1 T he special word about the place by the sea where no people live: As wind-storms in the Negev go rushing through, it comes from the desert, from a bad land.

¶ The burden of the desert of the sea. As the whirlwinds which pass through the wilderness in the land of the south, so they come from the terrible land.

2 A hard special dream has been shown to me. The one who hurts still goes on hurting others, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, Elam. Gather your armies around, Media. I will bring an end to all the crying she has caused.

A grievous vision is shown unto me. For one who is treacherous, another who deals treacherously, and for one destroyer, another destroyer. Rise up, Elam; besiege Media; all the sighing thereof I have made to cease.

3 F or this reason my body is full of suffering. Pains have taken hold of me like the pains of a woman giving birth. I am so troubled that I cannot hear. I am so afraid that I cannot see.

Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pangs have taken hold upon me as the pangs of a woman that travails; I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

4 M y mind turns. Fear has come over me. The evening I have waited so long for has been turned into a time of shaking with fear.

My heart panted; the horror frightened me; the night of my pleasure he has turned into fear unto me.

5 T hey set the tables. They spread out the cloth. They eat and drink. Rise up, captains, oil the battle-coverings!

Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink; arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

6 F or the Lord says to me, “Go, set a man to keep watch. Let him tell what he sees.

For thus has the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman who shall declare what he sees.

7 W hen he sees men riding on horses, two by two, and men on donkeys, and men on camels, let him be very careful to watch.”

And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; then he looked with more diligence;

8 T hen the watchman called out like a lion, “O Lord, I stand watching from the watch-tower at all times during the day. And I stand there every night.

and he cried, A lion upon the watchman. My lord, I stand continually all the day and all night long upon my watchtower.

9 N ow see, here comes an army of men riding on horses, two by two.” One answered and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon. All the objects of her gods are broken to pieces on the ground.”

And, behold, this chariot of men comes with a couple of horsemen. Afterwards he spoke and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he has broken unto the ground.

10 O my people of Israel, you were beaten and crushed like grain! What I have heard from the Lord of All, the God of Israel, I make known to you. Word about Edom

O my harvest, and the people of my threshing floor, that which I have heard of the LORD of the hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.

11 T he special word about Edom: One is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is the time of night? Watchman, what is the time of night?”

¶ The burden of Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of this night? Watchman, what of this night?

12 T he watchman says, “The morning comes, but also the night. If you have questions to ask, ask them, and come back again.” Word about Arabia

The watchman said, The morning comes and then the night; if ye will enquire, enquire ye; return, and come.

13 T he special word about Arabia: You must stay the night among the trees of Arabia, O traveling people of Dedanim.

¶ The burden upon Arabia. In the forest ye shall pass the night in Arabia, O ye walkers of Dedanim.

14 B ring water for the thirsty. O people of the land of Tema, give bread to the one who is running from trouble.

Go ye out to meet them bringing water for the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of Tema; succour those who are fleeing with your bread.

15 T hey are running from swords, from lifted swords, from bows that are ready to shoot, and from the trouble of battle.

For they flee from the presence of the sword, from the presence of the drawn sword, from the presence of the bent bow, from the presence of the grievousness of the battle.

16 F or the Lord said to me, “In a year, as the servant would count it, all the greatness of Kedar will come to an end.

For thus has the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall be undone:

17 A nd the rest of the men who use the bow, the strong men of the sons of Kedar, will be few. For the Lord God of Israel has spoken.”

And the residue of the number of valiant archers, sons of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel has spoken it.