The Watchman on the Tower
Isaiah 21
Isaiah, shaken by a fearful vision, sets a watchman who announces the fall of Babylon and the shattering of her idols, then delivers shorter oracles concerning Edom, where a voice from Seir asks how much of the night remains, and concerning Arabia, where the fugitives of Dedan are urged to bring water and bread to those fleeing war. He closes by foretelling that within a year the glory and archers of Kedar will be reduced to a small remnant.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonAS when a whirlwind, having passed through a desert, is rushing out of a desert, the sight from the land is terrible,—
BrentonThe Vision of the Desert. As though a whirlwind should pass through the desert, coming from a desert, even from such a land,
GreekὩς καταιγὶς διʼ ἐρήμου διέλθοι, ἐξ ἐρήμου ἐρχομένη ἐκ γῆς φοβερὸν
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.
JPS—
2
Thomsonthis vision being also dreadful, was revealed to me. The treacherous dealeth treacherously; the transgressor transgresseth; the Elamites are upon me; and the elders of the Persians are coming against me. Am I now to groan and comfort myself?
Brentonso a fearful and a grievous vision was declared to me: he that is treacherous deals treacherously, the transgressor transgresses. The Elamites are upon me, and the ambassadors of the Persians come against me: now will I groan and comfort myself.
Greekτὸ ὅραμα, καὶ σκληρὸν ἀνηγγέλη μοι· ὁ ἀθετῶν ἀθετεῖ, ὁ ἀνομῶν ἀνομεῖ· ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ οἱ Ἐλαμῖται, καὶ οἱ πρέσβεις τῶν Περσῶν ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ἔρχονται· νῦν στενάξω καὶ παρακαλέσω ἐμαυτόν.
KJV—
JPS—
3
ThomsonFor this cause my loins are filled with fainting; pangs have seized me like a woman in travail. I did wrong not to hear; I shuddered so that I could not see.
BrentonTherefore are my loins filled with feebleness, and pangs have seized me as a travailing woman: I dealt wrongfully that I might not hear; I hasted that I might not see.
GreekΔιατοῦτο ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ ὀσφύς μου ἐκλύσεως, καὶ ὠδῖνες ἔλαβόν με ὡς τὴν τίκτουσαν· ἠδίκησα τοῦ μὴ ἀκοῦσαι, ἐσπούδασα τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν.
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.
JPSTherefore are my loins filled with convulsion; Pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bent so that I cannot hear; I am affrighted so that I cannot see.
4
ThomsonMy heart is bewildered, transgression overwhelmeth me. My soul is on the brink of despair.
BrentonMy heart wanders, and transgression overwhelms me; my soul is occupied with fear.
GreekἩ καρδία μου πλανᾶται, καὶ ἡ ἀνομία με βαπτίζει, ἡ ψυχή μου ἐφέστηκεν εἰς φόβον.
KJV—
JPS—
5
ThomsonPrepare the table. Eat, drink, ye chiefs. Having arisen, prepare shields.
BrentonPrepare the table, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and prepare your shields.
GreekἙτοίμασον τὴν τράπεζαν, φάγετε, πίετε· ἀναστάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες, ἑτοιμάσατε θυρεοὺς,
KJVPrepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
JPSThey prepare the table, they light the lamps, they eat, they drink— ’Rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.’
6
ThomsonBecause thus the Lord said to me: Go set a watchman for thyself and proclaim what thou seest.
BrentonFor thus said the Lord to me, Go and station a watchman for thyself, and declare whatever thou shalt see.
Greekὅτι οὕτως εἶπε πρὸς μὲ Κύριος, Βαδίσας σεαυτῷ στῆσον σκοπὸν, καὶ ὃ ἂν ἴδῃς ἀνάγγειλον.
KJVFor thus hath the LORD said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
JPSFor thus hath the Lord said unto me: Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth!
7
ThomsonThereupon I beheld a chariot with two riders, and a rider on an ass and a rider on a camel.
BrentonAnd I saw two mounted horsemen, and a rider on an ass, and a rider on a camel.
GreekΚαὶ εἶδον ἀναβάτας ἱππεῖς δύο, καὶ ἀναβάτη ὄνου, καὶ ἀναβάτην καμήλου· ἀκρόασαι ἀκρόασιν πολλήν,
KJV—
JPS—
8
ThomsonListen with the utmost attention, said the Lord, And call thou a fair breeze to the watch-tower. I have kept my station all the day long, and by the camp I have stood the whole night;
BrentonHearken with great attention, and call thou Urias to the watch-tower: the Lord has spoken. I stood continually during the day, and I stood in the camp all the night:
Greekκαὶ κάλεσον Οὐρίαν εἰς τὴν σκοπιάν· Κύριος εἶπεν, ἔστην διαπαντὸς ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐγὼ ἔστην ὅλην τὴν νύκτα,
KJV—
JPSAnd he cried as a lion: ‘Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, And I am set in my ward all the nights.’
9
Thomsonand behold here cometh a man riding in a chariot, and addressing me he said, It is fallen! Babylon is fallen! and all her images, and all the works of her hands are dashed on the ground.
Brentonand, behold, he comes riding in a chariot and pair: and he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all her images and her idols have been crushed to the ground.
Greekκαὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἔρχεται ἀναβάτης ξυνωρίδος· καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε, πέπτωκε πέπτωκε Βαβυλὼν, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἀγάλματα αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ χειροποίητα αὐτῆς συνετρίβησαν εἰς τὴν γῆν.
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.
JPSAnd, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.’
10
ThomsonHear this, ye who have been forsaken! and ye who have been sorely grieved, hear what I have heard from the Lord of Hosts—what the God of Israel hath announced to us.
BrentonHear, ye that are left, and ye that are in pain, hear what things I have heard of the Lord of hosts which the God of Israel has declared to us.
GreekἈκούσατε οἱ καταλελειμμένοι, καὶ οἱ ὀδυνώμενοι ἀκούσατε ἃ ἤκουσα παρὰ Κυρίου σαβαὼθ, ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἀνήγγειλεν ἡμῖν. ΤΟ ὍΡΑΜΑ ΤΗΣ ἸΔΟΥΜΑΙΑΣ.
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.
JPSO thou my threshing, and the winnowing of my floor, That which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, The God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
11
Thomson—
BrentonThe Vision of Idumea. Call to me out of Seir; guard ye the bulwarks.
GreekΠρὸς ἐμὲ κάλει παρὰ τοῦ Σηεὶρ, φυλάσσετε ἐπάλξεις.
KJV—
JPS—
12
Thomson—
BrentonI watch in the morning and the night: if thou wouldest enquire, enquire, and dwell by me.
GreekΦυλάσσω τοπρωῒ καὶ τὴν νύκτα· ἐὰν ζητῇς ζήτει, καὶ παρʼ ἐμοὶ οἴκει,
KJVThe watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
JPSThe watchman said: ‘The morning cometh, and also the night— If ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come.’
13
ThomsonThou mayst go to rest in the western forest, or in the way to Dedan.
BrentonThou mayest lodge in the forest in the evening, or in the way of Dædan.
Greekἐν τῷ δρυμῷ ἑσπέρας κοιμηθῇς, ἢ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ Δαιδάν.
KJVThe burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
JPS—
14
ThomsonO inhabitants of the country of Thaiman, bring out water to meet the thirsty; meet with bread
BrentonYe that dwell in the country of Thæman, bring water to meet him that is thirsty;
GreekΕἰς συνάντησιν διψῶντι ὕδωρ φέρετε οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐν χώρᾳ Θαιμὰν, ἄρτοις συναντᾶτε τοῖς φεύγουσι
KJV—
JPSUnto him that is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread.
15
Thomsonthem who are fleeing, because of the multitude of the slain; and because of the multitude of dispersed: and because of the multitude of swords; and because of the multitude of bended bows; and because of the multitude of them who have fallen in battle.
Brentonmeet the fugitives with bread, because of the multitude of the slain, and because of the multitude of them that lose their way, and because of the multitude of swords, and because of the multitude of bent bows, and because of the multitude of them that have fallen in war.
Greekδιὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πεφονευμένων, καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πλανωμένων, καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς μαχαίρας, καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν τοξευμάτων τῶν διατεταμένων, καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πεπτωκότων ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ.
KJVFor they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
JPSFor they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, And from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16
ThomsonFor thus hath the Lord said to me, Within a year, according to the year of an hireling, the glory of the children of Kedar shall fail;
BrentonFor thus said the Lord to me, Yet a year, as the year of an hireling, and the glory of the sons of Kedar shall fail:
GreekΔιότι οὕτως εἶπέ μοι Κύριος, ἔτι ἐνιαυτὸς ὡς ἐνιαυτὸς μισθωτοῦ, ἐκλείψει ἡ δόξα τῶν υἱῶν Κηδὰρ,
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:
JPSFor thus hath the Lord said unto me: ‘Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;
17
Thomsonand the remnant of the mighty bowmen of Kedar shall be small. For the Lord God of Israel hath spoken.
Brentonand the remnant of the strong bows of the sons of Kedar shall be small: for the Lord God of Israel has spoken it.
Greekκαὶ τὸ κατάλοιπον τῶν τοξευμάτων τῶν ἰσχυρῶν υἱῶν Κηδὰρ ἔσται ὀλίγον, ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ ἐλάλησε. ΤΟ ῬΗΜΑ ΤΗΣ ΦΑΡΑΓΓΟΣ ΣΙΩΝ.
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.
JPSand the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished; for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.’