Chapter 21
The destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians: a prophecy against the Edomites and the Arabians.
1The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land.2A grievous vision is told me: he that is unfaithful dealeth unfaithfully: and he that is a spoiler, spoileth. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Mede: I have made all the mourning thereof to cease.3Therefore are my loins filled with pain, anguish hath taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labour: I fell down at the hearing of it, I was troubled at the seeing of it.4My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me.5Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.6For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell.7And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel: and he beheld them diligently with much heed.8And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.9Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground.10O my thrashing and the children of my door, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.11The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night?12The watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come.13The burden in Arabia. In the forest at evening you shall sleep, in the paths of Dedanim.14Meeting the thirsty bring him water, you that inhabit the land of the south, meet with bread him that fleeth.15For they are fled from before the swords, from the sword that hung over them, from the bent bow, from the face of a grievous battle.16For thus saith the Lord to me: Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Cedar shall be taken away.17And the residue of the number of strong archers of the children of Cedar shall be diminished: for the Lord the God of Israel hath spoken it.