English Standard Version
Isaiah 21:7
7When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."
Isaiah 21:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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:
- New International Version (NIV)When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He should look for chariots drawn by pairs of horses, and for riders on donkeys and camels. Let the watchman be fully alert.”
Context of Isaiah 21:7
5They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes; oil the shield! 6For thus the Lord said to me: "Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees. When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently." 8Then he who saw cried out: "Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights. 9And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!" And he answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground."
Read all of Isaiah 21Isaiah 21:7 word by word
וְרָ֣אָה רֶ֗כֶב צֶ֚מֶד פָּֽרָשִׁ֔ים רֶ֥כֶב חֲמ֖וֹר רֶ֣כֶב גָּמָ֑ל וְהִקְשִׁ֥יב קֶ֖שֶׁב רַב־קָֽשֶׁב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- a chariotרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
- a coupleצֶ֫מֶדtsemed · pairH6776
- of horsemenפָּרָשׁpârâsh · horsemanH6571
- of assesחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
- of camelsגָּמָלgâmâl · camelH1581
- and he hearkenedקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
- diligentlyקֶ֫שֶׁבqesheb · attentivenessH7182
- with muchרַבrab · manyH7227
Cross-references for Isaiah 21:7
- Isaiah 21:9And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!" And he answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground."
- Isaiah 37:24By your servants you have mocked the Lord, and you have said, With my many chariots I have gone up the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon, to cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses, to come to its remotest height, its most fruitful forest.
- Hebrews 2:1Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
Commentaries on Isaiah 21:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7And he saw a chariot, etc. "And he saw a chariot with two riders; a rider on an ass, a rider on a camel" - This passage is extremely obscure from the ambiguity of the term רכב recheb, which is used three times, and which signifies a chariot, or any other vehicle, or the rider in it; or a rider on a horse, or any other animal; or a company of chariots, or riders. The prophet may possibly mean a cavalry in two parts, with two sorts of riders; riders on…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen - This passage is very obscure from the ambiguity of the word רכב rekeb - chariot.‘ Gesenius contends that it should be rendered cavalry,‘ and that it refers to cavalry two abreast hastening to the destruction of the city. The word רכב rekeb denotes properly a chariot or wagon Judges 5:28; a collection of wagons 2 Chronicles 1:14; 2 Chronicles 8:6; 2 Chronicles 9:25; and sometimes refers to the “horses or…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7The riders were messengers who reported what had taken place on the battlefield.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. chariot, &c.--rather, "a body of riders," namely, some riding in pairs on horses (literally, "pairs of horsemen," that is, two abreast), others on asses, others on camels (compare Is 21:9; Is 22:6). "Chariot" is not appropriate to be joined, as English Version translates, with "asses"; the Hebrew means plainly in Is 21:7, as in Is 21:9, "a body of men riding." The Persians used asses and camels for war [Maurer]. Horsley translates, "One drawn in a car…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 21:7
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries