The destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians: a prophecy against the Edomites and the Arabians.

[1] The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds come from the south, it cometh from the desert from a terrible land. [2] A grievous vision is told me: he that is unfaithful dealeth unfaithfully: and he that is a spoiler, spoileth. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Mede: I have made all the mourning thereof to cease. [3] Therefore are my loins filled with pain, anguish hath taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labour: I fell down at the hearing of it, I was troubled at the seeing of it. [4] My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me. [5] Prepare the table, behold in the watchtower them that eat and drink: arise, ye princes, take up the shield.

[1] "The desert of the sea": So Babylon is here called, because from a city as full of people as the sea is with water, it was become a desert.

[2] "O Elam": That is, O Persia.

[6] For thus hath the Lord said to me: Go, and set a watchman: and whatsoever he shall see, let him tell. [7] And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel: and he beheld them diligently with much heed. [8] And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights. [9] Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground. [10] O my thrashing and the children of my door, that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared unto you.

[7] "A rider upon an ass": These two riders are the kings of the Persians and Medes.

[8] "And a lion cried out": That is, I Isaias seeing the approaching ruin of Babylon, have cried out as a lion roaring.

[11] The burden of Duma calleth to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night? [12] The watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come. [13] The burden in Arabia. In the forest at evening you shall sleep, in the paths of Dedanim. [14] Meeting the thirsty bring him water, you that inhabit the land of the south, meet with bread him that fleeth. [15] For they are fled from before the swords, from the sword that hung over them, from the bent bow, from the face of a grievous battle.

[11] "Duma": That is, Idumea, or Edom.

[16] For thus saith the Lord to me: Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Cedar shall be taken away. [17] And the residue of the number of strong archers of the children of Cedar shall be diminished: for the Lord the God of Israel hath spoken it.

[16] "Cedar": Arabia.