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Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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New Living Translation

Isaiah 21:2

I see a terrifying vision: I see the betrayer betraying, the destroyer destroying. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, attack and lay siege. I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Babylon;   Cyrus;   Isaiah;   Persia;   Thompson Chain Reference - Elam;   Mysteries-Revelations;   Prophetic Visions;   Revelation;   Visions;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Babylon;   Medo-Persian Kingdom;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Media;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Babylon;   Media;   Persia;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Elam;   Media;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Babel;   Cyrus;   Elam;   Medes;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Elam;   Medes, Media;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Elam;   Isaiah, Book of;   Medes, Media;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Babylon ;   Elam ;   Medes, Media ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Medes;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elam;   Medes;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ba'bel;   E'lam;   Medes, Me'dia;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Dealer;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Evil;   Groan;   Hezekiah (2);   Isaiah;   Medes;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Elam;   Media;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A troubling vision is declared to me:“The treacherous one acts treacherously,and the destroyer destroys.Advance, Elam! Lay siege, you Medes!I will put an end to all the groaning.”
Hebrew Names Version
A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, `Elam; besiege, Madai; all the sighing of it have I made to cease.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
A stern vision is told to me; the traitor betrays, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam; lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end.
New American Standard Bible
A harsh vision has been shown to me; The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media; I have put an end to all the groaning she has caused.
New Century Version
I have seen a terrible vision. I see traitors turning against you and people taking your wealth. Elam, attack the people! Media, surround the city and attack it! I will bring an end to the pain the city causes.
Amplified Bible
A harsh vision has been shown to me; The treacherous one deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam! Lay siege, Media! All the groaning [caused by Babylon's ruthless oppressions] I [the LORD] have brought to an end.
World English Bible
A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; besiege, Media; all the sighing of it have I made to cease.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A grieuous vision was shewed vnto me, The transgressour against a transgressour, and the destroyer against a destroyer. Goe vp Elam, besiege Media: I haue caused all the mourning thereof to cease.
Legacy Standard Bible
A harsh vision has been declared to me;The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys.Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media;I have made an end of all the groaning she has caused.
Berean Standard Bible
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."
Contemporary English Version
What a horrible vision was shown to me— a vision of betrayal and destruction. Tell Elam and Media to surround and attack the Babylonians. The Lord has sworn to end the suffering they caused.
Complete Jewish Bible
A dire vision has been shown to me: the betrayer betrays, and the spoiler spoils. ‘Eilam, advance! Madai, lay siege! I will end all groaning.
Darby Translation
A grievous vision is declared unto me: the treacherous dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, Elam! besiege, Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
Easy-to-Read Version
I was given a vision of the hard times to come. I see traitors turning against you. I see people taking your wealth. Elam, go against them! Media, surround the city! I will put an end to all their moaning.
George Lamsa Translation
A grievous vision is declared to me: the oppressor oppresses, and the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam, and the mountains of Media; all the sighing thereof I have made to cease.
Good News Translation
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.
Lexham English Bible
A hard revelation is told to me; the treacherous deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; lay siege, Media! I put an end to all of her sighing.
Literal Translation
A harsh vision is revealed to me; the one betraying betrays, and the one ravaging ravages. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! I have caused all her sighing to cease.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Who so maye disceaue (sayde the voyce) let him disceaue: Who so maye distroye, let him distroye. Vp Elam, besege it o Madai, for I will still all their gronynges.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
A vision of fear comes before my eyes; the worker of deceit goes on in his false way, and the waster goes on making waste. Up! Elam; to the attack! Media; I have put an end to her sorrow.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'
King James Version (1611)
A grieuous vision is declared vnto me; The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth: Goe, vp O Elam: besiege, O Media: all the sighing thereof haue I made to cease.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A greeuous vision was shewed vnto me: let one deceiptfull offendour come agaynst another, and one destroyer agaynst another: Up Elam, lay siege thou of Media, all their gronyng haue I layde downe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
so a fearful and a grievous vision was declared to me: he that is treacherous deals treacherously, the transgressor transgresses. The Elamites are upon me, and the ambassadors of the Persians come against me: now will I groan and comfort myself.
English Revised Version
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
An hard reuelacioun is teld to me; he that is vnfeithful, doith vnfeithfuli; and he that is a distriere, distrieth. Thou Helam, stie, and thou, Meda, biseche; Y made al the weilyng therof for to ceesse.
Update Bible Version
A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof I have made to cease.
Webster's Bible Translation
A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler plundereth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all her sighing have I made to cease.
New English Translation
I have received a distressing message: "The deceiver deceives, the destroyer destroys. Attack, you Elamites! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all the groaning!"
New King James Version
A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, And the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All its sighing I have made to cease.
New Life Bible
A hard special dream has been shown to me. The one who hurts still goes on hurting others, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam. Gather your armies around, Media. I will bring an end to all the crying she has caused.
New Revised Standard
A stern vision is told to me; the betrayer betrays, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam, lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So hath, a grievous vision, been told me: - the deceiver, is deceiving. And the spoiler, is spoiling, Go up, O Elam Besiege O Media, All the sighing she hath caused, have I made to cease.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A 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.
Revised Standard Version
A stern vision is told to me; the plunderer plunders, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam, lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end.
Young's Literal Translation
A hard vision hath been declared to me, The treacherous dealer is dealing treacherously, And the destroyer is destroying. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Media, All its sighing I have caused to cease.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A harsh vision has been shown to me; The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media; I have made an end of all the groaning she has caused.

Contextual Overview

1 This message came to me concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea: Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert, like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev. 2 I see a terrifying vision: I see the betrayer betraying, the destroyer destroying. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, attack and lay siege. I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused. 3 My stomach aches and burns with pain. Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me, like those of a woman in labor. I grow faint when I hear what God is planning; I am too afraid to look. 4 My mind reels and my heart races. I longed for evening to come, but now I am terrified of the dark. 5 Look! They are preparing a great feast. They are spreading rugs for people to sit on. Everyone is eating and drinking. But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle. You are being attacked! 6 Meanwhile, the Lord said to me, "Put a watchman on the city wall. Let him shout out what he sees. 7 He should look for chariots drawn by pairs of horses, and for riders on donkeys and camels. Let the watchman be fully alert." 8 Then the watchman called out, "Day after day I have stood on the watchtower, my lord. Night after night I have remained at my post. 9 Now at last—look! Here comes a man in a chariot with a pair of horses!" Then the watchman said, "Babylon is fallen, fallen! All the idols of Babylon lie broken on the ground!" 10 O my people, threshed and winnowed, I have told you everything the Lord of Heaven's Armies has said, everything the God of Israel has told me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

grievous: Heb. hard, Psalms 60:3, Proverbs 13:15

the treacherous: Isaiah 24:16, Isaiah 33:1, 1 Samuel 24:13, Jeremiah 51:44, Jeremiah 51:48, Jeremiah 51:49, Jeremiah 51:53, Revelation 13:10

Go up: Isaiah 13:2-4, Isaiah 13:17, Isaiah 13:18, Jeremiah 50:14, Jeremiah 50:34, Jeremiah 49:34, Jeremiah 51:11, Jeremiah 51:27, Jeremiah 51:28, Daniel 5:28, Daniel 8:20

all the: Isaiah 14:1-3, Isaiah 35:10, Isaiah 47:6, Psalms 12:5, Psalms 79:11, Psalms 137:1-3, Jeremiah 31:11, Jeremiah 31:12, Jeremiah 31:20, Jeremiah 31:25, Jeremiah 45:3, Jeremiah 51:3, Jeremiah 51:4, Lamentations 1:22, Micah 7:8-10, Zechariah 1:15, Zechariah 1:16

Reciprocal: Genesis 10:22 - Elam Genesis 14:1 - Elam Leviticus 6:2 - in fellowship 2 Kings 17:6 - the Medes 1 Chronicles 1:17 - Elam Ezra 4:9 - Elamites Esther 1:3 - of Persia Isaiah 1:1 - vision Isaiah 22:6 - Elam Isaiah 41:25 - raised Isaiah 48:8 - I knew Jeremiah 50:9 - I will raise Jeremiah 50:22 - General Jeremiah 51:46 - a rumour shall Jeremiah 51:56 - the spoiler Ezekiel 38:9 - shalt ascend Daniel 5:6 - the king's Daniel 5:9 - changed Daniel 8:3 - one Habakkuk 1:13 - deal Habakkuk 2:7 - they Acts 2:9 - Elamites

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
But God replied, "No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.
Genesis 17:21
But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year."
Genesis 18:10
Then one of them said, "I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!" Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.
Genesis 18:14
Is anything too hard for the Lord ? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."
Genesis 21:16
Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. "I don't want to watch the boy die," she said, as she burst into tears.
Genesis 21:17
But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, "Hagar, what's wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.
Genesis 21:24
Abraham replied, "Yes, I swear to it!"
Genesis 21:25
Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech's servants had taken by force from Abraham's servants.
Luke 1:36
What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.
Acts 7:8
"God also gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision at that time. So when Abraham became the father of Isaac, he circumcised him on the eighth day. And the practice was continued when Isaac became the father of Jacob, and when Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs of the Israelite nation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A grievous vision is declared unto me,.... The prophet; meaning the vision of Babylon's destruction, which was "hard", as the word signifies, and might seem harsh and cruel; not to him, nor to the Jews, but to the Chaldeans:

the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth; that is, according to Jarchi, one treacherous dealer deals treacherously with another, and one spoiler spoils another; the Medes and Persians deal treacherously with and spoil the Babylonians, who had dealt treacherously with and spoiled other nations: and to this sense some read the words, "the treacherous dealer hath found a treacherous dealer, and the spoiler one that spoileth" n: some take it to be a compellation of the Medes and Persians, calling upon them, under these characters, to go up and besiege Babylon, as, "O treacherous dealer, O spoiler" o; though the words may be understood of the perfidy and treachery of the Babylonians, of which they had been frequently guilty, and which is given as a reason of their fall and ruin; or rather they suggest the treacherous means by which they should be ruined, even by some from among themselves; particularly, history p informs us, that Gobrias and Gadates, two noblemen of the king of Babylon, being used ill by him, revolted from him, and joined with Cyrus; and when the river Euphrates was drained, went at the head of his army in two parties, and guided them into the city, and took it; or rather Belshazzar king of Babylon himself is meant, who acted, and continued to act, most impiously and wickedly: and therefore,

go up, O Elam; or Elamites, as the Targum and Septuagint; see Acts 2:9 these were Persians, so called from Elam, a province in Persia; who are here called upon by the Lord of armies, through the mouth of the prophet, to go up to war against Babylon; and these are mentioned first, because Cyrus, who commanded the whole army, was a Persian: or if Elam is taken for a province, which was indeed subject to Babylon, of which Shushan was the capital city, Daniel 8:2 the governor of it, Abradates, revolted from the Babylonians, and joined Cyrus, and fought with him q:

besiege, O Media; or, O ye Medes, join with the Persians in the siege of Babylon; as they did:

all the sighing thereof have I made to cease; either of the army of the Medes and Persians, who, by reason of long and tedious marches, frequent battles, and hard sieges, groaned and sighed; but now it would be over with them, when Babylon was taken; or of the Babylonians themselves, who would have no mercy shown them, nor have any time for sighing, being cut off suddenly, and in a moment; or rather of other people oppressed by them, and particularly the Lord's people the Jews, who had been in captivity for the space of seventy years, during which they had sighed and groaned, because of the hardships they endured; but now sighing would be at an end, and they should have deliverance, as they had, by Cyrus the Persian. The sighing is not that with which they sighed, but which they caused in others.

n הבוגד בוגד והשודד שודד "praevaricator prevaricatorem et vastator, vastatorem [sub.] inveniet"; so some in Vatablus; also Gataker. o "O perfide, perfidus; O vastator, vastator", De Dieu. p Xenophon. Cyropaedia, l. 4. c. 24. l. 5. c. 11. & l. 7. c. 23. q Ib. l. 6. sect. 7, 8, 9, 26. & l. 7. sect. 4, 8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A grievous vision - Margin, as in Hebrew ‘Hard.’ On the word ‘vision,’ see the note at Isaiah 1:1. The sense here is, that the vision which the prophet saw was one that indicated great calamity Isaiah 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 Habakkuk 2:5, and in Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 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. The sense is, that desolation was about to be produced by a nation “accustomed” to it, and who would act toward Babylon in their true character.

Go up - This is an address of God to Media and Persia (see the note at Isaiah 13:17).

O Elam - This was the name of the country originally possessed by the Persians, and was so called from Elam a son of Shem Genesis 10:22. It was east of the Euphrates, and comprehended properly the mountainous countries of Khusistan and Louristan, called by the Greek writers “Elymais.” In this country was Susa or Shushan, mentioned in Daniel 8:2. It is here put for Persia in general, and the call on Elam and Media to go up, was a call on the united kingdom of the Medes and Persians.

Besiege - That is, besiege Babylon.

O Media - (see the note at Isaiah 13:17).

All the sighing thereof have I made to cease - This has been very differently interpreted by expositors. Some understand it (as Rosenmuller, Jerome, and Lowth,) as designed to be taken in an “active” sense; that is, all the groaning “caused” by Babylon in her oppressions of others, and particularly of God’s people, would cease. Others refer it to the army of the Medes and Persians, as if “their” sighing should be over; that is, their fatigues and labors in the conquest of Babylon. Calvin supposes that it means that the Lord would be deaf to the sighs of Babylon; that is, he would disregard them and would bring upon them the threatened certain destruction. The probable meaning is that suggested by Jerome, that God would bring to an end all the sighs and groans which Babylon had caused in a world suffering under her oppressions (compare Isaiah 14:7-8).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 21:2. The 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. Cocceius (Lexicon in voce) observes that the Chaldee very often renders the verb בגד bagad, by בזז bazaz, he spoiled; and in this place, and in Isaiah 33:1, by the equivalent word אנס anas, to press, give trouble; and in Isaiah 24:16 both by אנס anas and בזז bazaz; and the Syriac in this place renders it by טלם talam, he oppressed.

All the sighing thereof have I made to cease - "I have put an end to all her vexations"] Heb. "Her sighing; that is, the sighing caused by her." So Kimchi on the place: "It means those who groaned through fear of him: for the suffixes of the nouns refer both to the agent and the patient. All those who groaned before the face of the king of Babylon he caused to rest;" Chald. And so likewise Ephrem Syr. in loc., edit. Assemani: "His groans, viz., the grief and tears which the Chaldeans occasioned through the rest of the nations."


 
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