1 GLT An oracle for the wilderness of the sea. Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land. BSB BSB: This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.
2 GLT A difficult vision has been given to me: The deceitful deceive and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; besiege, Media; I shall stop all her groaning. BSB BSB: A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”
3 GLT Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pains like giving birth have taken hold of me; I am bowed down from hearing; I am disturbed from seeing. BSB BSB: Therefore 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.
4 GLT My heart pounds; I shake{ with} fear. I desired twilight; it brought me terror. BSB BSB: My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.
5 GLT Preparing the table, spreading the rugs, to eat, to drink; arise, princes, anoint your shields. BSB BSB: They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!
6 GLT For thus the Lord said to me,“Go, post a watchman. What he sees he shall report. BSB BSB: For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.
7 GLT When he sees a chariot, a team of horses, riders of donkeys, riders of camels, then he must pay close attention, very close attention.” BSB BSB: When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.”
8 GLT And the watchman cries out,“Lord, on the watchtower I stand always by day, and at my post I stand all night. BSB BSB: Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post.
9 GLT And behold, it{ is} coming: a chariot, a man, a team of horses. And he bears witness and says,‘Babylon has fallen, fallen, and all the carved figures of its gods are broken to the ground.’” BSB BSB: Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”
10 GLT My down- trodden ones and the son of my threshing floor! What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you. BSB BSB: O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel.
11 GLT An oracle for Dumah: One calls to me from Seir,“Watchman, what is{ left} of the night? Watchman, what is{ left} of the night?” BSB BSB: This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12 GLT The watchman said,“The morning comes and also the night. If you will ask, ask; come back again.” BSB BSB: The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”
13 GLT An oracle for Arabia. In the forest of Arabia you spend the night, you caravans of Dedanites. BSB BSB: This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.
14 GLT To meet the thirsty, bring water; inhabitants of the land of Tema, approach the fugitive with its bread. BSB BSB: Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.
15 GLT For they have fled from the face of swords, from the face of a sword stretched out, and from the face of the strung bow, and from the face of the weight of war. BSB BSB: For they flee from the sword—the sword that is drawn—from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.
16 GLT For thus the Lord said to me,“Within a year, as the year of a hired man, then all the glory of Kedar will end. BSB BSB: For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.
17 GLT And the remnant of the number of archers, the warriors of the sons of Kedar, will be few, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.” BSB BSB: The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.