Isaiah 21:1-12 ▼

1 THE burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land.

2 A grievous vision is told me: he that is unfaithful dealeth unfaithfully : and he that is a spoiler, spoileth. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Mede: I have made all the mourning thereof to cease.

3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain, anguish hath taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labour: I fell down at the hearing of it, I was troubled at the seeing of it.

4 My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me.

5 Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.

6 For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell.

7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel: and he beheld them diligently with much heed.

8 And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.

9 Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground.

10 O my thrashing and the children of my door, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.

11 The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the eight? watchman, what of the night?

12 The watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come.