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 against the Wilderness of the Sea. As whirlwinds in the South pass through, So it comes from the desert, from a 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 distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, And the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All its sighing 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 of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw 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 wavered, fearfulness frightened me; The night for which I longed He turned into fear for 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, Set a watchman in the tower, Eat and drink. Arise, you princes, 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 to me: “Go, set a watchman, Let him 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 pair of horsemen, A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, And he listened earnestly with great care.

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.

Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night.

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 look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!” Then he answered and said, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to 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

Oh, my threshing and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, The God of Israel, I have declared to you. Proclamation Against Edom

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 against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the 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 also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!” Proclamation Against Arabia

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

The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites.

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

O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled.

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 fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, From the bent bow, and from the distress of war.

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 the Lord has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail;

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 remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the Lord God of Israel has spoken it. ”