden people, and my afflicted of the threshing floor! What I have heard from the Lord of armies, The God of Israel, I make known to you.
12The watchman says, 'Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again.'
Christian Standard Bible
1A pronouncement concerning the desert by the sea: Like storms that pass over the Negev, it comes from the desert, from the land of terror. 2A troubling vision is declared to me: "The treacherous one acts treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Advance, Elam! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all the groaning." 3Therefore I am filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pain of a woman in labor. I am too perplexed to hear, too dismayed to see. 4My heart staggers; horror terrifies me. He has turned my last glimmer of hope into sheer terror. 5Prepare a table, and spread out a carpet! Eat and drink! Rise up, you princes, and oil the shields! 6For the Lord has said to me, "Go, post a lookout; let him report what he sees. 7When he sees riders -- pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels -- he must pay close attention." 8Then the lookout reported, "Lord, I stand on the watchtower all day, and I stay at my post all night. 9Look, riders come -- horsemen in pairs." And he answered, saying, "Babylon has fallen, has fallen. All the images of her gods have been shattered on the ground." 10My people who have been crushed on the threshing floor, I have declared to you what I have heard from the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel.
11A pronouncement concerning Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, "Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night? " 12The watchman said, "Morning has come, and also night. If you want to ask, ask! Come back again."
13A pronouncement concerning Arabia: In the desert brush you will camp for the night, you caravans of Dedanites. 14Bring water for the thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema meet the refugees with food. 15For they have fled from swords, from the drawn sword, from the bow that is strung, and from the stress of battle.
New Living Translation
1This message came to me concerning Babylon — the desert by the sea : Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert, like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev. 2I see a terrifying vision: I see the betrayer betraying, the destroyer destroying. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, attack and lay siege. I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused. 3My stomach aches and burns with pain. Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me, like those of a woman in labor. I grow faint when I hear what God is planning; I am too afraid to look. 4My mind reels and my heart races. I longed for evening to come, but now I am terrified of the dark.
6Meanwhile, the Lord said to me, 'Put a watchman on the city wall. Let him shout out what he sees. 7He should look for chariots drawn by pairs of horses, and for riders on donkeys and camels. Let the watchman be fully alert.'
8Then the watchman called out, 'Day after day I have stood on the watchtower, my lord. Night after night I have remained at my post. 9Now at last — look! Here comes a man in a chariot with a pair of horses!' Then the watchman said, 'Babylon is fallen, fallen! All the idols of Babylon lie broken on the ground!' 10O my people, threshed and winnowed, I have told you everything the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said, everything the God of Israel has told me.
11This message came to me concerning Edom : Someone from Edom keeps calling to me, 'Watchman, how much longer until morning? When will the night be over?' 12The watchman replies, 'Morning is coming, but night will soon return. If you wish to ask again, then come back and ask.'
King James Version
1The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. 2A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. 3Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. 4My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. 5Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield. 6For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. 7And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: 8And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: 9And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. 10O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
11The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? 12The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come.
13The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. 14The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. 15For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. 16For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: 17And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.