A Judgment on Babylon
1A pronouncement21:1 Is 13:1 concerning the desert by the sea:21:1 Is 13:20–22; 14:23; 21:9; Jr 51:41–44
Like storms that pass over the Negev,
it comes from the desert, from the land of terror.
2A troubling vision is declared to me:
and the destroyer destroys.
Advance, Elam! Lay siege, you Medes!
I will put an end to all the groaning.”
3Therefore I am21:3 Lit my waist is, or my insides are filled with anguish.
Pain grips me, like the pain of a woman in labor.21:3 Ps 48:6; Is 13:8; 16:11; 26:17–18; Jr 4:31; 6:24; 22:23; 30:6; 50:43; Mc 4:9–10; 1Th 5:3
I am too perplexed to hear,
too dismayed to see.
4My heart staggers;
horror terrifies me.
He has turned my last glimmer of hope21:4 Lit my twilight
into sheer terror.21:4 Dt 28:67
Eat and drink!
Rise up, you princes, and oil the shields!
6For the Lord has said to me,
“Go, post a lookout;
let him report what he sees.
7When he sees riders —
pairs of horsemen,
riders on donkeys,
riders on camels —
he must pay close attention.”
8Then the lookout21:8 DSS, Syr; MT reads Then a lion reported,
“Lord, I stand on the watchtower all day,21:8 Hab 2:1
and I stay at my post all night.
9Look, riders come —
horsemen in pairs.”
And he answered, saying,
All the images of her gods
10My people who have been crushed
I have declared to you
what I have heard from the Lord of Armies,
the God of Israel.
A Pronouncement against Dumah
“Watchman, what is left of the night?
Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12The watchman said,
“Morning has come, and also night.
If you want to ask, ask!
Come back again.”
A Pronouncement against Arabia
13A pronouncement concerning Arabia:21:13 Jr 25:23–24; 49:28
In the desert21:13 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read desert at evening brush
you will camp for the night,
14Bring water for the thirsty.
meet21:14 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read meet as a command the refugees with food.
15For they have fled from swords,
from the drawn sword,
from the bow that is strung,
and from the stress of battle.
Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard
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