21:1 THE VISION OF THE DESERT. As though a
whirlwind should pass through the desert, coming from a desert, [even] from
such a land,
21:2 [so] a fearful and a grievous vision was declared to me: he that is
treacherous deals treacherously, the transgressor transgresses. The Elamites
are upon me, and the ambassadors of the Persians come against me: now will I
groan and comfort myself.
21:3 Therefore are my loins filled with feebleness, and pangs have seized me
as a travailing woman: I dealt wrongfully that I might not hear; I hasted
that I might not see.
21:4 My heart wanders, and transgression overwhelms me; my soul is occupied
with fear.
21:5 Prepare the table, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and prepare [your]
shields.
21:6 For thus aid the Lord to me, Go and station a watchman for thyself, and
declare whatever thou shalt see.
21:7 And I saw two mounted horsemen, and a rider on an ass, and a rider on a
camel.
21:8 Hearken with great attention, and call thou Urias to the watch-tower:
the Lord has spoken. I stood continually during the day, and I stood in the
camp all night:
21:9 and, behold, he comes riding in a chariot and pair: and he answered and
said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all her images and her idols have
been crushed to the ground.
21:10 Hear, ye that are left, and ye that are in pain, hear what things I
have heard of the Lord of hosts [which] the God of Israel has declared to
us.
21:11 THE VISION OF IDUMEA. Call to me out of Seir; guard ye the bulwarks.
21:12 I watch in the morning and the night: if thou wouldest enquire,
enquire, and dwell by me.
21:13 Thou mayest lodge in the forest in the evening, or in the way of
Daedan.
21:14 Ye that dwell in the country of Thaeman, bring water to meet him that
is thirsty;
21:15 meet the fugitives with bread, because of the multitude of the slain,
and because of the multitude of them that lose their way, and because of the
multitude of swords, and because of the multitude of bent bows, and because
of the multitude of them that have fallen in war.
21:16 For thus said the Lord to me, Yet a year, as the year of an hireling,
[and] the glory of the sons of Kedar shall fail:
21:17 and the remnant of the strong bows of the sons of Kedar shall be
small: for the Lord God of Israel has spoken [it]. |
21:1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As
whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a
terrible land.
21:2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth
treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media;
all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
21:3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me,
as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of
it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
21:4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure
hath he turned into fear unto me.
21:5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye
princes, and anoint the shield.
21:6 For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him
declare what he seeth.
21:7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and
a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
21:8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower
in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
21:9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen.
And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven
images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.
21:10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of
the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
21:11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of
the night? Watchman, what of the night?
21:12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will
enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
21:13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye
travelling companies of Dedanim.
21:14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was
thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
21:15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent
bow, and from the grievousness of war.
21:16 For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Within a year, according to the
years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:
21:17 And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the
children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath
spoken it. |