Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 21:16

"For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail;" — Isaiah 21:16 (ASV)

Within a year - What has been said before was figurative. Here the prophet speaks without a metaphor and fixes the time when this would be accomplished. It is not usual for the prophets to designate the exact “time” of the fulfillment of their prophecies in this manner.

According to the years of a hireling - Exactly, observing the precise time specified (Job 7:1). See the phrase explained in Isaiah 16:14.

All the glory - The beauty, pride, strength, wealth, etc.

Of Kedar - Kedar was a son of Ishmael (Genesis 25:15). He was the father of the Kedarenes or “Cedrai,” mentioned by Pliny (“Nat. Hist.” v. 11). They lived in the neighborhood of the Nabataeans, in Arabia Deserta.

These people lived in tents and were a wandering tribe, and it is not possible to fix the precise place of their habitation. They resided, it is supposed, in the southern part of Arabia Deserta and the northern part of Arabia Petraea. The name ‘Kedar’ seems to be used sometimes to denote Arabia in general, or Arabia Deserta particularly (Song of Solomon 1:5; Isaiah 42:11; Isaiah 60:7; Jeremiah 2:10; Jeremiah 49:28; Ezekiel 26:21).

Shall fail - It shall be consumed, destroyed (כלה kâlâh).