Isaiah 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Isaiah 21 ▼
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1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south for passing through, from the desert it came, from a fearful 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 hard vision was announced to me: The spoiler spoiled, and he laying waste, laid waste. Go up, O Elam: press, O Media; all her sighing I caused 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 For this, my loins were filled with pain: distress took hold of me as the pains of her bringing forth: I was shaken from hearing; I trembled from seeing. 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 wandered; trembling made me afraid: the evening twilight of my desire he put to me for fear. 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 in order the table; view the watch-tower; eat, drink: arise ye chiefs, anoint 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 thus said Jehovah to me, Go set up a watchman, he shall announce what he shall 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 He will see a chariot, a pair of horse men, the rider of an ass, the rider of a camel; and listening, he listened with much attention. 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 he will call, A lion: on the watch-tower my lord, I stand continually in the day, and upon my watch I stand all 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 And behold, here came a chariot, a man, a pair of horsemen. And he will answer and say, She fell, Babel fell; and the carved images of her god he brake in pieces to 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 threshing, and the son of my threshing-floor, what I heard from Jehovah of armies the God of Israel, I 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. He called to me from Seir, Watch, what of the night? watch, what of 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 watch said, I will mark out morning, and also night; if ye will seek, seek ye: turn back, come. 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 of Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, ye wayfarers 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 To meet the thirsty, bring ye water, O inhabitants of the land of Tema: anticipate ye him wandering, 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 fled from the face of the swords, the sword drawn out, and from the face of the bent bow, and from the face of the heaviness of war. 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 thus said the Lord to me, Within yet a year; as the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar was finished. 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 rest of the bows of the strong sons of Kedar shall be few: for Jehovah God of Israel spake. 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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