God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 21:12
12The watchman answers, “Morning is coming, and night will come again. If you need to ask, come back and ask.”
Isaiah 21:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
- New International Version (NIV)The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)The watchman says: "Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again."
- New King James Version (NKJV)The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!”
Context of Isaiah 21:12
10You, my people, have been threshed and winnowed. I make known to you what I heard from the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel. 11This is the divine revelation about Dumah. Someone is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, how much of the night is left? Watchman, how much of the night is left?” The watchman answers, “Morning is coming, and night will come again. If you need to ask, come back and ask.” 13This is the divine revelation about Arabia. You caravan of travelers from the people of Dedan will spend the night in the forest of Arabia. 14Bring water for the thirsty, you inhabitants of the land of Tema. Bring food to the fugitives.
Read all of Isaiah 21Isaiah 21:12 word by word
אָמַ֣ר שֹׁמֵ֔ר אָתָ֥ה בֹ֖קֶר וְגַם־לָ֑יְלָה אִם־תִּבְעָי֥וּן בְּעָ֖יוּ שֻׁ֥בוּ אֵתָֽיוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 21:12
- Isaiah 17:14In the evening there will be sudden terror. Before morning they will be gone. This will be the fate of those who looted us, the destiny of those who robbed us.
- Jeremiah 50:27Kill all their young bulls. Let them go to be slaughtered. How horrible it will be for them when their time has come, the time for them to be punished.
- Ezekiel 7:5“This is what the Almighty Lord says: One disaster after another is coming.
- Isaiah 55:7Let wicked people abandon their ways. Let evil people abandon their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord, and he will show compassion to them. Let them return to our God, because he will freely forgive them.
- Jeremiah 42:19“The Lord has told you people who are left in Judah not to go to Egypt. You need to know that I am warning you today.
- Exodus 14:1Then the Lord said to Moses,
- Acts 2:37When the people heard this, they were deeply upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
- Acts 17:19Then they brought Paul to the city court, the Areopagus, and asked, “Could you tell us these new ideas that you’re teaching?
- Acts 17:30“God overlooked the times when people didn’t know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act.
Commentaries on Isaiah 21:12
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The watchman said - Or rather “saith;” indicating that this is the answer which the prophet returned to the inquiry from Idumea. The morning cometh - There are signs of approaching day. The morning‘ here is an emblem of prosperity; as the light of the morning succeeds to the darkness of the night. This refers to the deliverance from the captivity of Babylon, and is to be supposed as having been spoken near the time when that captivity was at an end - or…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Morning is coming, but it will start another difficult time. The Babylonians are approaching, so night will soon return.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Reply of the prophet, The morning (prosperity) cometh, and (soon after follows) the night (adversity). Though you, Idumeans, may have a gleam of prosperity, it will soon be followed by adversity again. Otherwise, as Barnes, "Prosperity cometh (to the Jews) to be quickly followed by adversity (to you, Idumeans, who exult in the fall of Jerusalem, have seized on the southern part of their land in their absence during the captivity, and now deride them…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 21:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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