Isaiahchapter 21

17 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 197 cross-references outward and receives 172 — heaviest partner: Isaiah.

Chapter summary

Three burdens fill this chapter. The first, "the wilderness of the sea," comes like whirlwinds from the South: Elam and Media are summoned to besiege, and the vision so grieves the prophet that pangs seize him like a woman in travail while the doomed city feasts — "they prepare the table... they eat, they drink." A watchman is posted, sees horsemen in pairs, and cries the verdict: "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken" — wording Revelation 14:8 and 18:2 take up for end-time Babylon. The burden of Dumah follows, a voice from Seir asking "Watchman, what of the night?" and receiving morning and night together. The burden upon Arabia closes it: Dedanite caravans hide, Tema brings bread to fugitives, and within a year Kedar's glory fails.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Prophecy · Isaiah — see the Isaiah overview for the book's full setting.

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

2 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.

3 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.

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

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

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

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

8 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;

9 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.