TRV
Translation
King James Version
For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
Complete Jewish Bible
because they are fleeing the sword, the drawn sword, the bent bow and the press of battle.
Berean Standard Bible
For they flee from the sword— the sword that is drawn— from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.
American Standard Version
For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
World English Bible Messianic
For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For they flee from the drawen swords, euen from the drawen sword, and from the bent bowe, and from the grieuousnesse of warre.
Young's Literal Translation
For from the face of destructions they fled, From the face of a stretched-out sword, And from the face of a trodden bow, And from the face of the grievousness of battle.
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Commentary on Isaiah 21 verses 13–17
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.
Arabia was a large country, that lay eastward and southward of the land of Canaan. Much of it was possessed by the posterity of Abraham. The Dedanim, here mentioned (Isa 21:13), descended from Dedan, Abraham's son by Keturah; the inhabitants of Tema and Kedar descended from Ishmael, Gen 25:3, Gen 25:13, Gen 25:15. The Arabians generally lived in tents, and kept cattle, were a hardy people, inured to labour; probably the Jews depended upon them as a sort of a wall between them and the more warlike eastern nations; and therefore, to alarm them, they shall hear the burden of Arabia, and see it sinking under its own burden.
I. A destroying army shall be brought upon them, with a sword, with a drawn sword, with a bow ready bent, and with all the grievousness of war, Isa 21:15. It is probable that the king of Assyria, in some of the marches of his formidable and victorious army, took Arabia in his way, and, meeting with little resistance, made an easy prey of them. The consideration of the grievousness of war should make us thankful for the blessings of peace.
II. The poor country people will hereby be forced to flee for shelter wherever they can find a place; so that the travelling companies of Dedanium, which used to keep the high roads with their caravans, shall be obliged to quit them and lodge in the forest in Arabia (Isa 21:13), and shall not have the wonted convenience of their own tents, poor and weather-beaten as they are.
III. They shall stand in need of refreshment, being ready to perish for want of it, in their flight from the invading army: "O you inhabitants of the land of Tema!" (who probably were next neighbours to the companies of Dedanim) "bring you water" (so the margin reads it) "to him that is thirsty, and prevent with your bread those that flee, for they are objects of your compassion; they do not wander for wandering sake, nor are they reduced to straits by any extravagance of their own, but they flee from the sword." Tema was a country where water was sometimes a scarce commodity (as we find, Job 6:19), and we may conclude it would be in a particular manner acceptable to these poor distressed refugees. Let us learn hence. 1. To look for distress ourselves. We know not what straits we may be brought into before we die. Those that live in cities may be forced to lodge in forests; and those may know the want of necessary food who now eat bread to the full. Our mountain stands not so strong but that it may be moved, rises not so high but that it may be scaled. These Arabians would the better bear these calamities because in their way of living they had used themselves to hardships. 2. To look with compassion upon those that are in distress, and with all cheerfulness to relieve them, not knowing how soon their case may be ours: "Bring water to those that are thirsty, and not only give bread to those that need and ask it, but prevent those with it that have need; give it to them unasked." Those that do so shall find it remembered to their praise, as (according to our reading) it is here remembered to the praise of the land of Tema that they did bring water to the thirsty and relieved even those that were on the falling side.
IV. All that which is the glory of Kedar shall vanish away and fail. Did they glory in their numerous herds and flocks? They shall all be driven away by the enemy. It seems they were famous about other nations for the use of the bow in battle; but their archers, instead of foiling the enemy, shall fall themselves; and the residue of their number, when they are reduced to a small number, shall be diminished (Isa 21:17); their mighty able-bodied men, and men of spirit too, shall become very few; for they, being most forward in the defence of their country, were most exposed, and fell first, either by the enemies' sword or into the enemies' hand. Note, Neither the skill of archers (though they be ever so good marksmen) nor the courage of mighty men can protect a people from the judgments of God, when they come with commission; they rather expose the undertakers. That is poor glory which will thus quickly come to nothing.
V. All this shall be done in a little time: "Within one year according to the years of a hireling (within one year precisely reckoned) this judgment shall come upon Kedar." If this fixing of the time be of no great use to us now (because we find not either when the prophecy was delivered or when it was accomplished), yet it might be of great use to the Arabians then, to awaken them to repentance, that, like the men of Nineveh, they might prevent the judgment when they were thus told it was just at the door. Or, when it begins to be fulfilled, the business shall be done, be begun and ended in one year's time. God, when he please, can do a great work in a little time.
VI. It is all ratified by the truth of God (Isa 21:16); "Thus hath the Lord said to me; you may take my word for it that it is his word;" and we may be sure no word of his shall fall to the ground. And again (Isa 21:17): The Lord God of Israel hath spoken it, as the God of Israel, in pursuance of his gracious designs concerning them; and we may be sure the strength of Israel will not lie.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 13–17. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 14, 15.) Bring water to the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of the South; meet the one fleeing with bread. For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the severity of battle. LXX: Bring water to the thirsty, O inhabitants of the region of Theman; meet the fleeing ones with bread because of the multitude of the slain, because of the multitude of the wanderers, because of the multitude of the sword, and because of the multitude of the bows drawn, and because of the multitude of those falling in battle. You who are in Theman, which is interpreted as Auster and perfection, and you turn in that place of which it is written: God will come from the south wind (Habakkuk III, 4), and you who are consummated and perfected, and have within you the light of the knowledge of the Scriptures, when those fleeing from Arabia and the thicket come to you, meet them with water and bread, and do not wait until they come to you; but imitate the father in the Gospel parable, who reached out to his returning son. And indeed he gave a robe, and presented a ring (Luke XV): but you offer water and bread to the fleeing, so that those who are weary and exhausted may be sustained by your mercy, and quickly reach your seats. For they have fled the swords of heretics, the doctrine of the pagans, and the blasphemies of the Jews. And because they have seen many of them killed by spears and many fallen in battle, they themselves desire to be freed by your help. This place can properly be understood as being against those who surrender themselves to idleness and laziness, content with their own well-being, and do not reach out a helping hand to those who are repentant and converted.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 13 onwards) Burden in Arabia. In the evening you will sleep in the thicket, in the paths of Dodanim. Bring water to the thirsty ones you encounter: you who live in the land of the South, offer bread to the ones fleeing. Because they have fled from the swords, from the menacing sword, from the drawn bow, from the severity of battle. For this is what the Lord says to me: In yet one year, like the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end, and the remaining number of archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few. For the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken. To me, who was searching and pondering for a long time about what Arabia was, to which the prophetic speech is directed, whether it should be understood as the Moabites, or the Ammonites, and the Edomites, and all the other regions which are now called Arabia, an opportunity is given in this Vision that follows: All the glory of Cedar will be taken away, and the remaining number of mighty archers from the sons of Cedar will be diminished (Isaiah 21:16, 17), to be understood as the Ishmaelites. The book of Genesis teaches that Ishmael, Cedar, and the Hagarites, who are called Saracens by a perverse name, were born. They inhabit the whole wilderness, about whom I think even the poet says: 'And the wandering Barcaeans far and wide' (Virg. Aeneid. IV); and the aforementioned volume, 'He shall dwell against the face of all his brothers' (Gen. XVI, 12): because the very wide desert stretches from India to Mauritania, and the Atlantic Ocean, which I believe sounds the title of Jeremiah: 'Against Cedar and against the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck' (Jer. XLIX, 28); and immediately follows: 'Thus says the Lord, Arise, and ascend to Cedar, and devastate the sons of the East: their tents, and their flocks shall they take, their skins and all their vessels, and they shall take camels for themselves' (Ibid., 29); and again: 'For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has thought a thought against you, and has deliberated against you.' Arise and go up to a quiet and confidently dwelling nation, says the Lord: there are no gates, no bars for them: they dwell alone. And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil. And I will scatter them to every wind, them that are clipped on the sides: and I will bring destruction upon them from all their borders, says the Lord: and Achor shall be a habitation of dragons, desolate for ever: there shall no man abide there, nor son of man inhabit it. I have placed the entire prophecy and testimony of Jeremiah so that you may understand clearly what Cedar is. And consider how he specifically describes the people of the Ishmaelites, that they dwell in tents: they occupy the dwellings that night brings, they possess herds and flocks of camels: they do not have doors or bolts: for they do not live in cities, but dwell in the wilderness. And so, they were destroyed by the Babylonians, because they completely destroyed the city of Hazor, which was the metropolis of their people, even down to the ground: and yet, their herds of camels and flocks of sheep were captured, and their skins and tents were divided by lot: not all of their people were annihilated, for dromedary camels, numbering over a hundred thousand, are accustomed to flee through the vast wilderness in a single day. The glory of Cedar will be taken away, it says, and with the number of archers diminished, as they excel greatly in the art of war: the rest who have fled will remain. Because we have understood what Cedar is, and what Arabia is, and what Asor is, let us see what the prophet Isaiah says: 'You will sleep in the forest, at evening, on the paths of Dodanim.' The word Arab (), as we have often said, is used for evening, and Arabia, and raven, and plain, and the West. And because we translated it according to the LXX, 'you will sleep,' it can be interpreted as 'you will stay' or 'you will dwell,' which is called αὐλιθήσεσθε in Greek, and in Hebrew it is said 'Thalinu'. Moreover, he also turns to his close relatives and kinsmen. Thus, it is prophesied that now to the Jews, who were able to escape the siege of Babylon, they will cross over to the neighboring wilderness and settle in the solitude of Arabia on the journey that leads to their brothers. And again the conversation turns to the Ishmaelites, and he exhorts them to mercy: run, and bring water to your tired and endangered brothers, for they are thirsty with great fervor of the sun, and unless you help them, they will perish in the wilderness. And not only water, but also bring bread to the fugitives, so that your kindness may relieve those whom the siege has exhausted. At the same time, he explains the reason why he is giving these orders, saying: the Babylonians have fled, the bows of the Elamites have fled, a fierce battle has fled. Do not despise the unfortunate: your captivity will come quickly. For just as the year of a hired worker is swift and considers all labor to be short until he receives the desired wage, so all the glory of the sons of Cedar will be taken from you, and your arrows will be worn out, and only a small number of warriors will remain. Some people want to be taken from what is said, that even in one year, and every glory of Cedar will be taken away, not Babylonian captivity being proclaimed, about which Jeremiah also speaks, but of the Assyrians, who after one year of the devastation of Judah, have widely persecuted the Saracens. Moreover, that place which we have transferred: You who inhabit the land of the South, meet the fugitive with bread: and as if we read in the imperative mode on behalf of the Lord, they affirm that in Hebrew it can be read like this: You who inhabit the land of the South, met the fugitive with bread; just as when God said to them, when they met the thirsty, bring water, they would take away the bread with a hostile mind without water, in order to increase their thirst with food.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 21:15 offers a stark and visceral depiction of the desperate flight of those caught in the brutal onslaught of ancient warfare, emphasizing the overwhelming terror and chaos that force individuals to abandon everything. It meticulously details the immediate and relentless threats posed by various weapons and the profound suffering inherent in conflict, underscoring the sheer vulnerability of humanity when confronted by such destructive forces.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 21:15 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message with striking impact. Repetition is prominently featured in the phrase "from the swords, from the drawn sword," which serves to emphasize the pervasive, inescapable, and multi-faceted nature of the threat. This rhetorical device underscores the overwhelming terror and the sheer force faced by the fleeing people. Imagery is central to the verse's power, with vivid and concrete depictions of "swords," "drawn sword," and "bent bow" painting a stark and immediate picture of the instruments of death. This precise and sensory imagery allows the reader to viscerally experience the danger and the desperation of the moment. Furthermore, the use of Synecdoche (a part representing the whole) or Metonymy (a related concept representing the whole) is present, where the specific weapons ("swords," "bow") stand in for the entire military force and the devastating act of war itself. Finally, the concluding phrase, "the grievousness of war," acts as a powerful Summary Statement or Climax, encapsulating the cumulative suffering and oppressive weight of conflict that transcends mere physical weaponry, highlighting the profound and comprehensive human cost of war.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 21:15 serves as a stark and sobering reminder of the brokenness of a world marred by sin and conflict, where human beings tragically inflict immense suffering upon one another. The desperate flight depicted highlights the fragility of earthly security and the pervasive presence of suffering in a fallen creation. Theologically, while this passage focuses intensely on human suffering and the immediate consequences of war, it implicitly points to the broader biblical narrative of God's ultimate sovereignty over nations and His overarching plan for peace and justice. Such scenes of judgment and war, though devastating in their reality, often serve as a grim backdrop against which God's ultimate deliverance and the promise of a new heavens and new earth, entirely free from war, sorrow, and pain, shine even brighter. This verse compels believers to lament the ongoing reality of human violence and to yearn with profound longing for the eschatological peace that only God, in His sovereign power and grace, can truly bring.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 21:15, though rooted in an ancient context, resonates powerfully with the timeless and tragic reality of human suffering caused by violence and conflict that persists in our world today. It serves as a profound call to cultivate a deep and abiding sense of empathy for all who are displaced, persecuted, and terrorized by war and violence in our own time. In a world still tragically plagued by conflicts and humanitarian crises, this verse stands as a poignant reminder of the devastating human cost that extends far beyond mere statistics or news headlines. It challenges us to look beyond the abstract and truly see, with compassionate eyes, the "grievousness of war" through the lived experience of those who are forced to flee for their very lives. Practically, this should move us to fervent prayer for peace, for the protection and provision for the vulnerable, and for the courageous work of those individuals and organizations who seek to alleviate suffering, promote reconciliation, and bring about justice. Ultimately, this passage directs our hope away from fleeting earthly securities and towards the eternal refuge found in God alone, who is our ultimate sanctuary and who alone can bring true and lasting peace to a broken world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are "they" who are fleeing in Isaiah 21:15?
Answer: "They" refers to the nomadic tribes of Arabia, specifically the Dedanites and Kedarites, who are the primary focus of the "burden of Arabia" in Isaiah 21:13-17. These tribes, known for their traditional movement along vital trade routes in the desert regions, are depicted as being overwhelmed by a military invasion, likely from a powerful empire like Assyria or Babylon. This invasion forces them to abandon their homes, their established way of life, and seek desperate refuge in the harsh wilderness.
What does "grievousness of war" mean in this context?
Answer: The phrase "grievousness of war" (Hebrew kôbed) signifies the immense weight, severity, and profound suffering that war inflicts, encompassing far more than just physical injuries. It extends beyond the immediate damage caused by "swords" and "bows" to include the full spectrum of distress: emotional trauma, psychological burden, the loss of life and livelihood, widespread displacement, and the overall oppressive reality of conflict. It emphasizes the comprehensive and devastating impact of war on human lives and societies, highlighting the deep hardship, sorrow, and utter brokenness experienced by those caught in its destructive grip.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Isaiah 21:15 vividly depicts the terror and desperate flight from earthly warfare, it implicitly points to the ultimate "grievousness" from which humanity truly needs deliverance: the bondage of sin, the fear of death, and the spiritual warfare that rages against the human soul. The desperate search for refuge from physical weapons foreshadows humanity's deeper, existential need for a spiritual refuge from the ultimate enemy. Christ Jesus is the glorious fulfillment of this desperate need. He is the true Prince of Peace who disarms the spiritual forces of darkness, not with swords and bows, but through His sacrificial death on the cross and His triumphant resurrection, thereby triumphing over them (Colossians 2:15). He offers a profound and abiding peace that the world cannot give, a peace that transcends all earthly conflicts and provides ultimate security for the soul (John 14:27). Those who flee to Him in faith find eternal refuge from the judgment of sin and the sting of death (Romans 8:1-2). His decisive victory over sin and death means that believers are no longer subject to the "grievousness" of spiritual warfare in the same way, but are instead empowered to stand firm, clothed in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). Ultimately, the desperate flight portrayed in Isaiah 21:15 finds its counterpoint in the joyous, secure, and eternal dwelling of those who have found their true home and safety in Christ, in whom there will be no more war, no more tears, and no more pain (Revelation 21:4).