Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 15th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Douay-Rheims Bible

Isaiah 21:9

Behold 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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Babylon;   Idolatry;   Isaiah;   Persia;   Watchman;   Thompson Chain Reference - Babylon;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Watchmen;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Evil;   Gods;   Hezekiah (2);   Isaiah;   Siege;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bible in Mohammedan Literature;   Revelation (Book of);  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Look, riders come—horsemen in pairs.”And he answered, saying,“Babylon has fallen, has fallen.All the images of her godshave been shattered on the ground.”
Hebrew Names Version
and, behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. He answered, Fallen, fallen is Bavel; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.
King James Version
And, behold, here cometh a chariot 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 hath broken unto the ground.
English Standard Version
And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!" And he answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground."
New American Standard Bible
"Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs." And one said, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground."
New Century Version
Look, I see a man coming in a chariot with a team of horses." The man gives back the answer, "Babylon has fallen. It has fallen! All the statues of her gods lie broken on the ground."
Amplified Bible
"Now look! Here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs." And one said, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the carved images of her gods are shattered on the ground."
World English Bible
and, behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. He answered, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And beholde, this mans charet commeth with two horsemen. And he answered and said, Babel is fallen: it is fallen, and all the images of her gods hath he broken vnto the ground.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs."And one answered and said, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon;And all the graven images of her gods are shattered on the ground."
Berean Standard Bible
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs." And one answered, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground."
Contemporary English Version
Now I see column after column of cavalry troops." Right away someone shouted, "Babylon has fallen! Every idol in the city lies broken on the ground."
Complete Jewish Bible
Then, as they appeared — the cavalry, horsemen in pairs — he spoke these words: "She has fallen! She has fallen — Bavel! All the carved images of her gods lie shattered on the ground."
Darby Translation
—And behold, there cometh a chariot of men; horsemen by pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.
Easy-to-Read Version
Look! I see a man in a chariot with a team of horses." The messenger said, "Babylon has been defeated! It has fallen to the ground! All the statues of her false gods were thrown to the ground and broken to pieces."
George Lamsa Translation
And, behold, there came a man from the pair of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods are broken to the ground.
Good News Translation
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."
Lexham English Bible
And look at this! A man's a chariot is coming, a pair of horsemen!" Then he responded and said, "It has fallen! Babylon has fallen! And all the images of her gods are smashed on the ground!"
Literal Translation
And, behold, here comes a chariot of a man, a pair of horses. And he answered and said, Babylon has fallen, has fallen! And He has smashed the graven images of her gods to the earth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
With yt came there one rydinge vpon a charet, which answered, and sayde Babilon is fallen, she is turned vpsyde downe, and all ye ymages of hir goddes are smytten to ye grounde.
American Standard Version
and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.
Bible in Basic English
See, here come war-carriages with men, horsemen by twos: and in answer he said, Babylon is made low, is made low, and all her images are broken on the earth.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.'
King James Version (1611)
And behold, heere commeth a charet of men with a couple of horsemen: and he answered and sayd; Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the grauen images of her Gods he hath broken vnto the ground.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And beholde here commeth a charret of men, with two horsemen, and he aunswered and sayd, Babylon is fallen, it is fallen, and all the images of her gods hath he smitten downe vnto the grounde.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and, behold, he comes riding in a chariot and pair: and he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all her images and her idols have been crushed to the ground.
English Revised Version
and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lo! this cometh, a man stiere of a carte of horse men. And Isaie criede, and seide, Babiloyne felle doun, felle doun; and alle the grauun ymagis of goddis therof ben al to-brokun in to erthe.
Update Bible Version
and, look, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken to the ground.
Webster's Bible Translation
And behold, here cometh a chariot 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 hath broken to the ground.
New English Translation
Look what's coming! A charioteer, a team of horses." When questioned, he replies, "Babylon has fallen, fallen! All the idols of her gods lie shattered on the ground!"
New King James Version
And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!" Then he answered and said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground."
New Living Translation
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!"
New Life Bible
Now see, here comes an army of men riding on horses, two by two." One answered and said, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon. All the objects of her gods are broken to pieces on the ground."
New Revised Standard
Look, there they come, riders, horsemen in pairs!" Then he responded, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When lo! here was a train of men coming. With horsemen in double rank, - And one began and said, Fallen! fallen! is Babylon, And all the images of her gods, are smashed to the ground!
Revised Standard Version
And, behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!" And he answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the images of her gods he has shattered to the ground."
Young's Literal Translation
And lo, this, the chariot of a man is coming, A couple of horsemen.' And he answereth and saith: `Fallen, fallen hath Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods He hath broken to the earth.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs." And one said, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground."

Contextual Overview

1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land. 2 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. 3 Therefore 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. 4 My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me. 5 Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield. 6 For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell. 7 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. 8 And 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. 9 Behold 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. 10 O my thrashing, and the children of my floor, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

behold: Jeremiah 50:3, Jeremiah 50:9, Jeremiah 50:29, Jeremiah 50:42, Jeremiah 51:27

Babylon: Isaiah 13:19, Isaiah 14:4, Jeremiah 50:2, Jeremiah 51:8, Jeremiah 51:64, Revelation 14:8, Revelation 18:2, Revelation 18:21

all: Isaiah 46:1, Isaiah 46:2, Jeremiah 50:2, Jeremiah 50:38, Jeremiah 51:44, Jeremiah 51:47, Jeremiah 51:52

Reciprocal: Isaiah 14:22 - I will Isaiah 19:1 - the idols Isaiah 21:7 - And he saw Isaiah 25:2 - For Jeremiah 27:7 - until Jeremiah 43:12 - in the Ezekiel 10:1 - I looked Revelation 18:10 - that great

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Now Sarai, the wife of Abram, had brought forth no children: but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar,
Genesis 17:20
And as for Ismael I have also heard thee. Behold, I will bless him, and increase, and multiply him exceedingly: he shall beget twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 21:1
And the Lord visited Sara, as he had promised: and fulfilled what he had spoken.
Genesis 21:3
And Abraham called the name of his son, whom Sara bore him, Isaac.
Genesis 21:5
When he was a hundred years old: for at this age of his father, was Isaac born.
Genesis 21:6
And Sara said: God hath made a laughter for me: whosoever shall hear of it will laugh with me.
Genesis 21:13
But I will make the son also of the bondwoman a great nation, because he is thy seed.
Genesis 21:14
So Abraham rose up in the morning, and taking bread and a bottle of water, put it upon her shoulder, and delivered the boy, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Bersabee.
Genesis 21:23
Swear therefore by God, that thou wilt not hurt me, nor my posterity, nor my stock: but according to the kindness that I have done to thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land wherein thou hast lived a stranger.
Genesis 21:24
And Abraham said: I will swear.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men,.... Or "of a man" x; a chariot with a man in it, Cyrus or Darius:

[with] a couple of horsemen; the army of the Medes and Persians, with their two leaders or generals, as before; only now seen nearer the city, just entering into it; for so the word may be rendered, "goeth", or "is gone in a chariot", c.:

and he answered, and said either the watchman, upon seeing the chariot and horsemen go into the city; or one of the horsemen that went in; so the Syriac and Arabic versions; or rather the prophet, and the Lord by him:

Babylon is fallen, is fallen: which is repeated to show the certainty of it. The same words are used of the fall of mystical Babylon,

Revelation 14:8. The Targum is,

"it is fallen, and also it shall be, that Babylon shall fall;''

that is, a second time, and hereafter: and so Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of two falls, one by the Medes and Persians, and the other by the hand of heaven, or God himself: literal Babylon fell by the former; mystical Babylon will fall by the latter, even by the breath of Christ's mouth, and the brightness of his coming:

and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground; either Cyrus or Darius, who might do this, not from any detestation of them, but for the sake of the gold, and silver, and riches, that were about them; or rather the Lord by them, and so put an end to idolatry; as will be, when mystical Babylon is destroyed.

x רכב איש "currus viri", Pagninus, Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And, behold ... a chariot of men - This place shows that the word ‘chariot’ (רכב rekeb) may denote something else than a wagon or carriage, as a chariot drawn by men cannot be intended. The sense can be expressed, perhaps, by the word “riding,” ‘I see a riding of men approach;’ that is, I see “cavalry” drawing near, or men riding and hastening to the battle.

With a couple of horsemen - The word ‘with’ is not in the Hebrew. The meaning is, ‘I see a riding of men, or cavalry; and they come in pairs, or two abreast.’ A part of the sentence is to be supplied from Isaiah 21:7. He saw not only horsemen, but riders on donkeys and camels.

And he answered - That is, the watchman answered. The word ‘answer,’ in the Scriptures, means often merely to commence a discourse after an interval; to begin to speak Job 3:2; Daniel 2:26; Acts 5:8.

Babylon is fallen - That is, her ruin is certain. Such a mighty army is drawing near, and they approach so well prepared for battle, that the ruin of Babylon is inevitable. The “repetition” of this declaration that ‘Babylon is fallen,’ denotes emphasis and certainty. Compare Psalms 92:9 :

For lo, thine enemies, O Lord,

For lo, thine enemies shall perish.

Psalms 93:3 :

The floods have lifted up, O Lord;

The floods have lifted up their waves.

A similar description is given of the fall of Babylon in Jeremiah 50:32; Jeremiah 51:8; and John has copied this description in the account of the overthrow of the mystical Babylon Revelation 18:1-2. Babylon was distinguished for its pride, arrogance, and haughtiness. It became, therefore, the emblem of all that is haughty, and as such is used by John in the Apocalypse; and as such it was a most striking emblem of the pride, arrogance, haughtiness, and oppression which have always been evinced by Papal Rome.

And all the graven images - Babylon was celebrated for its idolatry, and perhaps was the place where the worship of idols commenced. The principal god worshipped there was Belus, or Bel (see the note at Isaiah 46:1).

Are broken ... - That is, shall be destroyed; or, in spite of its idols, the whole city would be ruined.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 21:9. Here cometh a chariot of men, &c. - "A man, one of the two riders"] So the Syriac understands it, and Ephrem Syr.


 
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