Isaiah 21:1

I received this message from Yahweh about Babylonia, a land that is near the Persian Gulf but which will soon be a desert. An army will soon come from the desert to invade that land; it is an army that causes its enemies to be terrified, an army that will come like a whirlwind from the south.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

2Yahweh showed me a terrifying vision. In the vision I saw an army that will betray/deceive people and steal their possessions after they conquer them. Yahweh said, “You armies from Elam and Media, surround Babylon and prepare to attack it! I will cause the groaning and suffering that Babylon caused to cease!”

Read all of Isaiah 21

Cross References

Job 37:9The storms/hurricanes come from the place in the south where they start, and the cold wind comes from the north.

Isaiah 13:4Listen to the noise on the mountains, which is the noise of a huge army marching! It is the noise made by people of many people-groups shouting. The Commander of the armies of angels has summoned this army to gather together.

Isaiah 13:17Look! I am going to incite the people of Media to attack Babylon. The army of Media will attack Babylon, even if they are offered [DOU] silver or gold if they promise to not attack it.

Isaiah 14:1But Yahweh will act mercifully toward the Israeli people; he will choose the people of Israel to be his people again, and he will allow them to return here and live in their own land again. Then people from many other countries will come here and unite with the Israeli people.

Isaiah 14:23I will cause Babylon to be a place where owls live, a place full of swamps; I will get rid of it completely as though [MET] I were sweeping it with a broom. That is what I, the Commander of the armies of angels, say.”

Isaiah 47:1Yahweh also says, “You people of Babylon, you should go and sit in the dust/dirt to show that you are mourning, because your time to rule [MTY] other countries is almost ended. People will never again say that Babylonia is beautiful like a very attractive/beautiful young woman.

Matthew Henry on Isaiah 21:1

In this chapter we have a prophecy of sad times coming, and heavy burdens, I. Upon Babylon, here called "the desert of the sea," that it should be destroyed by the Medes and Persians with a terrible destruction, which yet God's people should have advantage by, ver. 1-10 . II. Upon Dumah, or Idumea, ver. 11, 12 . III. Upon Arabia, or Kedar, the desolation of which country was very near, ver. 13-17 . These and other nations which the princes and people of Israel had so much to do with the prophets of Israel could… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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