Isaiah 21:4
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure has he turned into fear to me.
American King James Version (AKJV)
My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure has he turned into fear to me.
American Standard Version (ASV)
My heart fluttereth, horror hath affrighted me; the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.
Webster's Revision
My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear to me.
World English Bible
My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me.
English Revised Version (ERV)
My heart panteth, horror hath affrighted me: the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.
Barnes's Isaiah 21:4 Bible Commentary
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. Applied to the heart, it means that it is disquieted or troubled. The Hebrew word "heart" here is to be taken in the sense of "mind."
The night of my pleasure - There can be no doubt that the prophet here refers to the night of revelry and riot in which Babylon was taken. The prophet calls it the night of "his" pleasure, because he represents himself as being "in" Babylon when it should be taken, and, therefore, uses such language as an inhabitant of Babylon would use. "They" would call it the night of their pleasure, because it was set apart to feasting and revelry.
Hath he turned into fear - God has made it a night of consternation and alarm. The prophet here refers to the fact that Babylon would be taken by Cyrus during that night, and that consternation and alarm would suddenly pervade the affrighted and guilty city (see Daniel 5).
Wesley's Isaiah 21:4 Bible Commentary
21:4 The night - In which I used to have sweet repose. He seems to have had this vision in a night. But withal this signified that horror and destruction, which should befal the Babylonians in a night of feasting and jollity. He - God, who shewed him that vision.