Study Desk

The pronouncement concerning the wilderness of the sea: As windstorms in the Negev come in turns, It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land.

The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

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.

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.

For this reason my loins are full of anguish; Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor. I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.

Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

My mind reels, horror overwhelms me; The twilight I longed for has been turned into trembling for me.

My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

They set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink; "Rise up, captains, oil the shields!"

Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

For this is what the Lord says to me: "Go, station the lookout, have him report what he sees.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

"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."

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:

Then the lookout called, "Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, And I am stationed every night at my guard post.

And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:

"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."

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.

My downtrodden people, and my afflicted of the threshing floor! What I have heard from the LORD of armies, The God of Israel, I make known to you.

O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

The pronouncement concerning Edom: One keeps calling to me from Seir, "Watchman, how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?"

The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

The watchman says, "Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again."

The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

The pronouncement about Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must spend the night, You caravans of Dedanites.

The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

Bring water for the thirsty, You inhabitants of the land of Tema; Meet the fugitive with bread.

The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

For they have fled from the swords, From the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, And from the press of battle.

For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

For this is what the Lord said to me: "In a year, as a hired worker would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end;

For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

and the remainder of the number of bowmen, the warriors of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken."

And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.