Isaiah 21:2
in Isaiah 21A 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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.
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.
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This verse in Isaiah 21
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThe treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth “The plunderer is plundered, and the destroyer is destroyed” - הבוגד בוגד והשודד שודד habboged boged vehashshoded shoded. The MSS. vary in expressing or omitting the ו vau, in these four words. Ten MSS. of Kennicott are without the ו vau in the second word, and eight MSS. are without the ו vau in the fourth word; which justifies Symmachus, who has rendered them passively: ὁ αθετων αθετειται και ὁ ταλαιπωριζων ταλαιπωρει. He read בגוד שדוד bagud shadud.
This site's exposition
the desert of the sea
on Isaiah 21:1-4
The burden of the desert of the sea, a title the older writers read as a play on Babylon's own irrigated flatland turned wilderness by what is coming upon it, opens with whirlwinds sweeping in from a terrible land, the same direction Elam and Media approach from as the named besiegers of verse 2. The prophet does not merely announce this vision, he suffers it, his loins filled with pain like a woman in travail, bowed down at the hearing of it and dismayed at the seeing of it, a bodily identification with coming judgment the commentators note is rare even among the burdens. Elam and Media are the historical powers behind Babylon's own fall to Cyrus, named here by the traditional dating well before the event, the same kind of specific naming the book uses again at 44:28 and 45:1.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Gregory of NazianzusON THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 5 (31).3 · Written before 390.
proposed
We receive the Son's light from the Father's light in the light of the Spirit: that is what we ourselves have seen and what we now proclaim—it is the plain and simple explanation of the Trinity. Let the treacherous deal treacherously, let the transgressor transgress—we shall preach what we know. We shall climb a lofty mountain and shout it out, if we are not given a hearing below. We shall extol the Spirit; we shall not be afraid. If we do have fear, it will be of silence, not of preaching.
(Chapter 21—Verse 1 and following) The burden of the desert of the sea. As hurricanes come from the south, it comes from the desert, from a fearful land. A harsh vision has been revealed to me: he who is unbelieving acts unfaithfully, and he who is a plunderer lays waste. Rise up, Elam, besiege Media: I have caused all their groaning to cease. Therefore my loins are filled with pain: distress has gripped me, like the distress of a woman in labor. 70: Vision of the desert of the sea.
(Verse 1, Line 2) Just as whirlwinds come from the South, it comes from the desert, from a dreadful land. A harsh vision has been announced to me. The voice of the Babylonian people is introduced, fearing that it, or rather Babylon itself, may hear that the Medes and the Elamites are preparing an army against them and are coming from the wilderness, and it sets forth an example of comparison. Just as, he says, a violent storm usually comes from the South wind: so to me comes desolation from the wilderness, from a dreadful land, of which I cannot even hear the name without fear. A harsh vision has been announced to me: for what is harder than present captivity? Whoever is unbelieving, acts unfaithfully; and whoever is a destroyer, devastates. It can be read in Hebrew as follows: If you kill, kill; and if you devastate, devastate, so that the prophecy of Elamite and Median, encouraging him to fulfill what he has begun, may be directed to him, daring to ascend without fear, to besiege the most powerful city. But if it is read as we have translated, as if it is said from a third person perspective, "Whoever is unbelieving, acts unfaithfully; and whoever is a destroyer, devastates," it must be connected with the previous statements, in which Babylon declares a harsh vision revealed to her. Rise up, O Elam, besiege the Medes: I have caused all their groaning to cease. Do not be afraid, says the Persian and the Mede, of the multitude of Babylon, nor be in awe of its former power: I have caused all their groaning and the weight with which it used to press you to cease: either because no one now laments and grieves under the power of Babylon, or because Babylon itself is so oppressed by such great evils that it does not even have free groaning.
The Medieval Church1 voice
510. Second, he designates the devastator. And first, as to the condition of their leader: in infidelity. Cyrus, he that is unfaithful, that is, unfaithful to his lord Baltasar, rebelling, and besieging Babylon, trusting in his effeminacy, deals unfaithfully, that is, he will deal unfaithfully, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The northern parts of Media and Persia, where their soldiers were mostly bred, was waste and mountainous, terrible to strangers that were to pass through it and producing soldiers that were very formidable. Elam (that is, Persia) is summoned to go up against Babylon, and, in conjunction with the forces of Media, to besiege it.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
), particularly to the king of Babylon for the time being, and it should seem that he it is who is here brought in sadly lamenting his inevitable fate (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
A vision - A vision or prophecy, containing dreadful calamities which were to fall upon Babylon. The spoiler - The Medes and Persians used treachery as well as force against Babylon. Elam - Persia, so called, because Elam was an eminent province of Persia, bordering upon the Medes.
A grievous vision is declared unto me,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Go up--Isaiah abruptly recites the order which he hears God giving to the Persians, the instruments of His vengeance (Isa 13:3, 17). Elam--a province of Persia, the original place of their settlement (Ge 10:22), east of the Euphrates. The name "Persia" was not in use until the captivity; it means a "horseman";
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
A grievous vision - Margin, as in Hebrew ‘Hard.’ On the word ‘vision,’ see the note at Isa 1:1. The sense here is, that the vision which the prophet saw was one that indicated great calamity Isa 21:3-4. Is declared unto me - That is, is caused to pass before me, and its meaning is made known to me. The treacherous dealer - (חבוגד chabôgēd). The perfidious, unfaithful people. This is the usual signification of the word; but the connection here does not seem to require the signification of treachery or perfidy, but of “violence.” The word has this meaning in Hab 2:5, and in Pro 11:3, Pro 11:6. It refers here to the Medes; and to the fact that oppression and violence were now to be exercised toward Babylon. Lowth renders this: ‘The plunderer is plundered, and the destroyer is destroyed;’ But the authority for so rendering it is doubtful. He seems to suppose that it refers to Babylon. The Hebrew evidently means, that there is to be plundering and devastation, and that this is to be accomplished by a nation accustomed to it, and which is immediately specified; that is, the united kingdom of Media and Persia. The Chaldee renders it, ‘They who bring violence, suffer violence; and the plunderers are plundered.’ Jarchi says, that the sense of the Hebrew text according to the Chaldee is, ‘Ah! thou who art violent! there comes another who will use thee with violence; and thou plunderer, another comes who will plunder thee, even the Medes and Persians, who will destroy and lay waste Babylon.’ But the Hebrew text will not bear this interpretation. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
The harsh prophecy of the western desert This prophecy refers to Babylonia, as is delineated therein. If you ask, Did he not already prophesy about it (supra 13): “On a tranquil mountain raise a banner,” and the entire chapter?
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The burden of the armies which are coming from the wilderness, as the waters of the sea, rushing along as the tempests: yea, they are coming by the way of the south, hurrying along; yea, they are coming from the wilderness, from the land, in which terrible things are done.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חָז֥וּת | chazut | a vision | H2380 → | 5 times |
| קָשָׁ֖ה | kashah | severe | H7186 → | 36 times |
| הֻגַּד־ | hugad- | it has been told | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לִ֑י | li | to me | ||
| הַבּוֹגֵ֤ד׀ | haboged | the traitor | H898 → | 49 times |
| בּוֹגֵד֙ | boged | [is] acting treacherously | H898 → | 49 times |
| וְהַשּׁוֹדֵ֣ד׀ | vehashoded | and the destroyer | H7703 → | 57 times |
| שׁוֹדֵ֔ד | shoded | [is] destroying | H7703 → | 57 times |
| עֲלִ֤י | ʾali | go up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עֵילָם֙ | ʾeilam | O Elam | H5867 → | 28 times |
| צוּרִ֣י | tzuri | lay siege | H6696 → | |
| מָדַ֔י | madai | O Media | H4074 → | |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אַנְחָתָ֖ה | ʾanchatah | groaning its | H585 → | 11 times |
| הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃ | hishbati | I will cause to cease | H7673 → | 71 times |
חָז֥וּתa vision
chazutH2380 →5 times
קָשָׁ֖הsevere
kashahH7186 →36 times
הֻגַּד־it has been told
hugad-H5046 →370 times
לִ֑יto me
li
הַבּוֹגֵ֤ד׀the traitor
habogedH898 →49 times
בּוֹגֵד֙[is] acting treacherously
bogedH898 →49 times
וְהַשּׁוֹדֵ֣ד׀and the destroyer
vehashodedH7703 →57 times
שׁוֹדֵ֔ד[is] destroying
shodedH7703 →57 times
עֲלִ֤יgo up
ʾaliH5927 →890 times
עֵילָם֙O Elam
ʾeilamH5867 →28 times
צוּרִ֣יlay siege
tzuriH6696 →
מָדַ֔יO Media
madaiH4074 →
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אַנְחָתָ֖הgroaning its
ʾanchatahH585 →11 times
הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃I will cause to cease
hishbatiH7673 →71 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 33:1Woe to you, O destroyer never destroyed, O traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, you will be betrayed.
it leads to
- Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
- Matthew 7:2
Through
Daniel 5:28PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 13:17
Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.
- Daniel 6:28
So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
- Daniel 5:31
and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
- Isaiah 13:17
Through
Psalms 60:3You have shown Your people hardship; we are staggered from the wine You made us drink.
it leads to
- Psalms 71:20
Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.
- Isaiah 51:17
Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His fury; you who have drained the goblet to the dregs—the cup that makes men…
- Psalms 71:20
Through
Jeremiah 49:34This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah.
it leads to
- Genesis 14:1
In those days Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim
- Jeremiah 25:25
all the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media;
- Genesis 14:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Isaiah
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Gregory of Nazianzus, ON THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 5 (31).3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.