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Isaiah 21:2–3

A stern vision is told to me;

wthe traitor betrays,

and the destroyer destroys.

Go up, O xElam;

lay siege, O yMedia;

all the zsighing she has caused

I bring to an end.

Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;

apangs have seized me,

like the pangs of a woman in labor;

I am bowed down so that I cannot hear;

I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

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Isaiah 21:2–3 — The New International Version (NIV)

A dire vision has been shown to me:

The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot.

Elam, attack! Media, lay siege!

I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused.

At this my body is racked with pain,

pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor;

I am staggered by what I hear,

I am bewildered by what I see.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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.

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.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — New Living Translation (NLT)

I see a terrifying vision:

I see the betrayer betraying,

the destroyer destroying.

Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes,

attack and lay siege.

I will make an end

to all the groaning Babylon caused.

My stomach aches and burns with pain.

Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me,

like those of a woman in labor.

I grow faint when I hear what God is planning;

I am too afraid to look.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

A distressing vision is declared to me;

The treacherous dealer deals treacherously,

And the plunderer plunders.

Go up, O Elam!

Besiege, O Media!

All its sighing I have made to cease.

Therefore my loins are filled with pain;

Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor.

I was distressed when I heard it;

I was dismayed when I saw it.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — New Century Version (NCV)

I have seen a terrible vision.

I see traitors turning against you

and people taking your wealth.

Elam, attack the people!

Media, surround the city and attack it!

I will bring an end to the pain the city causes.

I saw those terrible things, and now I am in pain;

my pains are like the pains of giving birth.

What I hear makes me very afraid;

what I see causes me to shake with fear.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — American Standard Version (ASV)

A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous man dealeth treacherously, and the destroyer destroyeth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

A grievous vision is declared unto me: the treacherous dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, Elam! besiege, Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease. Therefore are my loins filled with pain; anguish hath taken hold upon me, as the anguish of a woman in travail: I am bowed down so as not to hear, I am dismayed so as not to see.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

I was shown a harsh vision. 

The traitor betrays. 

The destroyer destroys. 

Go to war, Elam! 

Surround them, Media! 

I will put an end to all the groaning. 

That is why my body is full of trembling. 

Pain grips me like the pain of childbirth. 

I’m disturbed by what I hear. 

I’m terrified by what I see. 

Isaiah 21:2–3 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

A troubling vision is declared to me:

“The treacherous one acts treacherously,

and the destroyer destroys.

Advance, Elam! Lay siege, you Medes!

I will put an end to all her groaning.”

Therefore I am filled with anguish.

Pain grips me, like the pain of a woman in labor.

I am too perplexed to hear,

too dismayed to see.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

A stern vision is told to me;

the betrayer betrays,

and the destroyer destroys.

Go up, O Elam,

lay siege, O Media;

all the sighing she has caused

I bring to an end.

Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;

pangs have seized me,

like the pangs of a woman in labor;

I am bowed down so that I cannot hear,

I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

A hard revelation is told to me;

the treacherous deals treacherously,

and the destroyer destroys.

Go up, Elam;

lay siege, Media!

I put an end to all of her sighing.

Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;

pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman giving birth.

I am too bent to hear,

I am too dismayed to see.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

I have seen a vision about something terrible that will happen.

People are turning against Babylon.

Robbers are taking its goods.

Elamites, attack the city! Medes, surround it!

The Lord will put an end to all of the suffering Babylon has caused.

The vision fills my body with pain.

Pains take hold of me.

They are like the pains of a woman having a baby.

I am shaken by what I hear.

I’m terrified by what I see.

Isaiah 21:2–3 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

A harsh vision has been shown to me;

The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys.

Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media;

I have made an end of all the groaning she has caused.

For this reason my loins are full of anguish;

Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor.

I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.


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