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Isaiah 21

Highlighted words differ from the WEB. Most differences are matters of wording, style or the age of the English, not of meaning; a few reflect different manuscripts.

  1. 1
    WEBThe burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome land.
    KJVThe burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
  2. 2
    WEBA grievous vision is declared to me. The treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; attack! I have stopped all of Media’s sighing.
    KJVA grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
  3. 3
    WEBTherefore my thighs are filled with anguish. Pains have seized me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am in so much pain that I can’t hear. I am so dismayed that I can’t see.
    KJVTherefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
  4. 4
    WEBMy heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me.
    KJVMy heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
  5. 5
    WEBThey prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield!
    KJVPrepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
  6. 6
    WEBFor the Lord said to me, “Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.
    KJVFor thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
  7. 7
    WEBWhen he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently with great attentiveness.”
    KJVAnd he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
  8. 8
    WEBHe cried like a lion: “Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post.
    KJVAnd he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
  9. 9
    WEBBehold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs.” He answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.
    KJVAnd, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.
  10. 10
    WEBYou are my threshing, and the grain of my floor!” That which I have heard from Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.
    KJVO my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
  11. 11
    WEBThe burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
    KJVThe burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
  12. 12
    WEBThe watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again.”
    KJVThe watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
  13. 13
    WEBThe burden on Arabia. You will lodge in the thickets in Arabia, you caravans of Dedanites.
    KJVThe burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
  14. 14
    WEBThey brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.
    KJVThe inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
  15. 15
    WEBFor they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle.
    KJVFor they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
  16. 16
    WEBFor the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, all the glory of Kedar will fail,
    KJVFor thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:
  17. 17
    WEBand the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, will be few; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken it.”
    KJVAnd the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.
  • World English Bible (WEB), public domain. “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org.
  • King James Version (1769 text), public domain outside the United Kingdom, where Crown letters patent apply.