In this chapter we have a prophecy of sad times coming, and heavy burdens, I. Upon Babylon, here called “the desert of the sea,” that it should be destroyed by the Medes and Persians with a terrible destruction, which yet God’s people should have advantage by, Isa. 21:1–10. II.

We had one burden of Babylon before ; here we have another prediction of its fall. God saw fit thus to possess his people with the belief of this event by line upon line, because Babylon sometimes pretended to be a friend to them (as Isa.

This prophecy concerning Dumah is very short, and withal dark and hard to be understood. Some think that Dumah is a part of Arabia, and that the inhabitants descended from Dumah the sixth son of Ishmael, as those of Kedar from Ishmael’s second son, Gen. 25:13–14.

Arabia was a large country, that lay eastward and southward of the land of Canaan. Much of it was possessed by the posterity of Abraham. The Dedanim, here mentioned , descended from Dedan, Abraham’s son by Keturah; the inhabitants of Tema and Kedar descended from Ishmael, Gen. 25:3 Gen. 25:13 Gen.