Isaiah 21

1 A declaration about the desert by the sea. Like stormwinds sweeping through the Negev it comes passing through from the wilderness, from a terrible land.⋮

2 A distressing vision has been given to me: the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up and attack, Elam; besiege, Media; I will stop all her groaning.⋮

3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pains like the pains of a woman in labor have taken hold of me; I am bowed down by what I heard; I am disturbed by what I saw.⋮

4 My heart pounds; I shake with fear. Twilight was my desire, but it brought me terror.⋮

5 They prepare the table, they spread rugs and eat and drink; arise, princes, anoint your shields with oil.⋮

6 For this is what the Lord said to me, “Go, post a watchman; he must report what he sees.⋮

7 When he sees a chariot, a pair of horsemen, riders on donkeys, and riders on camels, then he must pay attention and be very alert.”⋮

8 The watchman cries out, “Lord, on the watchtower I stand all day, every day, and at my post I stand all night long.”⋮

9 Here comes a chariot with a man and a pair of horsemen. He calls out, “Babylon has fallen, fallen, and all the carved figures of its gods are broken to the ground.”⋮

10 My threshed and winnowed ones, children of my threshing floor! What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.⋮

11 A declaration about 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, “The morning comes and also the night. If you want to ask, then ask; and come back again.”⋮

13 A declaration about Arabia. In the wilderness of Arabia you spend the night, you caravans of Dedanites.⋮

14 Bring water for the thirsty; inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet the fugitives with bread.⋮

15 For they have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the weight of war.⋮

16 For this is what the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a laborer hired for a year would see it, all the glory of Kedar will end.⋮

17 Only a few of the archers, the warriors of Kedar will remain,” for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.⋮