Berean Standard Bible
Isaiah 21:2
2A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”
Isaiah 21:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A 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.
- New International Version (NIV)A dire vision has been shown to me: The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot. Elam, attack! Media, lay siege! I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A stern vision is told to me; the traitor betrays, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam; lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Isaiah 21:2
1This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror. A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.” 3Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see. 4My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.
Read all of Isaiah 21Isaiah 21:2 word by word
חָז֥וּת קָשָׁ֖ה הֻגַּד־לִ֑י הַבּוֹגֵ֤ד׀ בּוֹגֵד֙ וְהַשּׁוֹדֵ֣ד׀ שׁוֹדֵ֔ד עֲלִ֤י עֵילָם֙ צוּרִ֣י מָדַ֔י כָּל־אַנְחָתָ֖ה הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃Read the interlinear
- A direקָשֶׁהqâsheh · severeH7186
- visionחָזוּתchâzûth · visionH2380
- is declaredנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- The traitorבָּגַדbâgad · to act treacherouslyH898
- and the destroyerשָׁדַדshâdad · to ruinH7703
- Go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- O Elamעֵילָם‛êylâm ‛ôlâm · ElamH5867
- Lay siegeצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
- O Mediaמָדַיmâday · MediaH4074
- I will put an endשָׁבַתshâbath · to ceaseH7673
- to allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- her groaningאֲנָחָה'ănâchâh · sighingH585
Cross-references for Isaiah 21:2
- Psalms 60:3You have shown Your people hardship; we are staggered from the wine You made us drink.
- Proverbs 13:15Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the faithless is difficult.
- Isaiah 24:16From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” But I said, “I am wasting away! I am wasting away! Woe is me.” The treacherous betray; the treacherous deal in treachery.
- Isaiah 33:1Woe to you, O destroyer never destroyed, O traitor never betrayed! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you have finished betraying, you will be betrayed.
- 1 Samuel 24:13As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
- Jeremiah 51:44I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make him spew out what he swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him; even the wall of Babylon will fall.
- Revelation 13:10“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
- Isaiah 13:2Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
- Jeremiah 50:14Line up in formation around Babylon, all you who draw the bow! Shoot at her! Spare no arrows! For she has sinned against the LORD.
- Jeremiah 49:34This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah.
- Jeremiah 51:11Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD— vengeance for His temple.
- Daniel 5:28PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
- Daniel 8:20The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.
- Isaiah 14:1For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again He will choose Israel and settle them in their own land. The foreigner will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.
- Isaiah 35:10So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.
- Isaiah 47:6I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke.
Commentaries on Isaiah 21:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth "The plunderer is plundered, and the destroyer is destroyed" - שודד והשודד בוגד הבוגד habboged boged vehashshoded shoded . The MSS. vary in expressing or omitting the ו vau, in these four words. Ten MSS. of Kennicott are without the ו vau in the second word, and eight MSS. are without the ו vau in the fourth word; which justifies Symmachus, who has rendered them passively: ̔ ̔ . He…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A grievous vision - Margin, as in Hebrew Hard.‘ On the word vision,‘ see the note at Isaiah 1:1. The sense here is, that the vision which the prophet saw was one that indicated great calamity Isaiah 21:3-4. Is declared unto me - That is, is caused to pass before me, and its meaning is made known to me. The treacherous dealer - (חבוגד chabôgēd ). The perfidious, unfaithful people. This is the usual signification of the word; but the connection here does…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2A dire vision is declared to me: The prophet makes Babylon's experience personal, which strengthens his poetry. The concise language and repeated sounds, like The traitor still betrays (Hebrew habboged boged) and the destroyer still destroys (Hebrew hashoded shoded; also in Isaiah 33:1), add to this effect. The Elamites lived northeast of Babylon. They, along with the Medes, were major rivals of the Babylonians. I will put an end to all her groaning…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. dealeth treacherously--referring to the military stratagem employed by Cyrus in taking Babylon. It may be translated, "is repaid with treachery"; then the subject of the verb is Babylon. She is repaid in her own coin; Is 33:1; Ha 2:8, favor this. Go up--Isaiah abruptly recites the order which he hears God giving to the Persians, the instruments of His vengeance (Is 13:3, 17). Elam--a province of Persia, the original place of their settlement (Ge…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 21:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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