Isaiah 21:1

AMP: The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning the Desert of the Sea (the seasonally flooded plains just south of Babylon):As windstorms in the Negev (the South) sweep through,So it (God’s judgment) comes from the desert, from [the hostile armies of] a terrifying land.

ASV: The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it cometh from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

BSB: This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea:Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev,an invader comes from the desert,from a land of terror.

DARBY: 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.

DRA: The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land.

KJV: 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.

Isaiah 21:2

AMP: A harsh vision has been shown to me;The treacherous one deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys.Go up, Elam! Lay siege, Media!All the groaning [caused by Babylon’s ruthless oppressions] I [the Lord] have brought to an end. [Is 11:11; 13:17]

ASV: A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous man dealeth treacherously, and the destroyer destroyeth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

BSB: A dire vision is declared to me:“The traitor still betrays,and the destroyer still destroys.Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media!I will put an end to all her groaning.”

DARBY: A grievous vision is declared unto me: the treacherous dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, Elam! besiege, Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

DRA: A grievous vision is told me: he that is unfaithful dealeth unfaithfully : and he that is a spoiler, spoileth. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Mede: I have made all the mourning thereof to cease.

KJV: 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.

Isaiah 21:3

AMP: Therefore [continues Isaiah] my loins are filled with anguish;Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in childbirth;I am so bent and bewildered that I cannot hear, I am so terrified that I cannot see.

ASV: Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

BSB: Therefore my body is filled with anguish.Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor.I am bewildered to hear,I am dismayed to see.

DARBY: Therefore are my loins filled with pain; anguish hath taken hold upon me, as the anguish of a woman in travail: I am bowed down so as not to hear, I am dismayed so as not to see.

DRA: Therefore are my loins filled with pain, anguish hath taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labour: I fell down at the hearing of it, I was troubled at the seeing of it.

KJV: 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.

Isaiah 21:4

AMP: My mind reels, horror overwhelms me;The twilight I longed for has been turned into fear and trembling for me. [Dan 5:1-4]

ASV: My heart fluttereth, horror hath affrighted me; the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.

BSB: My heart falters;fear makes me tremble.The twilight I desiredhas turned to horror.

DARBY: My heart panteth, horror affrighteth me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into trembling unto me.

DRA: My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me.

KJV: My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

Isaiah 21:5

AMP: They set the table [for the doomed banquet], they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink;“Rise up, captains [of Belshazzar’s court], oil your shields [for battle, for your enemy is at the gates]!”

ASV: They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.

BSB: They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet,they eat, they drink!Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!

DARBY: Prepare the table, appoint the watch; eat, drink: arise, ye princes, anoint the shield.

DRA: Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.

KJV: Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

Isaiah 21:6

AMP: This is what the Lord says to me,“Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees.

ASV: For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman: let him declare what he seeth:

BSB: For this is what the Lord says to me:“Go, post a lookoutand have him report what he sees.

DARBY: For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

DRA: For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell.

KJV: For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

Isaiah 21:7

AMP: “When he sees a chariot, horsemen in pairs,A train of donkeys and a train of camels,Let him pay attention and listen closely, very closely.”

ASV: and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.

BSB: When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen,riders on donkeys, riders on camels,he must be alert, fully alert.”

DARBY: And he saw chariots, horsemen by pairs, a chariot with asses, a chariot with camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed.

DRA: And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel: and he beheld them diligently with much heed.

KJV: 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:

Isaiah 21:8

AMP: And the lookout called like a lion,“O Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower by day,And I am stationed every night at my guard post.

ASV: And he cried as a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights;

BSB: Then the lookout shouted:“Day after day, my lord,I stand on the watchtower;night after nightI stay at my post.

DARBY: And he cried [as] a lion, Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights.

DRA: And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.

KJV: 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:

Isaiah 21:9

AMP: “Now look! Here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.”And one said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon;And all the carved images of her gods are shattered on the ground.”

ASV: and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.

BSB: Look, here come the riders,horsemen in pairs.”And one answered, saying:“Fallen, fallen is Babylon!All the images of her godslie shattered on the ground!”

DARBY: And behold, there cometh a chariot of men; horsemen by pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

DRA: Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground.

KJV: 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.

Isaiah 21:10

AMP: O my threshed people [Judah, who must be judged and trampled down by Babylon], my afflicted of the threshing floor.What I have heard from the Lord of hosts,The God of Israel, I have [joyfully] announced to you [that Babylon is to fall].

ASV: O thou my threshing, and the grain of my floor! that which I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

BSB: O my people, crushed on the threshing floor,I tell you what I have heardfrom the LORD of Hosts,the God of Israel.

DARBY: O my threshing, and the corn of my floor! What I have heard of Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

DRA: O my thrashing and the children of my door, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.

KJV: 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.

Isaiah 21:11

AMP: The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning Dumah (Edom):Someone keeps calling to me from Seir (Edom),“Watchman, what is left of the night [of Assyrian oppression]?Watchman, what is left of the night? [How long until morning?]”

ASV: The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

BSB: This is the burden against Dumah:One calls to me from Seir,“Watchman, what is left of the night?Watchman, what is left of the night?”

DARBY: The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

DRA: The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the eight? watchman, what of the night?

KJV: The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

Isaiah 21:12

AMP: The watchman says,“The morning comes [only briefly], but also [comes] the night [of Babylonian oppression].If you would ask [of me then], ask [again, if Edom really wishes to know];Come back again.”

ASV: The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.

BSB: The watchman replies,“Morning has come, but also the night.If you would inquire, then inquire.Come back yet again.”

DARBY: The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire; return, come.

DRA: The watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come.

KJV: The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

Isaiah 21:13

AMP: The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning Arabia:In the thickets of Arabia you must spend the night,Caravans of Dedanites.

ASV: The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.

BSB: This is the burden against Arabia:In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge,O caravans of Dedanites.

DARBY: The burden against Arabia. In the forest of Arabia shall ye lodge, [ye] caravans of Dedanites.

DRA: The burden in Arabia. In the forest at evening you shall sleep, in the paths of Dedanim.

KJV: The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

Isaiah 21:14

AMP: Bring water for the thirsty [Dedanites],O inhabitants of the land of Tema [in Arabia];Meet the fugitive with bread.

ASV: Unto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.

BSB: Bring water for the thirsty,O dwellers of Tema;meet the refugees with food.

DARBY: Bring ye water to meet the thirsty! The inhabitants of the land of Tema come forth with their bread for him that fleeth.

DRA: Meeting the thirsty bring him water, you that inhabit the land of the south, meet with bread him that fleeth.

KJV: The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

Isaiah 21:15

AMP: For they have fled from the swords,From the drawn sword, from the bent bowAnd from the press of battle and grief of war.

ASV: For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

BSB: For they flee from the sword—the sword that is drawn—from the bow that is bent,and from the stress of battle.

DARBY: For they flee from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

DRA: For they are fled from before the swords, from the sword that hung over them, from the bent bow, from the face of a grievous battle.

KJV: For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

Isaiah 21:16

AMP: For the Lord has said this to me, “Within a year, according to the years of a hired man [who will work no longer than was agreed], all the splendor of [the tribe of] Kedar will end;

ASV: For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail;

BSB: For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.

DARBY: For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Within a year, according to the years of a hired servant, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;

DRA: For thus saith the Lord to me: Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Cedar shall be taken away.

KJV: 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:

Isaiah 21:17

AMP: and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.”

ASV: and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few; for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.

BSB: The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.”For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.

DARBY: and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, shall be diminished: for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken.

DRA: And the residue of the number of strong archers of the children of Cedar shall be diminished: for the Lord the God of Israel hath spoken it.

KJV: 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.

Isaiah 21

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