John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 21:1-10
Vision of Babylon’s FallThe subject of this section is the siege of Babylon, and the dismay with which the prophet receives tidings of its fall. The siege referred to can scarcely be the one at the close of the exile, as is maintained by many scholars, because (a) the prophet is much depressed at the thought of Babylon’s fall, which he foresees will involve calamity for Judah (Isaiah 21:2-4, Isaiah 21:10); (b) distance from Babylon is presupposed (Isaiah 21:6-9); and (c) Assyrian researches... read more
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 21:6-7
The sovereign God told Isaiah to post a reliable sentry who would report what he saw. When the sentry saw horsemen in pairs with a train of donkeys and camels, he should pay close attention. According to the Greek historian Xenophon, this is how the Persian army marched. [Note: Xenophon, Cyropaedia 1.6, 10; 4.3-5; 6.1, 28; 7.4, 17.] read more