Isaiah 21:4
Isaiah 21:4 in Multiple Translations
My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight of my desire has turned to horror.
My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
My heart fluttereth, horror hath affrighted me; the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.
My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.
My mind falters; I shake in panic. The night I looked forward to has become terrifying.
Mine heart failed: fearefulnesse troubled me: the night of my pleasures hath he turned into feare vnto me.
Wandered hath my heart, trembling hath terrified me, The twilight of my desire He hath made a fear to me,
My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me.
My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear to me.
My heart failed, darkness amazed me: Babylon my beloved is become a wonder to me.
I cannot think straight/correctly, and I tremble. I was eager for it to be nighttime, but now it is night, and I am horrified.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 21:4
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 21:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
תָּעָ֣ה
לְבָבִ֔/י
פַּלָּצ֖וּת
בִּֽעֲתָ֑תְ/נִי
אֵ֚ת
נֶ֣שֶׁף
חִשְׁקִ֔/י
שָׂ֥ם
לִ֖/י
לַ/חֲרָדָֽה
תָּעָ֣ה
tâʻâh
H8582
to go astray
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
לְבָבִ֔/י
lêbâb
H3824
heart
N-ms | Suff
פַּלָּצ֖וּת
pallâtsûwth
H6427
shuddering
N-fs
בִּֽעֲתָ֑תְ/נִי
bâʻath
H1204
to terrify
V-Piel-Perf-3fs | Suff
אֵ֚ת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM
נֶ֣שֶׁף
nesheph
H5399
twilight
N-ms
חִשְׁקִ֔/י
chêsheq
H2837
desire
N-ms | Suff
שָׂ֥ם
sûwm
H7760
to set
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
לִ֖/י
Prep | Suff
לַ/חֲרָדָֽה
chărâdâh
H2731
trembling
Prep | N-fs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 21:4
תָּעָ֣ה
tâʻâh
H8582
"to go astray"
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
This word means to go astray or wander, and can be used physically or morally. It can also mean to cause someone to err or stumble.
Definition: 1) to err, wander, go astray, stagger 1a) (Qal) to err 1a1) to wander about (physically) 1a2) of intoxication 1a3) of sin (ethically) 1a4) wandering (of the mind) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made to wander about, be made to stagger (drunkard) 1b2) to be led astray (ethically) 1c) (Hiphil) to cause to wander 1c1) to cause to wander about (physically) 1c2) to cause to wander (of intoxication) 1c3) to cause to err, mislead (mentally and morally)
Usage: Occurs in 45 OT verses. KJV: (cause to) go astray, deceive, dissemble, (cause to, make to) err, pant, seduce, (make to) stagger, (cause to) wander, be out of the way. See also: Genesis 20:13; Isaiah 9:15; Psalms 58:4.
לְבָבִ֔/י
lêbâb
H3824
"heart"
N-ms | Suff
The heart is the innermost part of a person, including their mind, will, and emotions. In the book of Psalms, David talks about his heart being heavy with sorrow, while in the book of Proverbs, it discusses the importance of guarding one's heart.
Definition: 1) inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding 1a) inner part, midst 1a1) midst (of things) 1a2) heart (of man) 1a3) soul, heart (of man) 1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory 1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will) 1a6) conscience 1a7) heart (of moral character) 1a8) as seat of appetites 1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage Aramaic equivalent: le.vav (לְבַב "heart" H3825)
Usage: Occurs in 230 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, ((faint), (tender-) heart(-ed), midst, mind, [idiom] unawares, understanding. See also: Genesis 20:5; 1 Chronicles 17:2; Psalms 4:5.
פַּלָּצ֖וּת
pallâtsûwth
H6427
"shuddering"
N-fs
This noun refers to a feeling of fear or horror, like being terrified. In the Bible, it is used to describe a strong emotional response, often translated as 'fearfulness' or 'trembling'.
Definition: shuddering, trembling
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: fearfulness, horror, trembling. See also: Job 21:6; Isaiah 21:4; Psalms 55:6.
בִּֽעֲתָ֑תְ/נִי
bâʻath
H1204
"to terrify"
V-Piel-Perf-3fs | Suff
This Hebrew word means to terrify or startle someone, causing them to be overtaken by sudden fear or panic. It is used to describe a strong emotional response to a situation.
Definition: 1) to terrify, startle, fall upon, dismay, be overtaken by sudden terror 1a) (Niphal) to be terrified 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to fall upon, overwhelm 1b2) to terrify
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: affright, be (make) afraid, terrify, trouble. See also: 1 Samuel 16:14; Job 13:11; Psalms 18:5.
אֵ֚ת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
נֶ֣שֶׁף
nesheph
H5399
"twilight"
N-ms
Twilight, or the time of dawn or dusk when the breeze prevails, marking the beginning or end of the day. This term is used to describe the dark or light periods.
Definition: 1) twilight 1a) evening twilight 1b) morning twilight
Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: dark, dawning of the day (morning), night, twilight. See also: 1 Samuel 30:17; Psalms 119:147; Proverbs 7:9.
חִשְׁקִ֔/י
chêsheq
H2837
"desire"
N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word for desire or delight, often referring to a strong longing for something. In the Bible, it can describe a person's desire for God or for earthly things. It appears in various contexts, including personal relationships and spiritual yearnings.
Definition: desire, thing desired
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: desire, pleasure. See also: 1 Kings 9:1; 2 Chronicles 8:6; Isaiah 21:4.
שָׂ֥ם
sûwm
H7760
"to set"
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Definition: : make/establish 1) to put, place, set, appoint, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on 1a2) to set, direct, direct toward 1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig) 1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix 1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix 1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give 1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign 1c) (Hophal) to be set
Usage: Occurs in 550 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. See also: Genesis 2:8; Leviticus 20:5; 1 Samuel 21:13.
לִ֖/י
""
Prep | Suff
לַ/חֲרָדָֽה
chărâdâh
H2731
"trembling"
Prep | N-fs
This Hebrew word refers to fear, anxiety, or trembling. It can describe extreme anxiety or care, like when someone is worried about their safety or well-being.
Definition: 1) fear, anxiety, quaking, trembling, (extreme) anxiety, anxious care 1a) trembling, quaking 1b) anxious care
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: care, [idiom] exceedingly, fear, quaking, trembling. See also: Genesis 27:33; Isaiah 21:4; Proverbs 29:25.
Study Notes — Isaiah 21:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 21:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 21:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 21:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 21:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 21:4
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 21:4
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 21:4
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 21:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 21:4
- Sermons on Isaiah 21:4
Context — Babylon Is Fallen
2A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”
3Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.
4My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.
5They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields! 6For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke 21:34–36 | But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of all the earth. So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.” |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 25:36–38 | When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light. In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him about these events, and his heart failed within him and he became like a stone. About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal dead. |
| 3 | Daniel 5:1 | Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 51:57 | I will make her princes and wise men drunk, along with her governors, officials, and warriors. Then they will fall asleep forever and not wake up,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 51:39 | While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they may revel; then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up, declares the LORD. |
| 6 | Nahum 1:10 | For they will be entangled as with thorns and consumed like the drink of a drunkard— like stubble that is fully dry. |
| 7 | Daniel 5:5 | At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing, |
| 8 | Job 21:11–13 | They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about, singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute. They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace. |
| 9 | Esther 7:6–10 | Esther replied, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked man—Haman!” And Haman stood in terror before the king and queen. In his fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king was planning a terrible fate for him. Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?” As soon as the words had left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king. So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided. |
| 10 | Esther 5:12 | “What is more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she prepared, and I am invited back tomorrow along with the king. |
Isaiah 21:4 Summary
[This verse describes a moment of great fear and anxiety for the prophet, where his heart is faltering and he is trembling with fear, much like the fear described in Deuteronomy 31:6. The 'twilight of my desire' refers to the prophet's deepest longings or hopes, which have now turned to horror, teaching us that our desires and hopes can sometimes be disappointed, but God is always with us to comfort and strengthen us, as seen in Matthew 11:28-30. This verse reminds us that even in the midst of fear and uncertainty, we can turn to God for comfort and strength, and trust in His sovereignty and goodness, as seen in Psalms 34:4 and Romans 8:28.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the prophet's heart faltering in Isaiah 21:4?
The prophet's heart faltering signifies a deep sense of fear and anxiety, as seen in other biblical accounts such as Exodus 15:15 and Psalms 38:10, where the heart is described as failing due to fear or distress.
What does the phrase 'twilight of my desire' mean in this context?
The 'twilight of my desire' refers to the prophet's deepest longings or hopes, which have now turned to horror, much like the disappointment and despair described in Proverbs 10:28, where the hopes of the righteous are fulfilled, but the desires of the wicked come to nothing.
How does this verse relate to the surrounding verses in Isaiah 21?
This verse is part of a larger oracle of judgment against Babylon, as seen in Isaiah 21:1-10, where the prophet describes a dire vision of destruction and chaos, leading to the fear and trembling expressed in Isaiah 21:4.
What can we learn from the prophet's emotional response in this verse?
The prophet's emotional response teaches us that even in the midst of fear and uncertainty, we can turn to God for comfort and strength, as seen in Psalms 34:4 and Isaiah 41:10, where God promises to be with us and uphold us in times of trouble.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I am experiencing fear or anxiety, and how can I turn to God for comfort and strength?
- How do I respond when my deepest desires or hopes are disappointed, and what can I learn from the prophet's experience in Isaiah 21:4?
- In what ways can I cultivate a deeper sense of trust and faith in God's sovereignty, even in the midst of uncertainty and chaos?
- How can I balance my emotional responses to difficult situations with a deeper sense of faith and trust in God's goodness, as seen in Romans 8:28 and Psalms 23:4?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 21:4
My heart panted,.... Fluttered about, and could hardly keep its place: or, "my mind wandered" (r); like a person in distraction and confusion, that knew not what to think say or do: fearfulness
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 21:4
My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. My heart panted , [ taa`aah (H8582)] - literally, erred: so palpitated (Psalms 38:10).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 21:4
The night of my pleasure; the night, in which I used to have a sweet repose and sleep. He seems to have had this vision in a night. But withal this horror of the prophet by night was typical, and did signify that grievous horror and destruction which should befall the Babylonians in a night of great feasting and jollity, as it did, ,30. Hath he, God, who showed him that vision, turned into fear unto me; into a time and matter of fear.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 21:4
Isaiah 21:4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.Ver. 4. My heart panted.] Or, Fluttereth to and fro, as not able to keep in its place. Viro impio calamitatibus presso nihil desperatius est. Nothing is more hopeless and crest fallen than a wicked man in distress: for what reason? his life and hopes end together. The night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear.] That dreadful and dismal night, intended for a revelling night, and dedicated to the honour of Shac: but the handwriting on the wall and the irruption of the Persians marred the mirth.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 21:4
(4) The night of my pleasure . . .—The words point to the prophet’s longing for the darkness of night, either as a time of rest from his labour, or, more probably, for contemplation and prayer (Psalms 119:148), and to the invasion of that rest by the vision of terror. The suggestion that the prophet speaks as identifying himself with the Babylonians, and refers to the capture of their city during a night of revelry (Daniel 5:1; Daniel 5:30; Herod., i. 121; Xenoph. Cyrop., vii. 23), is hardly tenable.
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 21:4
4. My heart panted] lit. strayeth; as we should say “my reason reels.” “Heart,” as often, is used of the intellect. fearfulness] R.V. horror. the night of my pleasure] i.e. “my pleasant evening hours,” favourable for visionary communications and therefore dear to a prophet. (Job 4:13). hath he turned] Better: “is turned”; or “it (the vision) turns.” fear] trembling (as R.V.).
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 21:4
My heart panted - Margin, ‘My mind wandered.’ The Hebrew word rendered ‘panted’ (תעה tâ‛âh) means to wander about; to stagger; to be giddy; and is applied often to one that staggers by being intoxicated.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 21:4
3, 4. Loins filled with pain — In these verses is described the experiences of a mind frenzied by a prospective view of Babylonian wrongs.
Sermons on Isaiah 21:4
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Be Still by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of being still and knowing that God is in control. He encourages the audience to develop a deep and loving relationship with |
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(Dangers in the Way Series): Dangers of Prosperity and Adversity by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the dangers that Christians face in their journey towards heaven. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and addressing these perils, |
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(Revelation - Part 2): A Prognosis of Events by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher talks about the importance of being prepared for the second coming of Jesus Christ. He uses a story about a boy who eagerly awaits his father's return |
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(Men Who Met God): Abraham by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of being watchful and prayerful in order to be worthy of escaping the trials and tribulations that will come upon the earth. |
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(The Last Days) Dont Get Drunk W/ Worldiness by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of being ready for the last days and the coming of Christ. It highlights the need for readiness over detailed knowledge of future events, focu |
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You Also Must Be Ready - Part 1 by Derek Prince | This sermon by Derek Prince Ministries delves into the themes of light and darkness, the two harvests of salvation and judgment, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the increase |
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Don't Look Back by Arlen L. Chitwood | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of not dwelling in the plain, using the story of Lot's wife as an example. He contrasts Lot, who didn't make it far in his jo |