Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 This is a message about Babylonia. Like a whirlwind sweeping across the desert, disaster will come from a terrifying land.
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The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome land.
2 I have seen a vision of cruel events, a vision of betrayal and destruction. Army of Elam, attack! Army of Media, lay siege to the cities! God will put an end to the suffering which Babylon has caused.
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A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; besiege, Media; all the sighing of it have I made to cease.
3 What I saw and heard in the vision has filled me with terror and pain, pain like that of a woman in labor.
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Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold on me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I can't hear; I am dismayed so that I can't see.
4 My head is spinning, and I am trembling with fear. I had been longing for evening to come, but it has brought me nothing but terror.
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My heart flutters, horror has frightened me; the twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling to me.
5 In the vision a banquet is ready; rugs are spread for the guests to sit on. They are eating and drinking. Suddenly the command rings out: "Officers! Prepare your shields!"
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They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, you princes, anoint the shield.
6 Then the Lord said to me, "Go and post a sentry, and tell him to report what he sees.
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For thus has the Lord said to me, Go, set a watchman: let him declare what he sees:
7 If he sees riders coming on horseback, two by two, and riders on donkeys and camels, he is to observe them carefully."
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and when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently with much heed.
8 The sentry calls out, "Sir, I have been standing guard at my post day and night."
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He cried as a lion: Lord, I stand continually on the watch-tower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights;
9 Suddenly, here they come! Riders on horseback, two by two. The sentry gives the news, "Babylon has fallen! All the idols they worshiped lie shattered on the ground."
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and, behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. He answered, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.
10 My people Israel, you have been threshed like wheat, but now I have announced to you the good news that I have heard from the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.
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You my threshing, and the grain of my floor! that which I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared to you.
11 This is a message about Edom. Someone calls to me from Edom, "Sentry, how soon will the night be over? Tell me how soon it will end."
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The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
12 I answer, "Morning is coming, but night will come again. If you want to ask again, come back and ask."
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The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again."
13 This is a message about Arabia. People of Dedan, you whose caravans camp in the barren country of Arabia,
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The burden on Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall you lodge, you caravans of Dedanites.
14 give water to the thirsty people who come to you. You people of the land of Tema, give food to the refugees.
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To him who was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.
15 People are fleeing to escape from swords that are ready to kill them, from bows that are ready to shoot, from all the dangers of war.
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For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle.
16 Then the Lord said to me, "In exactly one year the greatness of the tribes of Kedar will be at an end.
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For thus has the Lord said to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail;
17 The archers are the bravest warriors of Kedar, but few of them will be left. I, the Lord God of Israel, have spoken."
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and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken it.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.