Isaiah 21

Isaiah 21 is a prophetic vision given to Isaiah regarding the fall of Babylon, the downfall of Edom (Dumah), and the distress of Arabia. The chapter describes God's judgment on these nations, showing the broader impact of His divine plans upon different regions. It serves as a reminder of God's control over nations and His ability to bring low even the greatest of powers.

Isaiah 21:1 (NKJV)
1 The burden against the Wilderness of the Sea. As whirlwinds in the South pass through, so it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.

This verse introduces the prophecy against Babylon, described metaphorically as "the Wilderness of the Sea." The imagery of a whirlwind coming from the desert reflects the sudden and destructive nature of the invasion Babylon will face. Babylon, a powerful and wealthy city, is about to experience a storm of destruction, likely referring to the Medo-Persian invasion.

Isaiah 21:2 (NKJV)
2 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.

Isaiah describes the distressing vision of Babylon's fall. The treachery and plundering reflect the corrupt nature of Babylon, and now judgment is pronounced. The nations of Elam and Media are called to rise against Babylon, signaling the Medo-Persian alliance that would ultimately conquer it. The reference to sighing ceasing speaks to the end of Babylon’s oppression.

Isaiah 21:3-4 (NKJV)
3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it.
4 My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; the night for which I longed He turned into fear for me.

Isaiah expresses deep personal anguish as he receives the vision of Babylon’s destruction. His reaction is intense, filled with physical and emotional pain, likened to a woman in labor. This reflects how troubling the vision is, showing that even a prophet can be overwhelmed by the severity of God's judgment. The night he longed for, symbolizing peace, instead becomes filled with dread.

Isaiah 21:5 (NKJV)
5 Prepare the table, set a watchman in the tower, eat and drink. Arise, you princes, anoint the shield!

This verse portrays a scene of false security in Babylon. The people prepare for a feast, but the warning is given to set a watchman. There is an urgent call to action, to "anoint the shield," indicating a sudden need for defense. This reflects Babylon’s misplaced confidence, unaware that destruction is near.

Isaiah 21:6-10 (NKJV)
6 For thus has the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman, Let him declare what he sees.”
7 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.
8 Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night.
9 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.”
10 Oh, my threshing and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

The watchman is set to observe the coming disaster. The chariots symbolize the approaching invaders, and the watchman’s report is clear: Babylon has fallen. The repetition "Babylon is fallen" emphasizes the finality of the event. The destruction of Babylon's idols shows that their false gods could not save them. Isaiah, as God's messenger, declares this prophetic word, likening the destruction to the threshing of grain, where judgment separates the wicked from the righteous.

Isaiah 21:11-12 (NKJV)
11 The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
12 The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; return! Come back!”

The prophecy shifts to Dumah, a region associated with Edom. A voice calls from Seir, asking about the night, which symbolizes distress and uncertainty. The watchman responds with a paradoxical statement: morning and night are both coming. This indicates that though there may be a temporary relief (morning), judgment (night) will also come. The invitation to "return" suggests that repentance is the only way to escape coming judgment.

Isaiah 21:13-17 (NKJV)
13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites.
14 O inhabitants of the land of Tema, bring water to him who is thirsty; with their bread they met him who fled.
15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the distress of war.
16 For thus the Lord has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail;
17 and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the Lord God of Israel has spoken it.”

The final section of the chapter focuses on Arabia. The people of Dedan and Tema are seen providing aid to those fleeing from war, reflecting the chaos and displacement caused by invasions. Kedar, a prominent tribe in Arabia, is specifically mentioned. Within a year, their power will be broken, and their warriors will be reduced. This prophetic time frame shows how certain and imminent the judgment is. God’s word will be fulfilled, and even the strong and proud will be humbled by His decree.