\\INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 21\\

This chapter contains prophecies against Babylon, Idumea, and Arabia.
The prophecy against Babylon is called "the burden of the desert of the
sea"; whose enemies are described by the fierce manner of their coming,
and by the land from whence they came, \\#Isa 21:1\\ which vision being
declared to the prophet, is called a grievous one; what made it so was
treachery among themselves; and the Medes and Persians are invited to
besiege them, \\#Isa 21:2\\ their terror and distress upon it are
represented by the pains of a woman in travail, whom the prophet
personates, \\#Isa 21:3,4\\ and by the methods they took to defend
themselves, to which they were alarmed, when in the greatest security
and jollity, \\#Isa 21:5\\ all which is illustrated by the vision of
the watchman, who saw the Medes and Persians on the march, signified by
a chariot and a couple of horsemen, who declares the fall of Babylon,
and the destruction of its gods, \\#Isa 21:6-9\\ which would issue in
the good and comfort of the church and people of God, \\#Isa 21:10\\
then follows the prophecy against Idumea, which consists of a question
put to the watchman, and his answer to it; to which an exhortation is
added, \\#Isa 21:11,12\\ and the chapter concludes with another
prophecy against Arabia: the calamities threatened are lodging in a
forest, thirst, famine, and fleeing from the sword \\#Isa 21:13-15\\,
and the time is fixed when all this should be, by which their glory
would fail, and the number of their archers and mighty men be lessened;
for the confirmation of which the divine testimony is annexed,
\\#Isa 21:16,17\\.