Isaiah 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Isaiah 21 ▼
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1 The burden of the desert of the sea. Just as the whirlwinds approach from Africa, it approaches from the desert, from a terrible land. The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land. A prophecy against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.
2 A difficult vision has been announced to me: he who is unbelieving, he acts unfaithfully, and he who is a plunderer, he devastates. Ascend, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I have caused all its mourning to cease. A 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. A 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.
3 Because of this, my lower back has been filled with pain, and anguish has possessed me, like the anguish of a woman in labor. I fell down when I heard it. I was disturbed when I saw it. Therefore 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. At 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.
4 My heart withered. The darkness stupefied me. Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me. My heart staggers; horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me.
5 Prepare the table. Contemplate, from a place of observation, those who eat and drink. Rise up, you leaders! Take up the shield! They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield! They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields!
6 For the Lord has said this to me: “Go and station a watchman. And let him announce whatever he will see.” For thus the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees. This is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.
7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, and a rider on an donkey, and a rider on a camel. And he considered them diligently, with an intense gaze. When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently.” When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.”
8 And a lion cried out: “I am on the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day. And I am at my station, standing throughout the night. Then he who saw cried out: “Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights. And the lookout shouted, “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post.
9 Behold, a certain man approaches, a man riding on a two-horse chariot.” And he responded, and he said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! And all its graven gods have been crushed into the earth! And 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.” Look, 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!’”
10 O my threshed grain! O sons of my threshing floor! What I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have announced to you.” O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you. My people who are crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD Almighty, from the God of Israel.
11 The burden of Dumah, cried out to me from Seir: “Watchman, how goes the night? Watchman, how goes the night?” The oracle concerning Dumah. One is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what time of the night? Watchman, what time of the night?” A prophecy against Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12 The watchman said: “Morning approaches with the night. If you are seeking: seek, and convert, and approach.” The watchman says: “Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again.” The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.”
13 The burden in Arabia. In the forest you shall sleep, in the evening on the paths of Dedanim. The oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of Dedanites. A prophecy against Arabia: You caravans of Dedanites, who camp in the thickets of Arabia,
14 You who inhabit the land of the south: upon meeting the thirsty, bring water; meet the fugitive with bread. To the thirsty bring water; meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of the land of Tema. bring water for the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives.
15 For they are fleeing before the face of swords, before the face of a sword hanging over them, before the face of a bent bow, before the face of a grievous battle. For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the press of battle. They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle.
16 For the Lord said this to me: “After one more year, just like one year for a hired hand, all the glory of Kedar will be taken away. For 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. This is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end.
17 And the remainder of the multitude of strong archers from the sons of Kedar will be few, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken it.” And 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.” The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.
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