What does Isaiah 21:16 mean?
Isaiah concludes his oracle against Arabian tribes with a warning. He states that the glory of Kedar will come to an end within a year. He specifies that this is not an approximate year or a vague period. This timeline will be as a hired worker measures the time owed to an employer. In other words, the prophecy will soon be fulfilled in less than one real-world year.What was the "glory of Kedar?" Isaiah may have in mind the great wealth of these traders who caravanned goods in all directions. Some gained tremendous riches and possessions along the way. The desert would not hide them from the Assyrians or other powers. Those looking for resources to fuel their war efforts would find them. Soon, the people of the region of Kedar would suffer the same fate as many others had suffered. They would be conquered and their goods would be confiscated.