| NET Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Here is a message about the Desert by the Sea: Like strong winds blowing in the south, one invades from the desert, from a land that is feared. | 1The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As windstorms in the Negev sweep on, It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land. |
| 2I have received a distressing message: "The deceiver deceives, the destroyer destroys. Attack, you Elamites! Lay siege, you Medes! I will put an end to all the groaning!" | 2A harsh vision has been shown to me; The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media; I have made an end of all the groaning she has caused. |
| 3For this reason my stomach churns; cramps overwhelm me like the contractions of a woman in labor. I am disturbed by what I hear, horrified by what I see. | 3For this reason my loins are full of anguish; Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor. I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see. |
| 4My heart palpitates, I shake in fear; the twilight I desired has brought me terror. | 4My mind reels, horror overwhelms me; The twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling. |
| 5Arrange the table, lay out the carpet, eat and drink! Get up, you officers, smear oil on the shields! | 5They set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink; "Rise up, captains, oil the shields," |
| 6For this is what the sovereign master has told me: "Go, post a guard! He must report what he sees. | 6For thus the Lord says to me, "Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees. |
| 7When he sees chariots, teams of horses, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, very alert." | 7"When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, A train of donkeys, a train of camels, Let him pay close attention, very close attention." |
| 8Then the guard cries out: "On the watchtower, O sovereign master, I stand all day long; at my post I am stationed every night. | 8Then the lookout called, "O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, And I am stationed every night at my guard post. |
| 9Look what's coming! A charioteer, a team of horses." When questioned, he replies, "Babylon has fallen, fallen! All the idols of her gods lie shattered on the ground!" | 9"Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs." And one said, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground." |
| 10O my downtrodden people, crushed like stalks on the threshing floor, what I have heard from the LORD who commands armies, the God of Israel, I have reported to you. | 10O my threshed people, and my afflicted of the threshing floor! What I have heard from the LORD of hosts, The God of Israel, I make known to you. |
| 11Here is a message about Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir, "Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?" | 11The oracle concerning Edom. One keeps calling to me from Seir, "Watchman, how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?" |
| 12The watchman replies, "Morning is coming, but then night. If you want to ask, ask; come back again." | 12The watchman says, "Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again." |
| 13Here is a message about Arabia: In the thicket of Arabia you spend the night, you Dedanite caravans. | 13The oracle about Arabia. In the thickets of Arabia you must spend the night, O caravans of Dedanites. |
| 14Bring out some water for the thirsty. You who live in the land of Tema, bring some food for the fugitives. | 14Bring water for the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Meet the fugitive with bread. |
| 15For they flee from the swords--from the drawn sword and from the battle-ready bow and from the severity of the battle. | 15For they have fled from the swords, From the drawn sword, and from the bent bow And from the press of battle. |
| 16For this is what the sovereign master has told me: "Within exactly one year all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end. | 16For thus the Lord said to me, "In a year, as a hired man would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will terminate; |
| 17Just a handful of archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be left." Indeed, the LORD God of Israel has spoken. | 17and the remainder of the number of bowmen, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken." |
| NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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