1The word about the waste land. As storm-winds in the South go rushing through, it comes from the waste land, from the land greatly to be feared. 2A vision of fear comes before my eyes; the worker of deceit goes on in his false way, and the waster goes on making waste. Up! Elam; to the attack! Media; I have put an end to her sorrow. 3For this cause I am full of bitter grief; pains like the pains of a woman in childbirth have come on me: I am bent down with sorrow at what comes to my ears; I am shocked by what I see. 4My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me. 5They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates. 6For so has the Lord said to me, Go, let a watchman be placed; let him give word of what he sees: 7And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention. 8And the watchman gave a loud cry, O my lord, I am on the watchtower all day, and am placed in my watch every night: 9See, here come war-carriages with men, horsemen by twos: and in answer he said, Babylon is made low, is made low, and all her images are broken on the earth. 10O my crushed ones, the grain of my floor! I have given you the word which came to me from the Lord of armies, the God of Israel. 11The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night? 12The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again. 13The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites! 14Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight. 15For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war. 16For so has the Lord said to me, In a year, by the years of a servant working for payment, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end: 17And the rest of the bowmen, the men of war of the children of Kedar, will be small in number: for the Lord, the God of Israel, has said it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
The taking of Babylon. (1-10) Of the Edomites. (11,12) Of the Arabs. (13-17) 1-10 Babylon was a flat country, abundantly watered. The destruction of Babylon, so often prophesied of by Isaiah, was typical of the destruction of the great foe of the New Testament church, foretold in the Revelation. To the poor oppressed captives it would be welcome news; to the proud oppressors it would be grievous. Let this check vain mirth and sensual pleasures, that we know not in what heaviness the mirth may end. Here is the alarm given to Babylon, when forced by Cyrus. An ass and a camel seem to be the symbols of the Medes and Persians. Babylon's idols shall be so far from protecting her, that they shall be broken down. True believers are the corn of God's floor; hypocrites are but as chaff and straw, with which the wheat is now mixed, but from which it shall be separated. The corn of God's floor must expect to be threshed by afflictions and persecutions. God's Israel of old was afflicted. Even then God owns it is his still. In all events concerning the church, past, present, and to come, we must look to God, who has power to do any thing for his church, and grace to do every thing that is for her good. 11,12 God's prophets and ministers are as watchmen in the city in a time of peace, to see that all is safe. As watchmen in the camp in time of war, to warn of the motions of the enemy. After a long sleep in sin and security, it is time to rise, to awake out of sleep. We have a great deal of work to do, a long journey to go; it is time to be stirring. After a long dark night is there any hope of the day dawning? What tidings of the night? What happens to-night? We must never be secure. But many make curious inquiries of the watchmen. They would willingly have nice questions solved, or difficult prophecies interpreted; but they do not seek into the state of their own souls, about the way of salvation, and the path of duty. The watchman answers by way of prophecy. There comes first a morning of light, and peace, and opportunity; but afterward comes a night of trouble and calamity. If there be a morning of youth and health, there will come a night of sickness and old age; if a morning of prosperity in the family, in the public, yet we must look for changes. It is our wisdom to improve the present morning, in preparation for the night that is coming after it. Inquire, return, come. We are urged to do it quickly, for there is no time to trifle. Those that return and come to God, will find they have a great deal of work to do, and but little time to do it in. 13-17 The Arabians lived in tents, and kept cattle. A destroying army shall be brought upon them, and make them an easy prey. We know not what straits we may be brought into before we die. Those may know the want of necessary food who now eat bread to the full. Neither the skill of archers, nor the courage of mighty men, can protect from the judgments of God. That is poor glory, which will thus quickly come to nothing. Thus hath the Lord said to me; and no word of his shall fall to the ground. We may be sure the Strength of Israel will not lie. Happy are those only whose riches and glory are out of the reach of invaders; all other prosperity will speedily pass away.