Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
New International Version NIV
1 An oracle against the desert by the sea: Like storms that pass over the Negev, it comes from the desert, from the land of terror.
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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 troubling vision is declared to me: "The treacherous one acts treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Advance, Elam! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all her groaning."
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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 Therefore I am filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pain of a woman in labor. I am too perplexed to hear, too dismayed to see.
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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 staggers; horror terrifies me. He has turned my last glimmer of hope into sheer terror.
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My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me.
5 Prepare a table, and spread out a carpet! Eat and drink! Rise up, you princes, and oil the shields!
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They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields!
6 For the Lord has said to me, "Go, post a lookout; let him report what he sees.
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This is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.
7 When he sees riders- pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels- pay close attention."
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When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.”
8 Then the lookout reported, "Lord, I stand on the watchtower all day, and I stay at my post all night.
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And the lookout shouted, “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post.
9 Look, riders come- horsemen in pairs." And he answered, saying, "Babylon has fallen, has fallen. All the idols of her gods have been shattered on the ground."
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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 My downtrodden and threshed people, I have declared to you what I have heard from the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel.
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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 An oracle against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, "Watchman, what is [left] of the night? Watchman, what is [left] of the night?"
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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 watchman said, "Morning has come, and also night. If you want to ask, ask! Come back again."
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The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.”
13 An oracle against Arabia: You will camp for the night in the scrublands of the desert, you caravans of Dedanites.
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A prophecy against Arabia: You caravans of Dedanites, who camp in the thickets of Arabia,
14 Bring water for the thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema meet the refugees with food.
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bring water for the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives.
15 For they have fled from swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, from the stress of battle.
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They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle.
16 For the Lord said this to me: "Within one year, as a hired worker counts years, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.
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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 The remaining Kedarite archers will be few in number." For the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.
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The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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