A5 r 1,2-. Vision. Seen and declared.
s -2-4. The besiegers (Media and Persia). Sent by God.
t 5. The feasting of Babylon. The besieged.
t 6-9. The fall of Babylon. "
s 10-. The besiegers. Sent by God.
r -10-12. Vision heard and declared.649-588 B.C.
Isaiah 21)
1 The burden (the 5th of 7 burdens) relating to the desert of the sea (a similar term used by Herodotus, "pelagizein" [i. 184]. The waters of the Euphrates in flood were so called, as the Nile was [19:5]. Cp. Rev.17:3,15). As storms in the south sweep through; so it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
2 A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous one deals treacherously, and the spoiler spoils.
Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof (caused by the oppression of Babylon = Confusion) have I made to cease.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travails: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
4 My heart panted, fearfulness frightened me: the darkness of my joy (Heb. nephesh, a Homonym., "daylight" in Job 7:4. 1 Sam. 30:17.) has he turned into trembling unto me.
5 Prepare the table (&c. = Irony), watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, all you princes, and anoint the shield.
6 For thus has the Lord said to me, "Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees."
7 And he saw a troop of horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, and a troop of camels; and he listened diligently with much heed:
8 And he cried, "[As] a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
9 And, behold, here comes a troop 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 has broken to the ground." (see Deut. 7:25; 12:3)
10 O my threshing (fig., put for the result of it. Here = my oppressed People), and the corn of my floor: (lit. son of my threshing-floor)
that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel (see 29:23), have I declared to you."
11 The burden (the 6th of 7 burdens) of Dumah (= Edom = red. An abbreviated form of fuller name "Idumea" [34:5. Ezek. 35:15; 36:5. Mark 3:5]. Dumah = silence, prophetic of its end). He calls to me out of Seir (the inheritance of Esau [or Edom]), "Watchman, how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone the night?" (this is Edom's inquiry)
12 The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night (this may be the oracle of silence implied in the name "Dumah". See above and cp. Pss. 94:17; 115:17): if you all will inquire, inquire you all (Isaiah had no answer. He is silent, but intimates that they may inquire again): return, come."
A7 u 13,14. Arabia.
v 15. The flight.
u 16. Arabia.
v 17. The diminishing.
13 The burden (the 7th of 7 burdens) in Arabia. In the forest in Arabia (or, in the evening, or, at sunset. The name is as significant as "Dumah" [v.11]) shall you all lodge, O all you caravans of Dedanites. (descendants of Abraham by Keturah: Dedan, the son of Midian [Gen. 25:3. 1 Chron. 32])
14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema (descendants of Abraham through Hagar and Ishmael [Gen.25:15. 1 Chron.1:30]: both mentioned in Jer.25:23 Job 6:19) bring you all water to him that was thirsty, they meet you all with their bread him that fled.
15 For they fled (from the Assyrian invaders) from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 For thus has the Lord said to me, “Within a year (later afflictions were foretold in Jer.49:28), according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: (another descendant of Abraham by Hagar through Ishmael [Gen. 25:13])
17 And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men (gibbor) of the sons of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel has spoken it.”