1 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.
2 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.
3 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].
4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my
pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
5 Prepare the table, watch in the
watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, [and] anoint the shield.
6 For
thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he
seeth.
7 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:
8 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:
9 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.
10 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.
11 ¶
The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night?
Watchman, what of the night?
12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and
also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
13 ¶ The burden
upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies
of Dedanim.
14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that
was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
15 For they fled
from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the
grievousness of war.
16 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:
17 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].