Isaiah 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Isaiah 21 ▼
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1 This is the divine revelation about the desert by the sea. Like a storm sweeping through the Negev, an invader will come from the desert, from a terrifying 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 I was shown a harsh vision. The traitor betrays. The destroyer destroys. Go to war, Elam! Surround them, Media! I will put an end to all the groaning. 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 That is why my body is full of trembling. Pain grips me like the pain of childbirth. I'm disturbed by what I hear. I'm terrified by what I see. 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 I'm confused. I'm shaking with terror. The twilight hours I longed for make me tremble. 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 Set the table. Spread the rugs [by the table]. Eat. Drink. Get up, you leaders! Prepare your shields for battle! 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 This is what the Lord says to me: Post a watchman. Have him report whatever he sees. 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 He will see chariots, pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, and riders on camels. Let him watch carefully, very carefully. 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 The watchman called, |Sir, I stand on the watchtower every day. Every night, I stand guard at my post. 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 Look! Here come chariots and horsemen in pairs.| Then he said, |Babylon has fallen! It has fallen! All the idols they worship lie shattered on the ground.| 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 You, my people, have been threshed and winnowed. I make known to you what I heard from the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel. 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 This is the divine revelation about Dumah. Someone is calling to me from Seir, |Watchman, how much of the night is left? Watchman, how much of the night is left?| 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 answers, |Morning is coming, and night will come again. If you need to ask, come back and ask.| 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 This is the divine revelation about Arabia. You caravan of travelers from the people of Dedan will spend the night in the forest of Arabia. 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 Bring water for the thirsty, you inhabitants of the land of Tema. Bring food to the fugitives. 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 They flee from swords, from swords ready to kill, from bows ready to shoot, and from the thick of 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 This is what the Lord says to me: All of Kedar's honor will be gone in another year. I will count it like workers count the years left on their contracts. 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 The remaining number of archers, Kedar's mighty archers, will be few. The LORD God of Israel has spoken. 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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