A Judgment on Babylon
1 An oracle(A) against the desert by the sea:(B)
Like storms that pass over the Negev,
it comes from the desert, from the land of terror.
2 it comes from the desert, from the land of terror.
A troubling vision is declared to me:
“The treacherous one acts treacherously,(C)
and the destroyer destroys.
Advance, Elam! Lay siege, you Medes!
I will put an end to all her groaning.”
“The treacherous one acts treacherously,(C)
and the destroyer destroys.
Advance, Elam! Lay siege, you Medes!
I will put an end to all her groaning.”
3
4
5
Prepare a table,(F) and spread out a carpet!
Eat and drink!
Rise up, you princes, and oil the shields!
Eat and drink!
Rise up, you princes, and oil the shields!
6
For the Lord has said to me,
“Go, post a lookout;
let him report what he sees.
7 “Go, post a lookout;
let him report what he sees.
When he sees riders—
pairs of horsemen,
riders on donkeys,
riders on camels—
he must pay close attention.”
8
9 pairs of horsemen,
riders on donkeys,
riders on camels—
he must pay close attention.”
Look, riders come—
horsemen in pairs.”
And he answered, saying,
“Babylon has fallen,(H) has fallen.
All the images of her gods
have been shattered on the ground.”(I)
horsemen in pairs.”
And he answered, saying,
“Babylon has fallen,(H) has fallen.
All the images of her gods
have been shattered on the ground.”(I)
10
My people who have been crushed
on the threshing floor,(J)
I have declared to you
what I have heard from the Lord of Hosts,
the God of Israel.
on the threshing floor,(J)
I have declared to you
what I have heard from the Lord of Hosts,
the God of Israel.
An Oracle against Dumah
11 An oracle(K) against Dumah:(d)(L)
One calls to me from Seir,(M)
“Watchman, what is left of the night?
Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12 “Watchman, what is left of the night?
Watchman, what is left of the night?”
The watchman said,
“Morning has come, and also night.
If you want to ask, ask!
Come back again.”
“Morning has come, and also night.
If you want to ask, ask!
Come back again.”
An Oracle against Arabia
Footnotes:
a.
Isaiah 21:3: Lit Therefore my loins are
b.
Isaiah 21:4: Lit my twilight
c.
Isaiah 21:8: DSS, Syr; MT reads Then a lion
d.
Isaiah 21:11: Some Hb mss, LXX read Edom
e.
Isaiah 21:13: LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read desert at evening
f.
Isaiah 21:14: LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read meet as a command