Isaiah 21:8-17

8 and [he] cried as a lion, I stand continually by day on the looking place of the Lord, and I stand by all nights on my keeping. (and he cried out like a lion, and said, I stand continually by day at the lookout of the Lord, and I stand by all nights, or every night, at my station.)

9 Lo! this cometh, a man-rider of a cart of horsemen. And Isaiah cried, and said, Babylon fell down, fell down; and all the graven images of gods thereof be all-broken into [the] earth. (Lo! here come some men, horsemen riding in a chariot. And Isaiah cried, and said, Babylon fell down, fell down; and all the carved idols of its gods lie broken in pieces on the ground.)

10 My threshing, and the daughter of my cornfloor (My threshing, and the daughter of my threshing floor), I have told to you what things I heard of the Lord of hosts, of (the) God of Israel.

11 The burden of Dumah. It crieth from Seir to me, Keeper, what hour of the night? keeper, what hour of the night? (The burden of Dumah. He calleth out to me from Seir, Watchman, what hour is it? watchman, what time is it?)

12 The keeper said, The morrowtide cometh, and night; if ye seek, seek ye, and be ye converted, and come ye. (And I the watchman answered, The morning cometh, and then the night; if ye need to seek, then seek ye, and then come ye back again.)

13 The burden of Arabia. In the forest at eventide ye shall sleep, in the paths of Dedanim. (The burden of Arabia. Ye shall sleep in the Arabian forest, ye travelling peoples of Dedan.)

14 Ye that dwell in the land of the south, run, and bear water to the thirsty; and run ye with loaves to him that fleeth. (Ye who live in the land of Tema, run, and carry water to the thirsty; and run ye with loaves to him who fleeth away.)

15 For they fled from the face of swords, from the face of [the] sword nighing, from the face of [the] bow bent, from the face of [the] grievous battle.

16 For the Lord saith these things to me, Yet in one year, as in the year of an hired man, and all the glory of Kedar shall be taken away.

17 And the remnants of the number of strong archers of the sons of Kedar shall be made less; for why the Lord God of Israel spake (for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken).

Isaiah 21:8-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 21

This chapter contains prophecies against Babylon, Idumea, and Arabia. The prophecy against Babylon is called "the burden of the desert of the sea"; whose enemies are described by the fierce manner of their coming, and by the land from whence they came, Isa 21:1 which vision being declared to the prophet, is called a grievous one; what made it so was treachery among themselves; and the Medes and Persians are invited to besiege them, Isa 21:2 their terror and distress upon it are represented by the pains of a woman in travail, whom the prophet personates, Isa 21:3,4 and by the methods they took to defend themselves, to which they were alarmed, when in the greatest security and jollity, Isa 21:5 all which is illustrated by the vision of the watchman, who saw the Medes and Persians on the march, signified by a chariot and a couple of horsemen, who declares the fall of Babylon, and the destruction of its gods, Isa 21:6-9 which would issue in the good and comfort of the church and people of God, Isa 21:10 then follows the prophecy against Idumea, which consists of a question put to the watchman, and his answer to it; to which an exhortation is added, Isa 21:11,12 and the chapter concludes with another prophecy against Arabia: the calamities threatened are lodging in a forest, thirst, famine, and fleeing from the sword Isa 21:13-15, and the time is fixed when all this should be, by which their glory would fail, and the number of their archers and mighty men be lessened; for the confirmation of which the divine testimony is annexed, Isa 21:16,17.