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Good News Translation

Isaiah 21:7

If he sees riders coming on horseback, two by two, and riders on donkeys and camels, he is to observe them carefully."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ass (Donkey);   Babylon;   Camel;   Chariot;   Isaiah;   Persia;   Watchman;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ass, the Domestic;   Babylon;   Camel, the;   Chariots;   Watchmen;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Towers;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Persia;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Camel;   Watches;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Babel;   Camel;   Horse;   Yoke;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Babylon ;   Camel;   Elam ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Medes;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ba'bel;   Yoke;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Evil;   Hezekiah (2);   Isaiah;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ass;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bible in Mohammedan Literature;   Camel;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When he sees riders—pairs of horsemen,riders on donkeys,riders on camels—he must pay close attention.”
Hebrew Names Version
and when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently with much heed.
King James Version
And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
English Standard Version
When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."
New American Standard Bible
"When he sees a column of chariots, horsemen in pairs, A train of donkeys, a train of camels, He is to pay close attention, very close attention."
New Century Version
If he sees chariots and teams of horses, donkeys, or camels, he should pay very close attention."
Amplified Bible
"When he sees a chariot, horsemen in pairs, A train of donkeys and a train of camels, Let him pay attention and listen closely, very closely."
World English Bible
and when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently with much heed.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sawe a charet with two horsemen: a charet of an asse, and a charet of a camel: and he hearkened and tooke diligent heede.
Legacy Standard Bible
Indeed, he shall see riders, horsemen in pairs,Riders of donkeys, riders of camels,So let him pay close attention, very close attention."
Berean Standard Bible
When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert."
Contemporary English Version
When they see cavalry troops and columns of soldiers on donkeys and camels, tell them to be ready!"
Complete Jewish Bible
If he sees the cavalry, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be on alert, on full alert!"
Darby Translation
And he saw chariots, horsemen by pairs, a chariot with asses, a chariot with camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed.
Easy-to-Read Version
Whether he sees a chariot and a team of horses or men riding donkeys or camels, he must listen carefully."
George Lamsa Translation
And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a rider on an ass and a rider on a camel; and he hearkened diligently with much heed;
Lexham English Bible
When he sees riders, a pair of horsemen, riders of donkeys, riders of camels, then he must listen attentively, paying attention, paying special attention."
Literal Translation
And he sees a chariot, a couple of horsemen; a chariot of an ass; a chariot of a camel; and let him bow attentively, very attentively.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whe he had wayted diligetly, he sawe two horsmen: the one rydinge vpon an Asse, the other vpon a camel.
American Standard Version
and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.
Bible in Basic English
And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when he seeth a troop, horsemen by pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.
King James Version (1611)
And he saw a charet with a couple of horsemen, a charet of asses, and a charet of camels; and hee hearkened diligently with much heede.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sawe a charret which two horsemen sat vpon, with the cariage of an Asse, and the cariage of a Camel: So he loked, and toke diligent heede.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I saw two mounted horsemen, and a rider on an ass, and a rider on a camel.
English Revised Version
and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he siy the chare of tweyne horse men, the stiere of an asse, and the stiere of a camel; and he bihelde diligentli with myche lokyng,
Update Bible Version
and when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently with much heed.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he saw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, [and] a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
New English Translation
When he sees chariots, teams of horses, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, very alert."
New King James Version
And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, And he listened earnestly with great care.
New Living Translation
He should look for chariots drawn by pairs of horses, and for riders on donkeys and camels. Let the watchman be fully alert."
New Life Bible
When he sees men riding on horses, two by two, and men on donkeys, and men on camels, let him be very careful to watch."
New Revised Standard
When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When he seeth A train of horsemen in double rank, A train of asses, A train of camels, Then shall he hearken attentively with diligent heed.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And 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.
Revised Standard Version
When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on asses, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."
Young's Literal Translation
And he hath seen a chariot -- a couple of horsemen, The rider of an ass, the rider of a camel, And he hath given attention -- He hath increased attention!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, A train of donkeys, a train of camels, Let him pay close attention, very close attention."

Contextual Overview

1 This is a message about Babylonia. Like a whirlwind sweeping across the desert, disaster will come from a terrifying land. 2 I have seen a vision of cruel events, a vision of betrayal and destruction. Army of Elam, attack! Army of Media, lay siege to the cities! God will put an end to the suffering which Babylon has caused. 3 What I saw and heard in the vision has filled me with terror and pain, pain like that of a woman in labor. 4 My head is spinning, and I am trembling with fear. I had been longing for evening to come, but it has brought me nothing but terror. 5 In the vision a banquet is ready; rugs are spread for the guests to sit on. They are eating and drinking. Suddenly the command rings out: "Officers! Prepare your shields!" 6 Then the Lord said to me, "Go and post a sentry, and tell him to report what he sees. 7 If he sees riders coming on horseback, two by two, and riders on donkeys and camels, he is to observe them carefully." 8 The sentry calls out, "Sir, I have been standing guard at my post day and night." 9 Suddenly, here they come! Riders on horseback, two by two. The sentry gives the news, "Babylon has fallen! All the idols they worshiped lie shattered on the ground." 10 My people Israel, you have been threshed like wheat, but now I have announced to you the good news that I have heard from the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

And he saw: Isaiah 21:9, Isaiah 37:24

he hearkened: Hebrews 2:1

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 19:7 - thirty Isaiah 46:11 - Calling Jeremiah 17:24 - if Jeremiah 50:25 - opened

Cross-References

Genesis 21:11
This troubled Abraham very much, because Ishmael also was his son.
Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, "Don't be worried about the boy and your slave Hagar. Do whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I have promised.
Genesis 21:32
After they had made this agreement at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol went back to Philistia.
Genesis 21:34
Abraham lived in Philistia for a long time.
Numbers 23:23
There is no magic charm, no witchcraft, That can be used against the nation of Israel. Now people will say about Israel, ‘Look what God has done!'
Psalms 86:8
There is no god like you, O Lord, not one has done what you have done.
Psalms 86:10
You are mighty and do wonderful things; you alone are God.
Isaiah 49:21
Then you will say to yourself, ‘Who bore all these children for me? I lost my children and could have no more. I was exiled and driven away— who brought these children up? I was left all alone— where did these children come from?'"
Isaiah 66:8
Has anyone ever seen or heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a day? Zion will not have to suffer long, before the nation is born.
Ephesians 3:10
in order that at the present time, by means of the church, the angelic rulers and powers in the heavenly world might learn of his wisdom in all its different forms.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he saw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen,.... The drivers of it, or the riders in it; perhaps meaning Cyrus and Darius:

a chariot of asses, [and] a chariot of camels; by the former may be meant the Persians, who very much used mules or asses; and the Medes by the latter, who abounded in camels: the words are in the singular number, and may be rendered, "a rider of an ass, and a rider of a camel" w; and so may describe the couple of riders along with the chariot, which may signify the whole army of the Medes and Persians, chariots being much used in war; and the rider of the ass or mule may design Cyrus, who was called a mule, because of his mixed descent, being a Persian by his father, and a Mede by his mother's side; so the oracle of Apollo told the Babylonians, that their city should stand, until a mule was king of the Medes; and the rider of the camel may point at Darius:

and he hearkened diligently with much heed; the watchman that was set to watch used the utmost attention to what he saw, and listened diligently to the noise of this chariot and horsemen, as they came nearer.

w רכב חמור רכב גמל αναβατην ονου, και αναβατην καμηλου, Sept.; "ascensorem asini, et ascensorem cameli", V. L. "unum equitantium in asinis, alterum equitantium in camelis", Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen - This passage is very obscure from the ambiguity of the word רכב rekeb - ‘chariot.’ Gesenius contends that it should be rendered ‘cavalry,’ and that it refers to cavalry two abreast hastening to the destruction of the city. The word רכב rekeb denotes properly a chariot or wagon Judges 5:28; a collection of wagons 2Ch 1:14; 2 Chronicles 8:6; 2 Chronicles 9:25; and sometimes refers to the “horses or men” attached to a chariot. ‘David houghed all the chariots’ 2 Samuel 8:4; that is, all the “horses” belonging to them. ‘David killed of the Syrians seven hundred chariots’ 2 Samuel 10:18; that is, all “the men” belonging to seven hundred chariots. According to the present Masoretic pointing, the word רכב rekeb does not mean, perhaps, anything else than a chariot strictly, but other forms of the word with the same letters denote “riders or cavalry.” Thus, the word רכב rakâb denotes a horseman 2 Kings 9:17; a charioteer or driver of a chariot 1 Kings 22:34; Jeremiah 51:21. The verb רבב râbab means “to ride,” and is usually applied to riding on the backs of horses or camels; and the sense here is, that the watchman saw “a riding,” or persons riding two abreast; that is, “cavalry,” or men borne on horses, and camels, and asses, and hastening to attack the city.

With a couple of horsemen - The word ‘couple’ (צמד tsemed) means properly a “yoke or pair;” and it means here that the cavalry was seen “in pairs, that is,” two abreast.

A chariot of asses - Or rather, as above, “a riding” on donkeys - an approach of men in this manner to battle. Asses were formerly used in war where horses could not be procured. Thus Strabo (xv. 2, 14) says of the inhabitants of Caramania, ‘Many use donkeys for war in the want of horses.’ And Herodotus (iv. 129) says expressly that Darius Hystaspes employed donkeys in a battle with the Scythians.

And a chariot of camels - A “riding” on camels. Camels also were used in war, perhaps usually to carry the baggage (see Diod. ii. 54; iii. 44; Livy, xxxvii. 40; Strabo, xvi. 3). They are used for all purposes of burden in the East, and particularly in Arabia.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 21:7. And he saw a chariot, c. - "And he saw a chariot with two riders a rider on an ass, a rider on a camel"] This passage is extremely obscure from the ambiguity of the term רכב recheb, which is used three times, and which signifies a chariot, or any other vehicle, or the rider in it; or a rider on a horse, or any other animal; or a company of chariots, or riders. The prophet may possibly mean a cavalry in two parts, with two sorts of riders; riders on asses or mules, and riders on camels; or led on by two riders, one on an ass, and one on a camel. However, so far it is pretty clear, that Darius and Cyrus, the Medes and the Persians, are intended to be distinguished by the two riders on the two sorts of cattle. It appears from Herodotus, i. 80, that the baggage of Cyrus' army was carried on camels. In his engagement with Croesus, he took off the baggage from the camels, and mounted his horsemen upon them; the enemy's horses, offended with the smell of the camels, turned back and fled. - L.


 
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