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Psalm 60:3
Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.

Proverbs 13:15
Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressorsis hard.

the treacherous

Isaiah 24:16
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs,even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

Isaiah 33:1
Woe to thee that spoilest, and thouwast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled;and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

1 Samuel 24:13
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

go up

Isaiah 13:2-4,17,18
Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles…

Jeremiah 50:14,34
Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD…

Jeremiah 49:34
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,

all the

Isaiah 14:1-3
For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob…

Isaiah 35:10
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Isaiah 47:6
I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.

The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys:
This part of the prophecy highlights ongoing treachery and destruction. Historically, this could refer to the actions of nations like Babylon, known for their deceit and military conquests. The repetition underscores the persistent nature of betrayal and destruction, reflecting the sinful state of humanity. It also serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of sin and judgment throughout biblical history.

Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media!:
Elam and Media were regions east of Babylon, often associated with Persia. This call to arms suggests a divine directive for these nations to rise against Babylon. Historically, the Medes and Persians eventually conquered Babylon, fulfilling this prophecy. This reflects God's sovereignty over nations, using them as instruments of His judgment. The mention of these specific regions also aligns with the historical rise of the Medo-Persian Empire.

I will put an end to all her groaning:
The "her" likely refers to Babylon, known for its oppression and cruelty. The promise to end groaning signifies the cessation of suffering and oppression caused by Babylon's dominance. This reflects God's justice and His commitment to deliverance for those who suffer under tyranny. It also foreshadows the ultimate end of all suffering and evil, pointing to eschatological hope found in the broader biblical narrative.

“Isaiah reports a dire vision” (Isaiah 21:2).

• The message comes directly from the LORD, providing an unfiltered, reliable glimpse into coming history (cf.Amos 3:7;Jeremiah 23:28).

• “Dire” signals anguish in the prophet’s heart, much like the “oracle concerning Babylon” that follows (Isaiah 21:9).

• The seriousness mirrors other weighty revelations such as “the oracle in the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1).

Takeaway: when God speaks, His Word is certain, and His warnings are merciful invitations to trust Him.

“The traitor still betrays” (Isaiah 21:2).

• Babylon had double-crossed nations, including Judah, by promising protection and then oppressing them (cf.Isaiah 39;Isaiah 24:16).

• Treachery is repetitive and systemic—“still,” indicating ongoing disregard for covenant faithfulness.

• God sees every act of betrayal and sets a day to settle accounts (cf.Isaiah 33:1, “Woe to you, O destroyer, who yourself have not been destroyed”).

Application: repeated sin is not hidden from the Lord; repentance is always the wisest route.

“The destroyer still destroys” (Isaiah 21:2).

• Babylon’s military machine kept rolling, toppling city after city (cf.Jeremiah 51:25, “I am against you, O destroying mountain”).

• Yet God allows even ruthless powers only temporary authority; He reserves the right to end their rampage (cf.Habakkuk 2:8).

• The unceasing ravaging of others invites God’s decisive judgment (cf.Revelation 18:5-8).

Encouragement: oppression has an expiration date because God is just.

“Go up, O Elam!” (Isaiah 21:2).

• Elam, a region east of Babylon, later folded into the Persian Empire (cf.Jeremiah 49:34-39).

• The Lord summons Elam as His instrument—confirming that nations rise and fall according to His plan (cf.Daniel 8:2).

• The command “Go up” shows God actively directing history, not merely predicting it.

Comfort: even distant powers act only on the Lord’s timetable, assuring His people that He reigns.

“Lay siege, O Media!” (Isaiah 21:2).

• Isaiah foretells the Medes’ role in Babylon’s downfall nearly two centuries before it happened (cf.Isaiah 13:17;Daniel 5:28-31).

• Media and Persia (under Cyrus) encircled Babylon, fulfilling the prophetic command with precision.

• God uses human armies to accomplish spiritual purposes, demonstrating His sovereignty over geopolitics (cf.Proverbs 21:1).

Faith-builder: fulfilled prophecy underlines Scripture’s reliability and God’s absolute control.

“I will put an end to all her groaning” (Isaiah 21:2).

• “Her” refers to Babylon; the Lord promises to silence the empire’s oppressive cries and the laments it provoked (cf.Isaiah 14:3-4).

• The fall of Babylon would simultaneously relieve Judah’s exiles (cf.Jeremiah 50:33-34) and set the stage for their return (Ezra 1:1-4).

• Final echoes appear inRevelation 18:21-24, where end-time Babylon’s downfall brings global relief.

Hope: God not only judges evil but also comforts the afflicted, replacing groaning with freedom.

Isaiah 21:2 reveals a precise, Spirit-given preview of Babylon’s collapse. The continuing treachery and destruction of that empire provoke God to summon Elam and Media, who carry out His verdict, ending Babylon’s tyranny and easing the suffering of His people. The verse showcases God’s sovereignty, the certainty of His Word, and His faithful commitment to judge evil and deliver the righteous.

Elam appears here as combined with Media, which is named inIsaiah 13:17 as the only destroyer of Babylon, and this has been urged as evidence of a later date. As a matter of fact, however, Sargon at this very time was carrying on a fierce war against Elam (Records of the Past, cvii. 41-49) as well as against Media (ibid,p. 37). InEzekiel 32:24, Elam is numbered among the extinct nations, but the name, at all events, re-appears as applied to the Persians, though they were of a distinct race. It was, even as a mere forecast, perfectly natural that the two should be associated together as the future destroyers of the Nineveh and Babel empires, which to the prophet's eye were identical in character and policy. The advance described as "from the wilderness" implies a march of part at least of the Medo-Persian army down the Choaspes and into the lowland of Chuzistan, bordering on the great Arabian desert.