Isaiah 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Isaiah 21 ▼
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1 This 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. 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 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. 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 My 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. 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 mind reels and my heart races. I longed for evening to come, but now I am terrified of the dark. 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 Look! They are preparing a great feast. They are spreading rugs for people to sit on. Everyone is eating and drinking. But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle. You are being attacked! 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 Meanwhile, the Lord said to me, “Put a watchman on the city wall. Let him shout out what 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 should look for chariots drawn by pairs of horses, and for riders on donkeys and camels. Let the watchman be fully alert.” 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 Then the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on the watchtower, my lord. Night after night I have remained 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 Now 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!” 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 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. 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 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?” 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 replies, “Morning is coming, but night will soon return. If you wish to ask again, then 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 message came to me concerning Arabia: O caravans from Dedan, hide in the deserts 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 O people of Tema, bring water to these thirsty people, food to these weary refugees. 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 have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and the terrors 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 The Lord said to me, “Within a year, counting each day, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end. 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 Only a few of its courageous archers will survive. I, the LORD, the God of Israel, have 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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