יְשַׁעְיָהוּ

Isaiah — Chapter 21

Read Isaiah Chapter 21 in Biblical Hebrew alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 17 verses. Original Hebrew text with vowel points (nikud) and full English translation.

מַשָּׂ֖א מִדְבַּר־יָ֑ם כְּסוּפ֤וֹת בַּנֶּ֙גֶב֙ לַֽחֲלֹ֔ף מִמִּדְבָּ֣ר בָּ֔א מֵאֶ֖רֶץ נוֹרָאָֽה׃

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.

The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome land.

חָז֥וּת קָשָׁ֖ה הֻגַּד־לִ֑י הַבּוֹגֵ֤ד ׀ בּוֹגֵד֙ וְהַשּׁוֹדֵ֣ד ׀ שׁוֹדֵ֔ד עֲלִ֤י עֵילָם֙ צוּרִ֣י מָדַ֔י כָּל־אַנְחָתָ֖ה הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃

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. {grievous: Heb. hard}

A 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.

עַל־כֵּ֗ן מָלְא֤וּ מָתְנַי֙ חַלְחָלָ֔ה צִירִ֣ים אֲחָז֔וּנִי כְּצִירֵ֖י יֽוֹלֵדָ֑ה נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי מִשְּׁמֹ֔עַ נִבְהַ֖לְתִּי מֵרְאֽוֹת׃

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}.

Therefore my thighs are filled with anguish. Pains have taken hold on me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am in so much pain that I can’t hear. I so am dismayed that I can’t see.

תָּעָ֣ה לְבָבִ֔י פַּלָּצ֖וּת בִּֽעֲתָ֑תְנִי אֵ֚ת נֶ֣שֶׁף חִשְׁקִ֔י שָׂ֥ם לִ֖י לַחֲרָדָֽה׃

KJVMy heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. {heart...: or, mind wandered} {turned: Heb. put}

My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me.

עָרֹ֧ךְ הַשֻּׁלְחָ֛ן צָפֹ֥ה הַצָּפִ֖ית אָכ֣וֹל שָׁתֹ֑ה ק֥וּמוּ הַשָּׂרִ֖ים מִשְׁח֥וּ מָגֵֽן׃

KJVPrepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, {and} anoint the shield.

They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield!

כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֵלַ֖י אֲדֹנָ֑י לֵ֚ךְ הַעֲמֵ֣ד הַֽמְצַפֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִרְאֶ֖ה יַגִּֽיד׃

KJVFor thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

For the Lord said to me, “Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.

וְרָ֣אָה רֶ֗כֶב צֶ֚מֶד פָּֽרָשִׁ֔ים רֶ֥כֶב חֲמ֖וֹר רֶ֣כֶב גָּמָ֑ל וְהִקְשִׁ֥יב קֶ֖שֶׁב רַב־קָֽשֶׁב׃

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:

When he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently with great attentiveness.”

וַיִּקְרָ֖א אַרְיֵ֑ה עַל־מִצְפֶּ֣ה ׀ אֲדֹנָ֗י אָנֹכִ֞י עֹמֵ֤ד תָּמִיד֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְעַל־מִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב כָּל־הַלֵּילֽוֹת׃

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: {he...: or, cried as a lion} {whole...: or, every night}

He cried like a lion: “Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post.

וְהִנֵּה־זֶ֥ה בָא֙ רֶ֣כֶב אִ֔ישׁ צֶ֖מֶד פָּֽרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּ֣עַן וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָפְלָ֤ה נָֽפְלָה֙ בָּבֶ֔ל וְכָל־פְּסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹהֶ֖יהָ שִׁבַּ֥ר לָאָֽרֶץ׃

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.

Behold, 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.

מְדֻשָׁתִ֖י וּבֶן־גָּרְנִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי מֵאֵ֨ת יְהוָ֧ה צְבָא֛וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הִגַּ֥דְתִּי לָכֶֽם׃

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. {corn: Heb. son}

You 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.

מַשָּׂ֖א דּוּמָ֑ה אֵלַי֙ קֹרֵ֣א מִשֵּׂעִ֔יר שֹׁמֵר֙ מַה־מִלַּ֔יְלָה שֹׁמֵ֖ר מַה־מִלֵּֽיל׃

KJVThe burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

אָמַ֣ר שֹׁמֵ֔ר אָתָ֥ה בֹ֖קֶר וְגַם־לָ֑יְלָה אִם־תִּבְעָי֥וּן בְּעָ֖יוּ שֻׁ֥בוּ אֵתָֽיוּ׃

KJVThe watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again.”

מַשָּׂ֖א בַּעְרָ֑ב בַּיַּ֤עַר בַּעְרַב֙ תָּלִ֔ינוּ אֹֽרְח֖וֹת דְּדָנִֽים׃

KJVThe burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

The burden on Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, you caravans of Dedanites.

לִקְרַ֥את צָמֵ֖א הֵתָ֣יוּ מָ֑יִם יֹשְׁבֵי֙ אֶ֣רֶץ תֵּימָ֔א בְּלַחְמ֖וֹ קִדְּמ֥וּ נֹדֵֽד׃

KJVThe inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. {brought: or, bring ye}

They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.

כִּֽי־מִפְּנֵ֥י חֲרָב֖וֹת נָדָ֑דוּ מִפְּנֵ֣י ׀ חֶ֣רֶב נְטוּשָׁ֗ה וּמִפְּנֵי֙ קֶ֣שֶׁת דְּרוּכָ֔ה וּמִפְּנֵ֖י כֹּ֥בֶד מִלְחָמָֽה׃

KJVFor they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. {from the swords: or, for fear, etc: Heb. from the face, etc}

For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle.

כִּי־כֹ֛ה אָמַ֥ר אֲדֹנָ֖י אֵלָ֑י בְּע֤וֹד שָׁנָה֙ כִּשְׁנֵ֣י שָׂכִ֔יר וְכָלָ֖ה כָּל־כְּב֥וֹד קֵדָֽר׃

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:

For the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, all the glory of Kedar will fail,

וּשְׁאָ֧ר מִסְפַּר־קֶ֛שֶׁת גִּבּוֹרֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־קֵדָ֖ר יִמְעָ֑טוּ כִּ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דִּבֵּֽר׃

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}. {archers: Heb. bows}

and 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.”