Isaiah 21

Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon

1 The *See ch. 13:1oracle concerning the wilderness of *Jer. 51:36,42the sea.

*Jer. 51:1As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on,

it comes from the wilderness,

from a terrible land.

2 A stern vision is told to me;

*ch. 24:16;33:1the traitor betrays,

and the destroyer destroys.

Go up, O *See ch. 11:11Elam;

lay siege, O *See ch. 13:17Media;

all the *Ezek. 9:4sighing she has caused

I bring to an end.

3 Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;

*See ch. 13:8pangs 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.

4 My heart staggers; horror has appalled me;

*[Deut. 28:67]the twilight I longed for

has been turned for me into trembling.

5 *Jer. 51:39,57They prepare the table,

they spread the rugs,*21:5 Or they set the watchman

they eat, they drink.

Arise, O princes;

*2 Sam. 1:21oil the shield!

6 For thus the Lord said to me:

"Go, set a watchman;

let him announce what he sees.

7 When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,

riders on donkeys, riders on camels,

let him listen diligently,

very diligently."

8 Then he who saw cried out:*21:8 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac; Masoretic Text Then a lion cried out, or Then he cried out like a lion

*Hab. 2:1"Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord,

continually by day,

and at my post I am stationed

whole nights.

9 And behold, here come riders,

horsemen in pairs!"

*[Hab. 2:2] And he answered,

*Jer. 51:8;Cited Rev. 14:8;18:2"Fallen, fallen is Babylon;

*ch. 46:1and all the carved images of her gods

he has shattered to the ground."

10 O *Jer. 51:33;Amos 1:3;[Mic. 4:13]my threshed and winnowed one,

what I have heard from the Lord of hosts,

the God of Israel, I announce to you.

11 The *See ch. 13:1oracle concerning *Gen. 25:14;1 Chr. 1:30Dumah.

One is calling to me from *Deut. 2:8;Ezek. 35:2Seir,

"Watchman, what time of the night?

Watchman, what time of the night?"

12 The watchman says:

"Morning comes, and also *[Job 36:20;Amos 5:8] the night.

If you will inquire, *[Ps. 37:36]inquire;

come back again."

13 The *See ch. 13:1oracle concerning *Gen. 25:3;Jer. 25:23,24Arabia.

In the thickets in *Gen. 25:3;Jer. 25:23,24Arabia you will lodge,

O *[Gen. 37:25]caravans of *Gen. 25:3;Jer. 25:23,24Dedanites.

14 To the thirsty bring water;

meet the fugitive with bread,

O inhabitants of the land of *Job 6:19Tema.

15 For they have fled from the swords,

from the drawn sword,

from the bent bow,

and from the press of battle.

16 For thus the Lord said to me, "Within a year, *See ch. 16:14according to the years of a hired worker, all the glory of *ch. 60:7;Gen. 25:13;Ps. 120:5,6;Song 1:5;Jer. 2:10;49:28;Ezek. 27:21Kedar will come to an end. 17 And the remainder of the archers of the mighty men of the sons of *[See ver. 16above] Kedar will be few, *ch. 1:20for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken."