Isaiah 21:1-10

The Fall of Babylon

1 The oracle of [the] wilderness of [the] sea: As storm winds passing over in the Negev, {it comes} from [the] desert, from a frightful land.

2 A hard revelation is told to me; the treacherous deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; lay siege, Media! I put an end to all of her sighing.

3 Therefore my loins are filled [with] anguish; pangs have seized me, like [the] pangs of a woman giving birth. I am {too bent to hear}, I am {too dismayed to see}.

4 My {mind} staggers; fear terrifies me; the twilight {I desired} {brought} me fear.

5 Set out the table in order! Spread out the rugs! Eat! drink! Rise up, commanders; smear [the] shield!

6 For the Lord said this to me: "Go, set [a] watchman in position. He must announce what he sees.

7 When he sees riders, a pair of horsemen, riders of donkeys, riders of camels, {then} he must listen attentively, paying attention, paying {special} attention."

8 Then [the] {watchman} called, "Lord, I [am] standing on [the] watchtower continually by day, and I [am] standing at my post {throughout} the night.

9 And look [at] this! A man's a chariot [is] coming, a pair of horsemen!" Then he responded and said, "It has fallen! Babylon has fallen! And all the images of her gods are smashed on the ground!"

10 My downtrodden people and the son of my threshing floor, I will announce to you what I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel.

Isaiah 21:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 21

This chapter contains prophecies against Babylon, Idumea, and Arabia. The prophecy against Babylon is called "the burden of the desert of the sea"; whose enemies are described by the fierce manner of their coming, and by the land from whence they came, Isa 21:1 which vision being declared to the prophet, is called a grievous one; what made it so was treachery among themselves; and the Medes and Persians are invited to besiege them, Isa 21:2 their terror and distress upon it are represented by the pains of a woman in travail, whom the prophet personates, Isa 21:3,4 and by the methods they took to defend themselves, to which they were alarmed, when in the greatest security and jollity, Isa 21:5 all which is illustrated by the vision of the watchman, who saw the Medes and Persians on the march, signified by a chariot and a couple of horsemen, who declares the fall of Babylon, and the destruction of its gods, Isa 21:6-9 which would issue in the good and comfort of the church and people of God, Isa 21:10 then follows the prophecy against Idumea, which consists of a question put to the watchman, and his answer to it; to which an exhortation is added, Isa 21:11,12 and the chapter concludes with another prophecy against Arabia: the calamities threatened are lodging in a forest, thirst, famine, and fleeing from the sword Isa 21:13-15, and the time is fixed when all this should be, by which their glory would fail, and the number of their archers and mighty men be lessened; for the confirmation of which the divine testimony is annexed, Isa 21:16,17.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "bent from hearing," which could also mean "bent because of what I heard"
• [b]. Literally "dismayed from seeing," which could also mean "dismayed because of what I saw"
• [c]. Literally "heart"
• [d]. Literally "of my desire"
• [e]. Literally "put"
• [f]. Hebrew "rug"
• [g]. That is, prepare with oil
• [h]. Or "And"
• [i]. Hebrew "rider"
• [j]. Hebrew "rider"
• [k]. Hebrew "donkey"
• [l]. Hebrew "rider"
• [m]. Hebrew "camel"
• [n]. Or "and"
• [o]. Literally "much"
• [p]. Or "And"
• [q]. Literally "lion"