Isaiah 21
Legacy Standard Bible
Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon
21 The [a](A)oracle concerning the [b](B)wilderness of the sea.
As (C)whirlwinds in the [c]Negev sweep on,
It comes from the wilderness, from a fearsome land.
2 A (D)harsh vision has been declared to me;
The (E)treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys.
Go up, (F)Elam, lay siege, Media;
I have made an end of all [d]the groaning she has caused.
3 For this reason my (G)loins are full of anguish;
Pains have seized me like the pains of a (H)woman in labor.
I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.
4 My heart [e]reels; [f]horror terrorizes me;
The twilight I longed for has been (I)turned for me into trembling.
5 They (J)set the table, they [g]spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink;
“Rise up, commanders, oil the shields,”
6 For thus the Lord says to me,
“Go, station the lookout, let him (K)declare what he sees.
7 Indeed, he shall see (L)riders, horsemen in pairs,
Riders of donkeys, riders of camels,
So let him pay close attention, very close attention.”
8 Then [h]the lookout called,
“(M)O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower,
And I am stationed every night at my guard post.
9 Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.”
And one answered and said, “(N)Fallen, fallen is Babylon;
And all the (O)graven images of her gods [i]are shattered on the ground.”
10 O my (P)trampled people and my [j]afflicted of the threshing floor!
What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts,
The God of Israel, I have declared to you.
Oracles Concerning Dumah and Arabia
11 The [k]oracle concerning [l](Q)Dumah.
One keeps calling to me from (R)Seir,
“Watchman, [m]how far gone is the night?
Watchman, [n]how far gone is the night?”
12 The watchman says,
“Morning comes but also night.
If you would inquire, inquire;
Come back again.”
13 The [o]oracle about [p](S)Arabia.
In the thickets of [q]Arabia you [r]must spend the night,
O caravans of (T)Dedanites.
14 Bring water to meet the thirsty,
O inhabitants of the land of (U)Tema,
Meet with bread the one who has fled.
15 For they have (V)fled from the swords,
From the drawn sword, and from the bent bow
And from the heaviness of battle.
16 For thus the Lord said to me, “In a (W)year, as [s]a hired man would count it, all the glory of (X)Kedar will end; 17 and the (Y)remainder of the number of bowmen, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, (Z)has spoken.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 21:1 Or burden of
- Isaiah 21:1 Or sandy wastes, sea country
- Isaiah 21:1 South country
- Isaiah 21:2 Lit her groaning
- Isaiah 21:4 Lit wandered
- Isaiah 21:4 Lit shuddering
- Isaiah 21:5 Or spread out the rugs; or possibly they arranged the seating
- Isaiah 21:8 As in DSS; M.T. he called like a lion
- Isaiah 21:9 Lit he has shattered to the earth
- Isaiah 21:10 Lit son
- Isaiah 21:11 Or burden of
- Isaiah 21:11 Lit Silence; Gr Edom
- Isaiah 21:11 Lit what is the time of the night?
- Isaiah 21:11 Lit what is the time of the night?
- Isaiah 21:13 Or burden
- Isaiah 21:13 Or the desert
- Isaiah 21:13 Or the desert
- Isaiah 21:13 Or will spend
- Isaiah 21:16 Lit the years of a hireling
Isaiah 21
English Standard Version
Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon
21 The (A)oracle concerning the wilderness of (B)the sea.
(C)As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on,
it comes from the wilderness,
from a terrible land.
2 A stern vision is told to me;
(D)the traitor betrays,
and the destroyer destroys.
Go up, O (E)Elam;
lay siege, O (F)Media;
all the (G)sighing she has caused
I bring to an end.
3 Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;
(H)pangs have seized me,
like the pangs of a woman in labor;
I am bowed down so that I cannot hear;
I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
4 My heart staggers; horror has appalled me;
(I)the twilight I longed for
has been turned for me into trembling.
5 (J)They prepare the table,
they spread the rugs,[a]
they eat, they drink.
Arise, O princes;
(K)oil the shield!
6 For thus the Lord said to me:
“Go, set a watchman;
let him announce what he sees.
7 When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,
riders on donkeys, riders on camels,
let him listen diligently,
very diligently.”
8 Then he who saw cried out:[b]
(L)“Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord,
continually by day,
and at my post I am stationed
whole nights.
9 And behold, here come riders,
horsemen in pairs!”
(M)And he answered,
(N)“Fallen, fallen is Babylon;
(O)and all the carved images of her gods
he has shattered to the ground.”
10 O (P)my threshed and winnowed one,
what I have heard from the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel, I announce to you.
11 The (Q)oracle concerning (R)Dumah.
One is calling to me from (S)Seir,
“Watchman, what time of the night?
Watchman, what time of the night?”
12 The watchman says:
“Morning comes, and also (T)the night.
If you will inquire, (U)inquire;
come back again.”
13 The (V)oracle concerning (W)Arabia.
In the thickets in (X)Arabia you will lodge,
O (Y)caravans of (Z)Dedanites.
14 To the thirsty bring water;
meet the fugitive with bread,
O inhabitants of the land of (AA)Tema.
15 For they have fled from the swords,
from the drawn sword,
from the bent bow,
and from the press of battle.
16 For thus the Lord said to me, “Within a year, (AB)according to the years of a hired worker, all the glory of (AC)Kedar will come to an end. 17 And the remainder of the archers of the mighty men of the sons of (AD)Kedar will be few, (AE)for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 21:5 Or they set the watchman
- Isaiah 21:8 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac; Masoretic Text Then a lion cried out, or Then he cried out like a lion
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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
