Isaiah

Isaiah 21:4–9

4My heart falters;

fear makes me tremble.

The twilight I desired

has turned to horror.

5They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet,

they eat, they drink!

Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!

6For this is what the Lord says to me:

“Go, post a lookout

and have him report what he sees.

7When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen,

riders on donkeys, riders on camels,

he must be alert, fully alert.”

8Then the lookouta shouted:

“Day after day, my lord,

I stand on the watchtower;

night after night

I stay at my post.

9Look, here come the riders,

horsemen in pairs.”

And one answered, saying:

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon!b

All the images of her gods

lie shattered on the ground!”

Footnotes

  • a 21:8 DSS and Syriac; MT lion
  • b 21:9 See Revelation 14:8|REV 14:8and Revelation 18:2.

Read all of Isaiah 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Isaiah 21:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
My heartלְבָבִ֔יlə·ḇā·ḇîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
faltersתָּעָ֣הtā·‘āhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH8582 err
fearפַּלָּצ֖וּתpal·lā·ṣūṯNoun - feminine singularH6427 shuddering
makes me trembleבִּֽעֲתָ֑תְנִיbi·‘ă·ṯā·ṯə·nîVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular; first person common singularH1204 fall upon, startle, terrify
The twilightנֶ֣שֶׁףne·šep̄Noun - masculine singular constructH5399 twilight
I desiredחִשְׁקִ֔יḥiš·qîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH2837 desire
has turnedשָׂ֥םśāmVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7760 put, place, set
to horrorלַחֲרָדָֽה׃la·ḥă·rā·ḏāhPreposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singularH2731 trembling, fear, anxiety

Isaiah 21:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
They prepareעָרֹ֧ךְ‘ā·rōḵVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH6186 arrange or set in order
a tableהַשֻּׁלְחָ֛ןhaš·šul·ḥānArticle; Noun - masculine singularH7979 table
they lay outצָפֹ֥הṣā·p̄ōhVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH6823 lay out, lay over
a carpetהַצָּפִ֖יתhaṣ·ṣā·p̄îṯArticle; Noun - feminine singularH6844 rug, carpet
they eatאָכ֣וֹל’ā·ḵō·wlVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH398 eat
they drinkשָׁתֹ֑הšā·ṯōhVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH8354 drink
Rise upק֥וּמוּqū·mūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH6965 arise, stand up, stand
O princesהַשָּׂרִ֖יםhaś·śā·rîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH8269 chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
oilמִשְׁח֥וּmiš·ḥūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH4886 smear, anoint
the shieldsמָגֵֽן׃פmā·ḡênNoun - common singularH4043 shield

Isaiah 21:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Forכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
thisכֹ֥הḵōhAdverbH3541 thus, here
the Lordאֲדֹנָ֑י’ă·ḏō·nāyNoun - proper - masculine singularH136 lord
saysאָמַ֛ר’ā·marVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
to meאֵלַ֖י’ê·layPreposition; first person common singularH413 motion to
Goלֵ֚ךְlêḵVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
postהַעֲמֵ֣דha·‘ă·mêḏVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularH5975 take one's stand, stand
a lookoutהַֽמְצַפֶּ֔הham·ṣap·pehArticle; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularH6822 look out or about, spy, keep watch
have him reportיַגִּֽיד׃yag·gîḏVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH5046 be conspicuous
whatאֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
he seesיִרְאֶ֖הyir·’ehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7200 see

Isaiah 21:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When he seesוְרָ֣אָהwə·rā·’āhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH7200 see
chariotsרֶ֗כֶבre·ḵeḇNoun - masculine singularH7393 chariotry, chariot, mill-stone
with teamsצֶ֚מֶדṣe·meḏNoun - masculine singular constructH6776 couple, pair
of horsemenפָּֽרָשִׁ֔יםpā·rā·šîmNoun - masculine pluralH6571 horse, steed
ridersרֶ֥כֶבre·ḵeḇNoun - masculine singular constructH7393 chariotry, chariot, mill-stone
on donkeysחֲמ֖וֹרḥă·mō·wrNoun - masculine singularH2543 heap
ridersרֶ֣כֶבre·ḵeḇNoun - masculine singular constructH7393 chariotry, chariot, mill-stone
on camelsגָּמָ֑לgā·mālNoun - masculine singularH1581 camel
he must be alertוְהִקְשִׁ֥יבwə·hiq·šîḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH7181 incline, attend
fullyרַב־raḇ-Adjective - masculine singular constructH7227 much, many, great
alertקָֽשֶׁב׃qā·šeḇNoun - masculine singularH7182 attentiveness

Isaiah 21:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then the lookoutאַרְיֵ֑ה’ar·yêhNoun - masculine singularH738 lion
shoutedוַיִּקְרָ֖אway·yiq·rāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7121 call, proclaim, read
Dayתָּמִיד֙tā·mîḏAdverbH8548 continuity
after dayיוֹמָ֔םyō·w·māmAdverbH3119 daytime, by day
my lordאֲדֹנָ֗י’ă·ḏō·nāyNoun - proper - masculine singularH136 lord
Iאָנֹכִ֞י’ā·nō·ḵîPronoun - first person common singularH595 I
standעֹמֵ֤ד‘ō·mêḏVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH5975 take one's stand, stand
onעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the watchtowerמִצְפֶּ֣ה׀miṣ·pehNoun - masculine singularH4707 watch-tower
night afterכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
nightהַלֵּילֽוֹת׃hal·lê·lō·wṯArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3915 twist, night, adversity
Iאָנֹכִ֥י’ā·nō·ḵîPronoun - first person common singularH595 I
stayנִצָּ֖בniṣ·ṣāḇVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularH5324 take one's stand, stand
atוְעַל־wə·‘al-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5921 height
my postמִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔יmiš·mar·tîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH4931 guard, watch

Isaiah 21:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Lookוְהִנֵּה־wə·hin·nêh-Conjunctive waw; InterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
hereזֶ֥הzehPronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
comeבָא֙ḇāVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
the ridersרֶ֣כֶבre·ḵeḇNoun - masculine singular constructH7393 chariotry, chariot, mill-stone
horsemenפָּֽרָשִׁ֑יםpā·rā·šîmNoun - masculine pluralH6571 horse, steed
in pairsצֶ֖מֶדṣe·meḏNoun - masculine singular constructH6776 couple, pair
And one answeredוַיַּ֣עַןway·ya·‘anConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH6030 answer, respond
sayingוַיֹּ֗אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Fallenנָפְלָ֤הnā·p̄ə·lāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH5307 fall, lie
fallen isנָֽפְלָה֙nā·p̄ə·lāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH5307 fall, lie
Babylonבָּבֶ֔לbā·ḇelNoun - proper - feminine singularH894 Babel, Babylon
Allוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the imagesפְּסִילֵ֥יpə·sî·lêNoun - masculine plural constructH6456 id.
of her godsאֱלֹהֶ֖יהָ’ĕ·lō·he·hāNoun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singularH430 God
lie shatteredשִׁבַּ֥רšib·barVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7665 break, break in pieces
on the groundלָאָֽרֶץ׃lā·’ā·reṣPreposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Isaiah 21:4 Luke 21:34–36

Isaiah 21:5 Jeremiah 51:39 · Jeremiah 51:57 · Jeremiah 51:11 · Daniel 5:1–5

Isaiah 21:6 Habakkuk 2:1–2 · Ezekiel 33:2–7 · Ezekiel 3:17 · 2 Kings 9:17–20 · Isaiah 62:6 · Jeremiah 51:12–13

Isaiah 21:7 Isaiah 21:9

Isaiah 21:8 Habakkuk 2:1–2

Isaiah 21:9 Revelation 18:2 · Revelation 14:8 · Jeremiah 51:8 · Jeremiah 51:44 · Isaiah 13:19

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.