Keraia
Isaiah 21

Isaiah 21:2

Babylon Is Fallen · Isaiah 21:1–10
Read Isaiah 21

Translations

Modern
A 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.”
Traditional
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.
Literal
A harsh vision is declared to me: “The treacherous one deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All her sighing I have made cease.”
Latin
Visio dura nuntiata est mihi: qui incredulus est infideliter agit; et qui depopulator est vastat. Ascende, Ælam; obside, Mede; omnem gemitum ejus cessare feci.

Interlinear

Hebrew
English
A 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.”

Notes

Isaiah 21:2

  • A dire vision is declared to me: The prophet makes Babylon's experience personal, which strengthens his poetry. The concise language and repeated sounds, like The traitor still betrays (Hebrew habboged boged) and the destroyer still destroys (Hebrew hashoded shoded; also in Isaiah 33:1), add to this effect.

  • The Elamites lived northeast of Babylon. They, along with the Medes, were major rivals of the Babylonians.

  • I will put an end to all her groaning: Babylon caused suffering by attacking and enslaving many nations. The Elamites and Medes likely helped overthrow Babylon in 539 BC (Isaiah 21:9).

Events

Parallels

Revelation 18:1–8

Places

Elam: Ancient kingdom east of Babylon; ally and enemy of Israel Media: An ancient kingdom; part of the Persian Empire

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Elam (Place), Elamites Isaiah, Book of

Topics

Babylon: City of Prophecies Concerning Babylon: Predictions Respecting: Destruction of Cyrus: Prophecies Concerning Isaiah: Prophecies, Reproofs, and Exhortations of Denunciations Against Babylon Medo-Persian Kingdom: Predictions Respecting: Conquest of Babylon Persia: Prophecies Concerning