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Dhammapada · narration sample

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The Bible · 700 of 1189

Isaiah 21

1.The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. 2. 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. 3. Therefore 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. 4. My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. 5. Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield. 6. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. 7. 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: 8. And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: 9. And, 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. 10. O 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.

11.The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? 12. The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

13.The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. 14. The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. 15. For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. 16. For 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: 17. And 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.

Asked of Guide

Why does the watchman cry “Babylon is fallen, is fallen” in verse 9?

The watchman reports what he sees: after long vigilance he observes approaching chariots and horsemen, then recognizes signs of collapse and declares “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” The phrase names a decisive, visible event — the city’s power has been broken and its idols shattered, so the alarm is the declaration of a witnessed overthrow.

Isaiah frames this as prophetic eyewitnessing rather than abstract prophecy; the sequence — set a watchman, he “hearkened diligently,” then cried — emphasizes sensing and announcing a concrete change. This mirrors Joel’s vivid proclamations of judgment, where observed disaster becomes the basis for a public summons (see Joel 3:14–16).

Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.