Oracle Against Arabia (Dedan and Kedar)
Isaiah 21:13-17
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Isa.21.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- משא: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בערב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ביער: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בערב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- תלינו: VERB,qal,perf,1,pl
- ארחות: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- דדנים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Isa.21:16-17 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same oracle: repeats and develops the image of the caravans (ארחות דדנים) lodging in the desert and their fate, forming a direct structural parallel to v.13.
- Ezek.38:13 (allusion): Groups Dedan with other Arabian/merchant peoples (Sheba, Tarshish) asking whether they will supply or assist—connects Dedan with Arabian trading/caravan networks referenced in Isa.21:13.
- Ezek.27:20 (verbal): Lists Dedan among the merchants/trading partners of Tyre; echoes the portrayal of Dedan as a mercantile/caravan people active in desert trade.
- Job 6:19 (thematic): Speaks of caravans of Tema and Sheba passing with camels and laden wagons—similar desert caravan imagery and the movement/lodging of Arabian traders evoked in Isa.21:13.
- Gen.10:7 (allusion): Genealogical mention of Dedan as a descendant of Raamah; provides ethnic background for the Dedan caravans named in Isaiah 21:13.
Alternative generated candidates
- An oracle concerning Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you shall lodge; in the thicket at evening you shall camp, O caravans of Dedan.
- An oracle concerning Arabia: At evening—at evening—set the watch; give charge to the caravans of Dedan.
Isa.21.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- לקראת: PREP
- צמא: ADJ,m,sg
- התיו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
- מים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ישבי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- תימא: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בלחמו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,ms
- קדמו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- נדד: VERB,qal,perf,3,ms,sg
Parallels
- Genesis 21:14-19 (thematic): Hagar and Ishmael in the desert are given water by God—parallel theme of providing water to the thirsty in a wilderness context.
- Isaiah 58:10 (thematic): Calls for feeding the hungry and giving water to the thirsty—same ethical injunction to aid the needy.
- Matthew 25:35-36 (thematic): Jesus identifies care for the hungry, thirsty, and strangers as service to him, reflecting the motif of meeting fugitives' needs.
- Deuteronomy 10:18 (thematic): God’s concern for sojourners—providing food and clothing—parallels the command to meet and sustain those who are needy or fleeing.
Alternative generated candidates
- The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to the thirsty; with their bread the people of Tema met the fugitive.
- To meet the thirsty, bring water; to the fugitive, meet him with bread. O inhabitants of the land of Tema, forward supplies; O Dedan, set out.
Isa.21.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- מפני: PREP
- חרבות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- נדדו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- מפני: PREP
- חרב: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- נטושה: ADJ,f,sg
- ומפני: CONJ+PREP
- קשת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- דרוכה: ADJ,f,sg
- ומפני: CONJ+PREP
- כבד: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- מלחמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Lam.2:4 (verbal): Uses the phrase and image of a bent bow ('he hath bent his bow like an enemy'), closely paralleling Isaiah’s reference to a 'bent bow' and divine hostility expressed through weaponry.
- Hab.1:6-11 (thematic): Describes a ruthless invading force armed with bows and swords whose advance brings fear and devastation—themewise parallel to Isaiah’s catalog of swords, bent bow, and the heaviness of war.
- Jer.51:20 (verbal): Calls Babylon 'my battle-axe and weapons of war,' explicitly framing a nation as instruments of violence—echoing Isaiah’s focus on swords, bows, and the burden of battle.
- Joel 3:9-11 (thematic): A summons to 'prepare war' and assemble warriors, with imagery of martial muster and conflict that corresponds to Isaiah’s depiction of weaponry and the onset of heavy warfare.
Alternative generated candidates
- For they fled because of the swords— they fled before the unsheathed sword, before the bent bow and the weight of battle.
- For because of the swords they wander; because of the drawn sword, because of the bent bow, and because of the tumult of war.
Isa.21.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- כה: ADV
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אדני: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- בעוד: PREP
- שנה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- כשני: PREP+NUM,m,dual
- שכיר: ADJ,m,sg
- וכלה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- כל: DET
- כבוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- קדר: NOUN,m,sg,prop
Parallels
- Isaiah 21:17 (structural): Direct continuation of the same oracle; verse 21:17 explicitly predicts the reduction of Kedar’s warriors and honor, completing the judgment announced in 21:16.
- Jeremiah 49:28-33 (thematic): An independent oracle against Kedar forecasting capture and desolation (by Babylon); thematically parallels Isaiah’s prediction that Kedar’s glory will fail.
- Isaiah 60:7 (thematic): Speaks of the flocks of Kedar being brought as tribute to Zion — a contrasting/dependent tradition about Kedar’s flocks and wealth that stands in tension with 21:16’s pronouncement of Kedar’s end.
- Genesis 25:13 (allusion): Genealogical listing of Kedar as a son of Ishmael; provides the ethnic background for the prophetic reference to ‘Kedar’ (Arab tribes) whose glory Isaiah 21:16 declares will cease.
Alternative generated candidates
- For thus the LORD said to me: “Within a year, like the year of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall be ended.”
- For thus says the LORD to me: Within a year—according to the hireling’s time—all the glory of Kedar shall cease.
Isa.21.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ושאר: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מספר: VERB,qal,impf,1,m,sg
- קשת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- גבורי: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- קדר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ימעטו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- כי: CONJ
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Jer. 49:28-33 (thematic): An oracle explicitly against Kedar predicting devastation and scattering of its people—parallels Isaiah's forecast that the archers/mighty men of Kedar will be few.
- Isa. 60:7 (thematic): Speaks of 'the flocks of Kedar' being gathered as tribute to Zion; thematically related as another prophetic statement about the destiny and subordination of the Kedarites.
- Gen. 25:13 (structural): Lists Kedar as a son of Ishmael, providing the genealogical/ethnic identification of the Kedarites whom Isaiah addresses.
- Isa. 42:11 (verbal): Mentions the villages that Kedar inhabits and calls them to sing—another Isaianic reference to Kedar that links the same people/territory and their prophetic fate.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the remnant of the archers, the valiant men of the sons of Kedar, shall be few; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.
- And the remnant of the archers, the mighty men, the sons of Kedar, shall be few; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken it.
An oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets of Arabia—at evening, at evening—you shall lodge, O caravans of Dedan.
Bring water to the thirsty; meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of Tema; for they have fled before the sword.
They have fled before the drawn sword, before the bent bow, and before the press of battle.
For thus the Lord said to me: "Within a year—one year, like the hire of a laborer—all the glory of Kedar will be finished." And the remnant of the archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.