the sword that is drawn—
The drawn sword emphasizes readiness for battle and the immediacy of the threat. In biblical times, a drawn sword was a clear sign of impending conflict. This imagery is used in other scriptures, such as in Numbers 22:23, where Balaam's donkey sees the angel of the Lord with a drawn sword. It signifies that the threat is not just potential but active and present. The drawn sword can also symbolize God's judgment being executed, as seen in 1 Chronicles 21:16.

from the bow that is bent,
The bent bow represents preparation for attack, highlighting the tension and potential for violence. In ancient warfare, the bow was a primary weapon, and a bent bow indicates that it is ready to release its arrow. This imagery is used in Psalm 7:12, where God is depicted as a warrior who prepares His weapons against the wicked. The bow being bent suggests that the threat is not only from close combat but also from a distance, adding to the sense of inescapability.

and from the stress of battle.
The stress of battle conveys the chaos and fear associated with warfare. It reflects the psychological and physical toll on those involved. In the broader biblical narrative, battle often symbolizes spiritual warfare and the struggles faced by God's people. Ephesians 6:12 speaks of the spiritual battle against the forces of evil. The stress of battle here can also be seen as a metaphor for the trials and tribulations faced by believers, reminding them of the need for reliance on God's strength and protection.

“For they flee from the sword—”

• Isaiah is describing real refugees streaming through Arabia after a brutal assault, most likely by the Assyrian armies (compare Isaiah 21:13-17).

• Their first instinct is flight, not resistance, echoing Leviticus 26:17, where the disobedient “will flee when no one is pursuing,” and Proverbs 28:1, “The wicked flee when no one pursues.”

• The verse reminds us that judgment can leave proud nations suddenly helpless, exactly as Isaiah had prophesied about Babylon in Isaiah 13:6-8.

• The literal exodus of terrified people underscores the reliability of God’s warnings: when He foretells calamity, it comes (Numbers 23:19).

“—the sword that is drawn—”

• A drawn sword is ready for immediate use; no more negotiation, only execution of judgment (Ezekiel 21:3-5).

• God often pictures Himself commissioning such a sword against rebellious peoples: Deuteronomy 32:41 speaks of Him “whetting My flashing sword.”

• The Arabian tribes thought their desert distance insulated them, yet the drawn sword shows judgment is already in motion, just as Judah learned in Isaiah 10:5-6 when Assyria became the “rod” in God’s hand.

• The accuracy of Isaiah’s prophecy is affirmed: history records Assyrian king Sargon II’s 715 BC campaign that devastated the region, matching the drawn-sword imagery.

“—from the bow that is bent,”

• A bent bow is strung, arrow nocked, and tension at its peak; release is imminent. The fugitives know they are one heartbeat from death.

• Psalm 7:12 uses the same picture for divine judgment: “He has bent and readied His bow.”

• Isaiah earlier condemned nations who “rely on horses” (Isaiah 31:1); now he shows that military hardware—swords and bows—becomes the very terror that scatters them.

• Jeremiah 49:35 proves how God can “break the bow” of a nation, but in this moment He allows the enemy’s bow to be effective as an agent of chastisement.

“and from the stress of battle.”

• “Stress” captures the crushing, chaotic pressure of hand-to-hand combat; even seasoned warriors buckle (Deuteronomy 20:3-4 encourages Israel not to fear this very pressure).

• Amos 2:14-16 describes identical panic: “The swift will not escape…the bravest warriors will flee naked.”

• Isaiah’s wording reminds readers that human strength collapses under sustained conflict, highlighting our need for divine refuge (Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble”).

• The Arabian desert, once a commercial crossroads (Ezekiel 27:21), now becomes a wasteland of exhausted soldiers and civilians gasping for relief—vivid proof that earthly glory is fleeting.

Isaiah 21:15 paints a literal scene of Arabian refugees running for their lives from Assyria’s invading swords and bows, their panic intensified by the relentless pressure of combat. Each phrase escalates the urgency: fleeing, a sword already unsheathed, a bow fully drawn, the unbearable crush of battle. The verse assures us that God’s foretold judgments arrive with precision, humbling every self-reliant heart and confirming that safety rests only in Him who holds ultimate power over every sword and bow.