Isaiah 21

Isaiah 21:1

Isaiah: God controls the nations God controls the future An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Isaiah chapters 21 to 30 www.easyenglish.info Norman Hillyer This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

Words in boxes are from the Bible.

Tap the * before a word to show an explanation.

Chapter 21 Enemies destroy Babylon v1 A special message about Babylon that God gave to Isaiah in a *vision. The message struck Isaiah like a storm of sand that a fierce wind blows from the Negeb. Terrible trouble is coming. v2 In the *vision Isaiah seemed to see a cruel sight. Those who attacked other people are now themselves suffering. And those who robbed other people are now themselves suffering. Now enemies are attacking and robbing them!

Those who ruined other people are now themselves suffering. Now enemies are destroying and are ruining them! Army of Elam, attack the cities! Army of Media, surround the cities! The *Lord is ending all the miserable pain and death that the army of Babylon has caused. v3 I see in my mind what is happening. Fierce pains grip me like the pains of a woman who is having a baby.

I feel awful. I do not want to listen! I do not want to look! v4 My mind is spinning. I am trembling greatly. I am desperate for the cool and calm evening to come. But when it does come, I continue to tremble.

v5 A splendid meal is ready. Carpets are on the floor. Happy people are eating and drinking. Suddenly there is a command, ‘Officers, get up at once! Prepare your arms!’

v6 Then the *Lord spoke to me. ‘Go! Order a *look-out to report what he sees. v7 The *look-out may see horsemen in pairs. Or he may see riders on horses or riders on camels. The *look-out must give very careful attention to what he sees.

v8 (The *look-out declares that he has been loyal. He has been on duty all day and all night.) v9 See, here come riders, horsemen in pairs! Here comes a man who is bringing an important message. He shouts the good news. “The city has fallen! It has fallen! It is the city called Babylon! All the images of Babylon’s gods lie in pieces on the ground!”

v10 People in Judah, you have suffered so much. But now I can declare good news to you. The *Lord (commander of heaven’s armies) alone is the all-powerful God of Israel.’

Verse 1

Babylon was a city on the river Euphrates (see Genesis 10:10), 50 miles south of modern Baghdad in Iraq.

 The Negeb (or Negev) is still today the name for the region that is south of Judah.

Verse 2

Elam and Media were two nations in the area of modern Iran.

Verse 3

Isaiah’s fierce pain was like the pain of a woman who is giving birth to her baby. This is a word in pictures that the Bible sometimes uses to describe great emotion (see Isaiah 26:17; see also Jeremiah 13:21 and Hosea 13:13).

Verse 5

In a *vision Isaiah sees the military leaders and the political leaders of Babylon. They are enjoying a special meal together. But bad news that they did not expect suddenly interrupts their cheerful party.

Verse 6

Now the *Lord speaks. He tells Isaiah to appoint a *look-out to watch for somebody who is bringing news to Judah. It will be news about one of Judah’s neighbours.

Verse 7

‘Horsemen in pairs’ describes Arabs who were preparing to go into battle. The horsemen each rode an animal (camel or horse). But they each also led another animal (camel or horse). That is, each horseman took two animals. The second animal was to use for a quick escape, if the enemy won the battle. The *look-out needed to work out, even from a distance, who had won the battle. This is why the *look-out had to look so carefully.

Verse 8

The *look-out emphasises that he is loyally doing his duty.

Verse 9

The broken images are evidence that the gods of Babylon were unable to protect their own city. So those gods cannot help the people in Judah or anybody else.

Verse 10

Only the *Lord is the true God of Israel. He can deal with every situation. A long wait v11 (A special message that God gave to Isaiah about Dumah.) Someone calls from the region called Seir. ‘*Look-out, how soon will the night be over? Tell me how soon the night will end.’ v12 The *look-out replies that morning is coming. But so too is another night after that. ‘If you want to ask anything more, do ask. Come again to hear if there is any news to report.’

Verses 11-12

A very short message about Dumah, a small place in the desert, 300 miles south-east of *Jerusalem. Dumah was at an important cross-roads where routes from Babylon and Edom and Syria met. Merchants could exchange news about political events that could affect their trade.

 A caller (whom Isaiah does not name) in the region of Seir (a place in Edom) asks a question from a *look-out. The *look-out answers. ‘Morning’ and ‘night’ probably refer to ‘a time of peace’ and ‘a time of war’. The answer therefore warns that after a short break, war will begin again. A message for Arabs v13 (A special message that God gave Isaiah for Arabs who live in the region called Dedan.) Order your caravans to bring water to people who urgently need it. v14 You people in Tema, bring food to those who are hungry. v15 They are very tired because enemies have been chasing them with swords and arrows.

v16 (The *Lord gave me another special message.) In exactly one year from now, the power of the army of Kedar will definitely end. It will end on time, just as certainly as a worker’s contract ends, after exactly one year. v17 Few soldiers in Kedar’s army will remain. The *Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.

Verses 13-15

Tema was 200 miles south of Dumah. The last king of Babylon lived there. Dedan Isaiah 90 miles south of Tema. Both are in the desert between Babylon and Judah. The inhabitants of Dedan and Tema must provide help for people who are escaping south from the terrors of war.

Verses 16-17

Further south still, Kedar too, with its great army, will suffer a heavy defeat. And this defeat will happen in less than a year’s time.

© 2007, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

February 2007

Visit our website: www.easyenglish.info

var w4 = new Array;w4[0]='