Isaiah 21

1 A message ^{a21:1 Lit. An oracle} concerning the pasture ^{b21:1 Or plague; cf. Isa 5:17; 1King 8:37; Jer 14:12; MT LXX read wilderness} by the Sea. “Like whirlwinds in the Negev ^{c21:1 i.e. southern regions of the Sinai peninsula; cf. Josh 10:40} sweep on, it comes from the desert, from a distant ^{d21:1 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsaa corrector MT LXX read terrible} land.ISV — Isaiah 21:1

2 A dire vision has been announced to me: the traitor betrays, and the plunderer takes loot. Get up, Elam! Attack, Media! I am putting a stop to all the groaning she has caused.ISV — Isaiah 21:2

3 Therefore my body is ^{e21:3 Or waist; lit. my hips and lower back are} racked with pain; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor; I am so upset that I cannot hear; I am so frightened that I cannot see while I’m reeling around. ^{f21:3 So 1QIsaa 4QIsaa; MT LXX begin v. 4 with this line}ISV — Isaiah 21:3

4 And as for my heart, ^{g21:4 So 1QIsaa 4QIsaa; MT LXX read My mind reels} horror has terrified me; the twilight I longed for has started to make me tremble.ISV — Isaiah 21:4

5 They set the tables; they spread the carpets; ^{h21:5 So 1QIsaa MT; LXX lacks this line} they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers! Oil the shields!”ISV — Isaiah 21:5

6 For this is what the LORD told me: “Go post a lookout. Have him report what he sees.ISV — Isaiah 21:6

7 When he sees chariots, each man ^{i21:7 So 1QIsaa 4QIsaa; cf. v. 9; MT LXX lack each man} with a pair of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on ^{j21:7 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads train of donkeys or train of} camels, let him pay attention, full attention.”ISV — Isaiah 21:7

8 Then the lookout ^{k21:8 So 1QIsaa Syr; MT reads Then a lion} shouted: “Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and I am stationed at my post throughout the night.ISV — Isaiah 21:8

9 Look! Here come riders, ^{l21:9 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads chariot; cf. v. 7} each man with a pair of horses!” They’re shouting out the answer: “Babylon has fallen, has fallen, and they have shattered all the images of her gods ^{m21:9 So 1QIsaa; LXX reads all the images of her gods are shattered; MT reads He has shattered all the images of her gods} on the ground!ISV — Isaiah 21:9

10 O my downtrodden people, ^{n21:10 1QIsaa lacks people} my wall! ^{o21:10 So 1QIsaa; MT reads my threshing floor} I’ll tell you what I have heard from the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel.”ISV — Isaiah 21:10

11 A message ^{p21:11 Lit. An oracle} concerning Dumah. “Someone is calling to me from Seir: ‘Watchman, what is left of the night? ^{q21:11 Or What time of night?} Watchman, what is left of the night?’ ^{r21:11 Or What time of night?}ISV — Isaiah 21:11

12 The watchman replies: ‘Morning is coming, but also the night. If you want to ask, then ask; come back again.’”ISV — Isaiah 21:12

13 A message ^{s21:13 Lit. An oracle} concerning Arabia. “You will camp in the thickets in Arabia, you caravans of the Dedanites.ISV — Isaiah 21:13

14 Bring water for the thirsty, you who live in the land of Tema. Meet the fugitive with bread, ^{t21:14 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads with his bread; 4QIsaa reads and with his bread}ISV — Isaiah 21:14

15 For he has fled ^{u21:15 So 1QIsaa; MT reads they have fled} from swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle.”ISV — Isaiah 21:15

16 For this is what the LORD ^{v21:16 So 1QIsaa 4QIsaa; MT reads Lord} is saying to me: “Within three years, ^{w21:16 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read Within a year} according to the years of a contract worker, ^{x21:16 i.e. as if carefully counted pursuant to an employment contract; cf. Isa 16:14} the pomp ^{y21:16 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads years, all the pomp} of Kedar will come to an end.ISV — Isaiah 21:16

17 And there will be few archers, those who are descendants of Kedar, who survive, because the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.”ISV — Isaiah 21:17