Isaiah 21:5
Isaiah 21:5 in Multiple Translations
They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!
Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.
They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates.
They set the table, they spread out the rugs, they eat and drink… “Get up, officers! Prepare your shields for battle!”
Prepare thou the table: watch in the watch towre: eate, drinke: arise, ye princes, anoynt the shielde.
Arrange the table, watch in the watch-tower, Eat, drink, rise, ye heads, anoint the shield,
They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield!
Prepare the table, watch in the watch-tower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.
In the vision I saw that the leaders of Babylonia were preparing a great feast. They had spread rugs for people to sit on; everyone was eating and drinking. But they should get up and prepare their shields, because they are about to be attacked!
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 21:5
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 21:5 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עָרֹ֧ךְ
הַ/שֻּׁלְחָ֛ן
צָפֹ֥ה
הַ/צָּפִ֖ית
אָכ֣וֹל
שָׁתֹ֑ה
ק֥וּמוּ
הַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים
מִשְׁח֥וּ
מָגֵֽן
עָרֹ֧ךְ
ʻârak
H6186
to arrange
V-Qal-Ptc
הַ/שֻּׁלְחָ֛ן
shulchân
H7979
table
Art | N-ms
צָפֹ֥ה
tsâphâh
H6823
to overlay
V-Qal-Ptc
הַ/צָּפִ֖ית
tsâphîyth
H6844
rug
Art | N-fs
אָכ֣וֹל
ʼâkal
H398
to eat
V-Qal-Ptc
שָׁתֹ֑ה
shâthâh
H8354
to drink
V-Qal-Ptc
ק֥וּמוּ
qûwm
H6965
-kamai
V-Qal-Impv-2mp
הַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים
sar
H8269
ruler
Art | N-mp
מִשְׁח֥וּ
mâshach
H4886
to anoint
V-Qal-Impv-2mp
מָגֵֽן
mâgên
H4043
shield
N-cs
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 21:5
עָרֹ֧ךְ
ʻârak
H6186
"to arrange"
V-Qal-Ptc
This Hebrew word means to value or arrange things in order. It is used in various contexts, like setting up an army for battle or estimating the value of something, as seen in 1 Kings 10.
Definition: 1) to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to arrange or set or lay in order, arrange, state in order, set forth (a legal case), set in place 1a2) to compare, be comparable
Usage: Occurs in 72 OT verses. KJV: put (set) (the battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem, estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle), ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax, value. See also: Genesis 14:8; 1 Chronicles 12:39; Psalms 5:4.
הַ/שֻּׁלְחָ֛ן
shulchân
H7979
"table"
Art | N-ms
A shulchan refers to a table, often used for meals or sacred purposes, like a king's table. It symbolizes a place of community and sharing.
Definition: 1) table 1a) table 1a1) of king's table, private use, sacred uses
Usage: Occurs in 62 OT verses. KJV: table. See also: Exodus 25:23; 1 Kings 13:20; Psalms 23:5.
צָפֹ֥ה
tsâphâh
H6823
"to overlay"
V-Qal-Ptc
Tsaphah can also mean to overlay or cover something, often with metal. It involves laying something over another material, like plating or coating.
Definition: 1) to lay out, lay over, overlay, cover 1a) (Piel) to overlay, plate, stud 1b) (Pual) to be laid over
Usage: Occurs in 40 OT verses. KJV: cover, overlay. See also: Exodus 25:11; Exodus 38:2; Proverbs 26:23.
הַ/צָּפִ֖ית
tsâphîyth
H6844
"rug"
Art | N-fs
A watchtower is a high place for a sentry to watch over a city, like the ones in the book of 2 Kings.
Definition: 1) rug, carpet 2) (CLBL) watch
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: watchtower. See also: Isaiah 21:5.
אָכ֣וֹל
ʼâkal
H398
"to eat"
V-Qal-Ptc
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Definition: 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.
שָׁתֹ֑ה
shâthâh
H8354
"to drink"
V-Qal-Ptc
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to drink, and it's used in many ways, like drinking from a cup or feasting. It's also used to describe being drunk or taking part in a big celebration. We see it in stories like the Last Supper in Matthew 26:27.
Definition: 1) to drink 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to drink 1a1a) of drinking cup of God's wrath, of slaughter, of wicked deeds (fig) 1a2) to feast 1b) (Niphal) to be drunk Aramaic equivalent: she.tah (שְׁתָה "to drink" H8355)
Usage: Occurs in 193 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] assuredly, banquet, [idiom] certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk ([idiom] -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of H8248 (שָׁקָה).) See also: Genesis 9:21; 2 Kings 19:24; Psalms 50:13.
ק֥וּמוּ
qûwm
H6965
"-kamai"
V-Qal-Impv-2mp
Qum means to rise or stand up, used in various contexts like rising to power or standing firm, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezra.
Definition: Combined with lev (לֵב "Leb" H3820B) § -Kamai = "my adversary" Leb-kamai, i.e., people of Gambulai
Usage: Occurs in 596 OT verses. KJV: abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising). See also: Genesis 4:8; Numbers 30:13; Ruth 4:10.
הַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים
sar
H8269
"ruler"
Art | N-mp
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Definition: 1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain 1a) chieftain, leader 1b) vassal, noble, official (under king) 1c) captain, general, commander (military) 1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes) 1e) heads, princes (of religious office) 1f) elders (of representative leaders of people) 1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity) 1h) patron-angel 1i) Ruler of rulers (of God) 1j) warden
Usage: Occurs in 368 OT verses. KJV: captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord,(-task-)master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward. See also: Genesis 12:15; 1 Kings 22:32; 2 Chronicles 32:21.
מִשְׁח֥וּ
mâshach
H4886
"to anoint"
V-Qal-Impv-2mp
To anoint means to rub oil on someone or something, often to set them apart for a special purpose, like when Samuel anointed David as king in 1 Samuel 16:13. It's a way of showing respect and consecrating someone or something.
Definition: 1) to smear, anoint, spread a liquid 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to smear 1a2) to anoint (as consecration) 1a3) to anoint, consecrate 1b) (Niphal) to be anointed
Usage: Occurs in 66 OT verses. KJV: anoint, paint. See also: Genesis 31:13; 1 Samuel 16:3; Psalms 45:8.
מָגֵֽן
mâgên
H4043
"shield"
N-cs
A shield in biblical times, this word also symbolizes protection, like God being a shield to those who trust in Him, as seen in Psalm 3:3. It can also refer to a ruler or leader who defends their people.
Definition: shield, buckler
Usage: Occurs in 60 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] armed, buckler, defence, ruler, [phrase] scale, shield. See also: Genesis 15:1; Psalms 33:20; Psalms 3:4.
Study Notes — Isaiah 21:5
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 21:5 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 21:5
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 21:5
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 21:5
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 21:5
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
- Sermons on Isaiah 21:5
Context — Babylon Is Fallen
3Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.
4My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.
5They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!
6For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees. 7When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 51:11 | Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD— vengeance for His temple. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 51:57 | I will make her princes and wise men drunk, along with her governors, officials, and warriors. Then they will fall asleep forever and not wake up,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 51:39 | While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they may revel; then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up, declares the LORD. |
| 4 | Daniel 5:1–5 | Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing, |
| 5 | 1 Corinthians 15:32 | If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” |
| 6 | Isaiah 13:17–18 | Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold. Their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; they will not look with pity on the children. |
| 7 | Isaiah 22:13–14 | But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” The LORD of Hosts has revealed in my hearing: “Until your dying day, this sin of yours will never be atoned for,” says the Lord GOD of Hosts. |
| 8 | Isaiah 45:1–3 | This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut: “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name. |
| 9 | Isaiah 13:2 | Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles. |
| 10 | Jeremiah 51:27–28 | “Raise a banner in the land! Blow the ram’s horn among the nations! Prepare the nations against her. Summon the kingdoms against her— Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a captain against her; bring up horses like swarming locusts. Prepare the nations for battle against her— the kings of the Medes, their governors and all their officials, and all the lands they rule. |
Isaiah 21:5 Summary
In Isaiah 21:5, the prophet is describing a scene where people are preparing for a battle, but they are also enjoying a feast. The leaders are being called to get ready for war by oiling their shields, which means they need to be prepared to defend themselves. This verse is reminding us that as Christians, we need to be prepared for the spiritual battles that we face every day, and trust in God's power to protect us, just as it says in Ephesians 6:10-18 and 1 Peter 5:8-9. We can do this by putting on the armor of God and trusting in His sovereignty, as seen in Romans 8:28 and Psalm 23:4.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the context of the table being prepared in Isaiah 21:5?
The context is one of impending judgment and war, as the prophet Isaiah is warning of an enemy invasion, similar to the warnings found in Jeremiah 6:1-5 and Ezekiel 33:1-6.
Who are the princes being addressed in this verse?
The princes being addressed are likely the leaders of Judah, who are being called to prepare for battle, as seen in other scriptures such as Isaiah 22:1-14 and Jeremiah 4:5-6.
What is the significance of oiling the shields?
Oiling the shields is a call to prepare for battle, as it would protect the shields from damage and make them more effective in combat, much like the preparations for war described in Joel 3:9-10 and Nahum 2:1.
How does this verse relate to the overall message of Isaiah 21?
This verse is part of a larger oracle of judgment against Babylon and other nations, and serves as a warning to God's people to prepare for the coming judgment, as seen in Isaiah 21:1-10 and Isaiah 13:1-22.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can prepare myself for the spiritual battles that lie ahead, as the princes were called to do in this verse?
- How can I balance the call to prepare for battle with the command to trust in God's sovereignty, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 37:3-7?
- What are some 'tables' or 'carpets' in my life that may be distracting me from the call to prepare for spiritual battle, and how can I prioritize my focus on God's kingdom?
- In what ways can I be a 'watchman' or 'lookout' for my community, warning them of the dangers of sin and the importance of seeking God, as described in Ezekiel 33:1-6?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 21:5
Prepare the table,.... Set it, spread it, furnish it with all kind of provisions, as at a feast; and such an one Belshazzar made, the night the city was taken: these words are directed to him by his
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 21:5
Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
Prepare the table; furnish it with meats and drinks, as it follows. The prophet foretells what the Babylonians would be doing when their’ enemies were at their doors, that they would give up themselves to feasting and security. Watch in the watch-tower, to give us notice of any approaching danger, that in the mean time we may more securely indulge ourselves in mirth and pleasures. Arise, ye princes; either, 1. Ye Medes and Persians; whilst your enemies the Babylonians are feasting securely, prepare to make your assault. Or, 2. Ye princes of Babylon; arise from the table and run to your arms. Which sudden alarm and change of their posture proceeded from tidings out of the watch-tower, as may be gathered from the former clause, and is more fully expressed in the following verses. Annoint the shield; prepare yourselves and your arms for the battle approaching: The shield is put for all their weapons of offence and defence. They used to anoint their shields with oil, partly to preserve ahd polish them, and partly to make them slippery, that their enemies’ darts might not fasten in them, but slide off from them.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
Isaiah 21:5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, [and] anoint the shield.Ver. 5. Prepare the table.] Insultat regi Balthasari, ac irridendo voces illius memorat. Prepare the table, said Belshazzar. But more need he had to have said, Prepare the battle; set the army in array, &c. But this secure sot thought of no such matter. His destruction, though at hand, was hid from his eyes by the Lord, who “ Auferre mentem talibus primum solet, Caliginemque, affundit, ut ruant suas Furenter in clades, sibi quas noxii Accersierunt ultro, consiliis malis. ” Watch in the watchtower.] That we may revel the more securely. Eat, drink.] Etiamsi Hannibal sit ad portas; Even if Hannabal is by the gates. Feed without fear, notwithstanding the siege. Arise, ye princes, anoint the shield,] q.d., It would better become you, O Babylonian princes, so to do - viz., to stand to your arms - to furbish your shields, for your better defence against the Medes and Persians. Some make these words to be the watchman’ s warning, given upon the Persians entering the city.
Zeged. Non convivandi sed pugnandi tempus est. - A Lapide.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
(5) Prepare the table, watch in the watch-tower.—The words (historical infinitive) are better taken as indicative: They prepare . . . they watch. The last clause has been variously rendered, they spread the coverlet; i.e., for the couches of the revellers (Amos 6:4); and they take a horoscopes (Ewald). Here, with hardly a shadow of a doubt, there is a reference to the temper of reckless revel such as was the immediate forerunner of the capture of Babylon. The prophet had, perhaps, an analogue of such blind security before his eyes at the very time he wrote (Isaiah 22:13), which led him to anticipate a like state of things in Babylon. Anoint the shield . . .—The summons is one which in the prophet’s vision breaks in on the songs and music of the revel. The shields thought of were those covered with leather, which was oiled, partly to protect it from wet, partly to make the stroke of the sword glide off from it. The call implies that even this precaution had been neglected by the revellers.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
Verse 5. Prepare the table - "The table is prepared"] In Hebrew the verbs are in the infinitive mood absolute, as in Ezekiel 1:14: "And the animals ran and returned, רצוא ושוב ratso veshob, like the appearance of the lightning;" just as the Latins say, currere et reverti, for currebant et revertebantur. See Isaiah 32:11, and the note there. Arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.] Kimchi observes that several of the rabbins understood this of Belshazzar's impious feast and death. The king of a people is termed the shield, because he is their defense. The command, Anoint the shield, is the same with Anoint a new king. Belshazzar being now suddenly slain, while they were all eating and drinking, he advises the princes, whose business it was, to make speed and anoint another in his stead.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 21:5
5. The prophet contrasts his own lonely vigils with the careless security of the Babylonian revellers (cf. Daniel 5; Jeremiah 51:39; Isaiah 14:11). Prepare the table, &c.] Render as in R.V. They prepare the table, they set the watch (the only measure of precaution adopted by the revellers), they eat, they drink. arise, ye princes] The banquet breaks up in confusion, for the foe is at the gates. anoint the shield] Shields were oiled (2 Samuel 1:21), probably to make the blows glide off them.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 21:5
Prepare the table - This verse is one of the most striking and remarkable that occurs in this prophecy, or indeed in any part of Isaiah. It is language supposed to be spoken in Babylon.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 21:5
5. The scene of the wildest agitation continues, but it is not unsystematic and insane. There is brevity, rapidity, life, and system in the description.
Sermons on Isaiah 21:5
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Belshazzar's Feast and the Fall of Babylon by John F. Walvoord | John F. Walvoord preaches on the downfall of Belshazzar and the fall of Babylon as prophesied in the book of Daniel. The sermon highlights the divine judgment on the wicked world, |
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(Daniel) the Writing on the Wall by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of King Belshazzar from the book of Daniel in the Bible. The sermon begins by describing how Belshazzar and his companions were en |
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The Hand Behind History by David Davis | This sermon delves into the story of Daniel in Babylon, where a wild party takes place with sacred vessels from the temple in Jerusalem being desecrated. The hand of God writes on |
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Atlantic Lyman conf.1972-02 Studies in Daniel 05 by Joseph Balsan | In this sermon, the preacher discusses a biblical story about a king who was terrified by the appearance of a man's hand writing on a wall. The preacher emphasizes the fear and ter |
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When God Crashes the Party by Denis Lyle | Denis Lyle preaches on the story of Belshazzar in Daniel 5, highlighting the tragic dissipation and revelry at the royal feast, where intemperance, impropriety, impiety, and idolat |
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Men Tried and Found Defective. by Edward Payson | Edward Payson preaches about the story of Belshazzar, warning that though we may not have committed the same sins as Belshazzar, we have all insulted our Creator in various ways. H |
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The Flow of Materialism by Francis Schaeffer | Francis Schaeffer addresses the pervasive influence of materialism and relativism in both Western and Eastern thought, arguing that these worldviews lead to a lack of meaning and m |