Isaiah 21:7

7 If he sees chariots and teams of horses, donkeys, or camels, he should pay very close attention."

Isaiah 21:7 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 21:7

And he saw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen
The drivers of it, or the riders in it; perhaps meaning Cyrus and Darius: a chariot of asses, [and] a chariot of camels;
by the former may be meant the Persians, who very much used mules or asses; and the Medes by the latter, who abounded in camels: the words are in the singular number, and may be rendered, "a rider of an ass, and a rider of a camel" F23; and so may describe the couple of riders along with the chariot, which may signify the whole army of the Medes and Persians, chariots being much used in war; and the rider of the ass or mule may design Cyrus, who was called a mule, because of his mixed descent, being a Persian by his father, and a Mede by his mother's side; so the oracle of Apollo told the Babylonians, that their city should stand, until a mule was king of the Medes; and the rider of the camel may point at Darius: and he hearkened diligently with much heed;
the watchman that was set to watch used the utmost attention to what he saw, and listened diligently to the noise of this chariot and horsemen, as they came nearer.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (lmg bkr rwmx bkr) (anabathn onou, kai anabathn kamhlou) , Sept.; "ascensorem asini, et ascensorem cameli", V. L. "unum equitantium in asinis, alterum equitantium in camelis", Piscator.

Isaiah 21:7 In-Context

5 They set the table; they spread the rugs; they eat and drink. Leaders, stand up. Prepare the shields for battle!
6 The Lord said to me, "Go, place a lookout for the city and have him report what he sees.
7 If he sees chariots and teams of horses, donkeys, or camels, he should pay very close attention."
8 Then the lookout called out, "My master, each day I stand in the watchtower watching; every night I have been on guard.
9 Look, I see a man coming in a chariot with a team of horses." The man gives back the answer, "Babylon has fallen. It has fallen! All the statues of her gods lie broken on the ground."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.