UST GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR EZRA NEH EST JOB PSA PROV ECC SNG ISA JER LAM EZE DAN HOS JOEL AMOS OBA YNA MIC NAH HAB ZEP HAG ZEC MAL MAT MARK LUKE YHN ACTs ROM 1 COR 2 COR GAL EPH PHP COL 1 TH 2 TH 1 TIM 2 TIM TIT PHM HEB YAC 1 PET 2 PET 1 YHN 2 YHN 3 YHN YUD REV

ISA C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31 C32 C33 C34 C35 C36 C37 C38 C39 C40 C41 C42 C43 C44 C45 C46 C47 C48 C49 C50 C51 C52 C53 C54 C55 C56 C57 C58 C59 C60 C61 C62 C63 C64 C65 C66

UST ISA Chapter 21

◄ ISA 21 ► ║ ═ ©

21 Yahweh gave this message about Babylon, the land near a great river that will become a desert.

The powerful army of a nation that terrifies others

will come swiftly and destructively from the desert.

It will sweep along like the storm winds that blow across the Negev.

2 God showed me a distressing vision:

In a surprise attack, this army will destroy Babylon.

Yahweh has commanded the Elamites and Medes

to go and besiege that city.

Babylon made many people suffer,

but Yahweh will keep them from suffering anymore.

3 Because of what I saw, I feel anguish constantly throughout my body

like the pains that a woman feels when she gives birth.

I have to bend over to support myself,

and this keeps me from hearing anything further.

I feel such dismay that I am not able to see anything further.

4 When I try to think, I get confused.

I am very afraid of what will happen.

I was hoping that things would be peaceful.

But what God has shown me has made me afraid about the future.

5 In my vision, I saw the Babylonians preparing a great feast.

They spread out carpets, and they ate and drank.

But then someone shouted, “Get up, you commanders!

Get your weapons ready to fight a battle!”

6 The Lord said to me,

“Have a watchman stand on the wall.

Have him report whatever he sees.

7 If he sees a chariot coming along with two soldiers riding horses,

or if he sees someone coming who is riding on a donkey or camel,

he should pay very careful attention to what he sees.”

8 Later the watchman called out loudly to me,

“My lord, I have stood on this watchtower

continually during the day,

and I have stayed here at my guard post

throughout the night.

9 And now I am finally seeing something.

Here comes a man in a chariot!

A pair of horsemen are traveling with him.”

One of those men shouted out this news:

“Enemies have completely destroyed Babylon!

They have taken the idols that represented its gods

and smashed them on the ground!”

10 My people, your captors have been oppressing you

as if they were crushing grain on a threshing floor.

But now I am telling you what Yahweh has revealed to me about them.

He is the commander of the heavenly armies and the God whom Israelites should worship.

11 Yahweh gave this message about Edom, which I will call Dumah.

Someone called out to me from Mount Seir,

“Watchman, how much longer will our suffering last?

It feels as if it has been a long, dark night”

12 I the watchman replied,

“You will briefly have some relief, which will feel like morning,

but then you will be suffering again,

and it will feel like another night.

If you really want to understand what God is doing,

repent of your sin and ask him to help you.”

13 Yahweh gave this message about Arabia:

“You people who lead caravans from Dedan,

you will have to camp in the thickets of the Arabian desert.

14 The people who live in the land of Tema

should bring water to these thirsty people.

They should bring food to feed these refugees.

15 They are fleeing to escape from intense fighting.

They do not want the soldiers of hostile armies

to stab them with their swords

or shoot their arrows at them.”

16 The Lord said to me, “A hired worker counts the years of his contract precisely, and in one year that is just as precise, the people of Kedar will no longer be great. 17 The warriors of Kedar are famous for being good archers, but only a few of them will survive. This will happen because I, Yahweh, the God whom Israelites should worship, have said it will happen.”