Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the forsaken (of the) sea. As whirlwinds come from the southwest, it cometh from [the] desert, from the horrible land. (The burden of the Sea of the Wilderness. Like whirlwinds come from the southwest, it cometh from the wilderness, from the horrible land.)

2 An hard revelation is told to me; he that is unfaithful, doeth unfaithfully; and he that is a destroyer, destroyeth. Thou Elam, go up, and thou Media, beseech (O Elam, ascend, and O Media, besiege); I made all the wailing thereof for to cease.

3 Therefore my loins be filled with sorrow; anguish wielded me, as the anguish of a woman travailing of child; I fell down, when I heard; I was troubled, when I saw. (And so my limbs be filled with sorrow; anguish held me, like the anguish of a woman labouring with child; I fell down, when I heard; I was troubled, when I saw.)

4 Mine heart faded, darknesses astonied me; Babylon, my darling, is set to me into (a) miracle. (My heart faded, the darkness astonished me; the night that I longed for, now hath become what I fear.)

5 Set thou a board, behold thou into a looking place; rise, ye princes, eating and drinking, take ye [the] shield. (Set thou the table, look thou out from the lookout; rise up, ye leaders, from eating and drinking, and take ye up thy shields.)

6 For why the Lord said these things to me, Go thou, and set a looker; and tell he, whatever thing he seeth. (For the Lord said to me, Go thou, and set a lookout; and let him tell thee, whatever he seeth.)

7 And he saw the chariot of two horsemen, the rider of an ass (the rider of a donkey), and the rider of a camel; and he beheld diligently with much looking,

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 Commentary

Chapter 21

The taking of Babylon. (1-10) Of the Edomites. (11,12) Of the Arabs. (13-17)

Verses 1-10 Babylon was a flat country, abundantly watered. The destruction of Babylon, so often prophesied of by Isaiah, was typical of the destruction of the great foe of the New Testament church, foretold in the Revelation. To the poor oppressed captives it would be welcome news; to the proud oppressors it would be grievous. Let this check vain mirth and sensual pleasures, that we know not in what heaviness the mirth may end. Here is the alarm given to Babylon, when forced by Cyrus. An ass and a camel seem to be the symbols of the Medes and Persians. Babylon's idols shall be so far from protecting her, that they shall be broken down. True believers are the corn of God's floor; hypocrites are but as chaff and straw, with which the wheat is now mixed, but from which it shall be separated. The corn of God's floor must expect to be threshed by afflictions and persecutions. God's Israel of old was afflicted. Even then God owns it is his still. In all events concerning the church, past, present, and to come, we must look to God, who has power to do any thing for his church, and grace to do every thing that is for her good.

Verses 11-12 God's prophets and ministers are as watchmen in the city in a time of peace, to see that all is safe. As watchmen in the camp in time of war, to warn of the motions of the enemy. After a long sleep in sin and security, it is time to rise, to awake out of sleep. We have a great deal of work to do, a long journey to go; it is time to be stirring. After a long dark night is there any hope of the day dawning? What tidings of the night? What happens to-night? We must never be secure. But many make curious inquiries of the watchmen. They would willingly have nice questions solved, or difficult prophecies interpreted; but they do not seek into the state of their own souls, about the way of salvation, and the path of duty. The watchman answers by way of prophecy. There comes first a morning of light, and peace, and opportunity; but afterward comes a night of trouble and calamity. If there be a morning of youth and health, there will come a night of sickness and old age; if a morning of prosperity in the family, in the public, yet we must look for changes. It is our wisdom to improve the present morning, in preparation for the night that is coming after it. Inquire, return, come. We are urged to do it quickly, for there is no time to trifle. Those that return and come to God, will find they have a great deal of work to do, and but little time to do it in.

Verses 13-17 The Arabians lived in tents, and kept cattle. A destroying army shall be brought upon them, and make them an easy prey. We know not what straits we may be brought into before we die. Those may know the want of necessary food who now eat bread to the full. Neither the skill of archers, nor the courage of mighty men, can protect from the judgments of God. That is poor glory, which will thus quickly come to nothing. Thus hath the Lord said to me; and no word of his shall fall to the ground. We may be sure the Strength of Israel will not lie. Happy are those only whose riches and glory are out of the reach of invaders; all other prosperity will speedily pass away.

Chapter Summary

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.