Isaiah 21:13

An Oracle against Arabia

13 An oracle against Arabia: You will camp for the night in the scrublands of the desert,^[a] you caravans of Dedanites.

Isaiah 21:13 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 21:13

The burden upon Arabia
Which lay heavy upon it, as a burden upon a beast; or "concerning" it, or "against" it, as Kimchi notes; which Arabia, or what part thereof, is meant, may be gathered from the names after mentioned. The Targum is,

``the burden of the cup of cursing, to give the Arabians to drink.''

Ben Melech says, these are the Arabians that dwell in the wilderness: in the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge;
not in their tents and huts, which they had used to carry with them, and set up where they pleased; since now in their fright and flight they would leave them behind them, and so be obliged to take up their lodging in woods and forests; perhaps the desert of Arabia Petraea is meant: O ye travelling companies of Dedanim;
or Dedanites; these were Arabians that descended from Jokshan, a son of Abraham by Keturah, ( Genesis 25:3 ) who were either shepherds, who went in companies together with their flocks, and moved from place to place for the sake of pasture; or rather were merchants, who went in caravans and troops with their merchandise from one country to another; see ( Ezekiel 27:15 Ezekiel 27:20 ) and who, because of the ravages of the enemy, would be glad of a lodging in the woods for security.

Isaiah 21:13 In-Context

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?"

12 The watchman said, "Morning has come, and also night. If you want to ask, ask! Come back again."

13 An oracle against Arabia: You will camp for the night in the scrublands of the desert, you caravans of Dedanites.

14 Bring water for the thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema meet the refugees with food.

15 For they have fled from swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, from the stress of battle.

Footnotes

• [a] LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read scrublands at evening