Isaiah 21:1-10

1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through, so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
2 A grievous vision is declared unto me: the treacherous dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, Elam! besiege, Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain; anguish hath taken hold upon me, as the anguish of a woman in travail: I am bowed down so as not to hear, I am dismayed so as not to see.
4 My heart panteth, horror affrighteth me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into trembling unto me.
5 Prepare the table, appoint the watch; eat, drink: arise, ye princes, anoint the shield.
6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
7 And he saw chariots, horsemen by pairs, a chariot with asses, a chariot with camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed.
8 And he cried [as] a lion, Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights.
9 -- And behold, there cometh a chariot of men; horsemen by pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.
10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor! What I have heard of Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

Footnotes 10

  • [a]. i.e. Babylon.
  • [b]. Negeb: see Gen. 12.9.
  • [c]. i.e. Persia, as ch. 11.11.
  • [d]. As ch. 13.17.
  • [e]. Babylon's, or that which Babylon caused.
  • [f]. Or 'I am bowed down at the report, dismayed at the sight.'
  • [g]. Or 'is restless,' lit. 'wanders.'
  • [h]. Or 'a cavalcade.'
  • [i]. Or 'cavalry on.'
  • [j]. Lit. 'son.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.