Isaiah 21:9 Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs." And one answered, saying: "Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!"

◄ Isaiah 21:9 ►

New International Version
Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’”

New Living Translation
Now at last—look! Here comes a man in a chariot with a pair of horses!” Then the watchman said, “Babylon is fallen, fallen! All the idols of Babylon lie broken on the ground!”

English Standard Version
And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.”

Berean Standard Bible
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

King James Bible
And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

New King James Version
And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!” Then he answered and said, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.”

New American Standard Bible
“Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground.”

NASB 1995
“Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground.”

NASB 1977
“Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the graven images of her gods are shattered on the ground.”

Amplified Bible
“Now look! Here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the carved images of her gods are shattered on the ground.”

Christian Standard Bible
Look, riders come — horsemen in pairs.” And he answered, saying, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen. All the images of her gods have been shattered on the ground.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look, riders come— horsemen in pairs.” And he answered, saying,” Babylon has fallen, has fallen. All the images of her gods have been shattered on the ground.”

American Standard Version
and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.

Contemporary English Version
Now I see column after column of cavalry troops." At once someone shouted, "Babylon has fallen! Every idol in the city lies broken on the ground."

English Revised Version
and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Look! Here come chariots and horsemen in pairs." Then he said, "Babylon has fallen! It has fallen! All the idols they worship lie shattered on the ground."

Good News Translation
Suddenly, here they come! Riders on horseback, two by two. The sentry gives the news, "Babylon has fallen! All the idols they worshiped lie shattered on the ground."

International Standard Version
Look! Here come riders, each man with a pair of horses!" They're shouting out the answer: "Babylon has fallen, has fallen, and they have shattered all the images of her gods on the ground!

Majority Standard Bible
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

NET Bible
Look what's coming! A charioteer, a team of horses." When questioned, he replies, "Babylon has fallen, fallen! All the idols of her gods lie shattered on the ground!"

New Heart English Bible
Look, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs." He answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.

Webster's Bible Translation
And behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken to the ground.

World English Bible
Behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs.” He answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And behold, this, the chariot of a man is coming, "" A couple of horsemen.” And he answers and says: “Fallen, fallen has Babylon, "" And He has broken all the carved images of her gods to the earth.

Young's Literal Translation
And lo, this, the chariot of a man is coming, A couple of horsemen.' And he answereth and saith: 'Fallen, fallen hath Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods He hath broken to the earth.

Smith's Literal Translation
And behold, here came a chariot, a man, a pair of horsemen. And he will answer and say, She fell, Babel fell; and the carved images of her god he brake in pieces to the earth.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold this man cometh, the rider upon the chariot with two horsemen, and he answered, and said: Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the graven gods thereof are broken unto the ground.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Behold, a certain man approaches, a man riding on a two-horse chariot.” And he responded, and he said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! And all its graven gods have been crushed into the earth!

New American Bible
Here he comes— a single chariot, a pair of horses— He calls out and says, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods are smashed to the ground!’ ”

New Revised Standard Version
Look, there they come, riders, horsemen in pairs!” Then he responded, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And, behold, there came a man from the pair of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods are broken to the ground.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And behold, a man came from the riders of the horsemen and answered and said: “Babel has fallen and all of its gods! The carved images have been broken down in the land!

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and, behold, he comes riding in a chariot and pair: and he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all her images and her idols have been crushed to the ground.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Babylon is Fallen
…8Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post. 9Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!” 10O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Revelation 18:2
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.

Jeremiah 51:8
Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.

Jeremiah 51:64
Then you are to say, ‘In the same way Babylon will sink and never rise again, because of the disaster I will bring upon her. And her people will grow weary.’” Here end the words of Jeremiah.

Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Jeremiah 50:2
“Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’

Revelation 17:5
And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

Jeremiah 50:39
So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.

Jeremiah 51:47
Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the idols of Babylon. Her entire land will suffer shame, and all her slain will lie fallen within her.

Revelation 18:21
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.

Jeremiah 51:25-26
“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who devastate the whole earth, declares the LORD. I will stretch out My hand against you; I will roll you over the cliffs and turn you into a charred mountain. / No one shall retrieve from you a cornerstone or a foundation stone, because you will become desolate forever,” declares the LORD.

Revelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.

Jeremiah 51:37
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.

Revelation 19:2
For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.”

Jeremiah 51:58
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Babylon’s thick walls will be leveled, and her high gates consumed by fire. So the labor of the people will be for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves to fuel the flames.”

Treasury of Scripture

And, behold, here comes a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he has broken to the ground.

behold

Jeremiah 50:3,9,29,42
For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast…

Jeremiah 51:27
Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers.

Babylon

Isaiah 13:19
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

Isaiah 14:4
That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

Jeremiah 50:2
Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

all

Isaiah 46:1,2
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast…

Jeremiah 50:2,38
Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces…

Jeremiah 51:44,47,52
And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall…

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Isaiah 21

1. The prophet, bewailing the captivity of his people,
6. sees in a vision the fall of Babylon by the Medes and Persians.
11. Edom, scorning the prophet, is moved to repentance.
13. The set time of Arabia's calamity.

Berean Study Bible

Look
The Hebrew word for "look" is "hineh," which is often used to draw attention to something significant or to introduce a revelation. In this context, it serves as a divine alert, urging the listener to pay close attention to the unfolding prophecy. It is a call to witness the fulfillment of God's word, emphasizing the certainty and imminence of the event being described.

here come
This phrase indicates the arrival or approach of something significant. In the prophetic context of Isaiah, it suggests the inevitability of the prophesied event. The use of "here come" underscores the immediacy and certainty of God's judgment, as if the event is unfolding before the eyes of the listener.

the chariots of men
Chariots in ancient times were symbols of military power and might. The mention of "chariots of men" highlights the human element in the unfolding events, suggesting a formidable force. Historically, chariots were used by powerful empires, and their presence in this prophecy indicates the strength and organized nature of the invading forces. It serves as a reminder of the futility of relying on human strength against the divine will.

with horsemen
The inclusion of horsemen alongside chariots further emphasizes the military prowess and preparedness of the approaching forces. Horses were prized in ancient warfare for their speed and strength, and their mention here signifies the swift and unstoppable nature of the impending judgment. This imagery would resonate with the original audience, who understood the fearsome sight of an advancing cavalry.

in pairs
The phrase "in pairs" suggests organization and strategy, indicating that the approaching forces are not only powerful but also disciplined and coordinated. This detail adds to the sense of inevitability and thoroughness of the coming judgment. It reflects the completeness of God's plan and the precision with which His purposes are executed.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) And, behold, here cometh . . .--Better, Behold, there came . . . The words narrate a second vision, not the watchman's narrative of the first. He sees now, as it were, a part of the cavalcade which he had beheld before, and now it is no longer silent, but reports what has been accomplished. "Babylon is fallen, is fallen!" The words are applied to the destruction of the mystical Babylon in Revelation 14:8; Revelation 18:2. Stress is laid on the destruction of the idols of Babylon by the iconoclastic Persians.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - And, behold, here cometh, etc. Our translators make the words those of the watchman. But they are better taken as the prophet's statement of a fact, "And behold, just then there cometh a troop of men, riding two and two" - the sign for which he was to watch (ver. 7), or rather the first part of it. We must suppose the rest of the sign to follow, and the watchman then to listen awhile attentively. Suddenly he hears the sound of a sacked town, and he exclaims, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, etc. All the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. Recent documents, belonging to the time of Cyrus, and treating of his capture of Babylon, show that this expression is not to be understood literally. Cyrus was not an iconoclast; he did not break into pieces, or in any way destroy or insult the Babylonian idols. On the contrary, he maintained them in their several shrines, or restored them where they had been displaced; he professed himself a worshipper of the chief Babylonian gods - Bel, Nebo, and Merodach - he repaired the temple of Merodach; he prayed to Bel and Nebo to lengthen his days; he caused his son, Cambyses, to take part in the great religious ceremony wherewith the Babylonians opened the new year. Thus his conquest of Babylon did not bring upon its gods a physical, but only a moral, destruction. The Persian victory discredited and degraded them. It proclaimed to Western Asia that the idolatrous system so long prevalent in the region between Mount Zagros and the Mediterranean was no longer in the ascendant, but lay at the mercy of another quite different religion, which condescended to accord it toleration. Such was the permanent result. No doubt there was also, in the sack of the city, much damage done to many of the idols by a greedy soldiery, who may have carried off many images of gold or silver, and broken up others that were not portable, and stripped off the plates of precious metal from the idols of "brass, and iron, and wood, and stone" (Daniel 5:6).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Look,
וְהִנֵּה־ (wə·hin·nêh-)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

here
זֶ֥ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

come
בָא֙ (ḇā)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the riders,
רֶ֣כֶב (re·ḵeḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

horsemen
פָּֽרָשִׁ֑ים (pā·rā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6571: A steed, a driver, cavalry

in pairs.”
צֶ֖מֶד (ṣe·meḏ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6776: A couple, pair

And one answered,
וַיַּ֣עַן (way·ya·‘an)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

saying,
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Fallen,
נָפְלָ֤ה (nā·p̄ə·lāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

fallen is
נָֽפְלָה֙ (nā·p̄ə·lāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

Babylon!
בָּבֶ֔ל (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

All
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the images
פְּסִילֵ֥י (pə·sî·lê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6456: An idol, image

of her gods
אֱלֹהֶ֖יהָ (’ĕ·lō·he·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

lie shattered
שִׁבַּ֥ר (šib·bar)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

on the ground.”
לָאָֽרֶץ׃ (lā·’ā·reṣ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

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OT Prophets: Isaiah 21:9 Behold here comes a troop of men (Isa Isi Is)