God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 21:8
8The watchman called, “Sir, I stand on the watchtower every day. Every night, I stand guard at my post.
Isaiah 21:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
- New International Version (NIV)And the lookout shouted, “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then he who saw cried out: "Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night.
Context of Isaiah 21:8
6This is what the Lord says to me: Post a watchman. Have him report whatever he sees. 7He will see chariots, pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, and riders on camels. Let him watch carefully, very carefully. The watchman called, “Sir, I stand on the watchtower every day. Every night, I stand guard at my post. 9Look! Here come chariots and horsemen in pairs.” Then he said, “Babylon has fallen! It has fallen! All the idols they worship lie shattered on the ground.” 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.
Read all of Isaiah 21Isaiah 21:8 word by word
וַיִּקְרָ֖א אַרְיֵ֑ה עַל־מִצְפֶּ֣ה׀ אֲדֹנָ֗י אָנֹכִ֞י עֹמֵ֤ד תָּמִיד֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְעַל־מִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב כָּל־הַלֵּילֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he criedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
- A lionאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
- My lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- I standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- continuallyתָּמִידtâmîyd · continuallyH8548
- upon the watchtowerמִצְפֶּהmitspeh · lookoutH4707
- in the daytimeיוֹמָםyômâm · by dayH3119
- and I am setנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- in my wardמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
- whole nightsלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
Cross-references for Isaiah 21:8
- Isaiah 5:29They roar like a lioness. They growl like a young lion. They growl as they snatch their prey and carry it off to where no one can rescue it.
- Jeremiah 4:7A lion has come out of its lair. A destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to destroy your land. Your cities will be ruined, and no one will live in them.
- Jeremiah 25:38He has left his lair like a lion. Their land has been ruined because of the heat of the oppressor, because of the fury of his anger.
- Jeremiah 49:19“I will suddenly chase them from their places like a lion coming out of the jungle along the Jordan River into pastureland. I will appoint over Edom whomever I choose. Who is like me? Who can challenge me? Is there any leader who can stand up to me?”
- Jeremiah 50:44I will suddenly chase them from their places like a lion coming out of the jungle along the Jordan River into pastureland. I will appoint over Babylon whomever I choose. Who is like me? Who can challenge me? Is there any leader who can stand up to me?
- 1 Peter 5:8Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.
- Isaiah 56:10⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind. None of them know anything. All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark. They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
- Isaiah 62:6I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. Whoever calls on the Lord, do not give yourselves any rest,
- Psalms 63:6As I lie on my bed, I remember you. Through the long hours of the night, I think about you.
- Psalms 127:1If the Lord does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work on it. If the Lord does not protect a city, it is useless for the guard to stay alert.
- Habakkuk 2:1I will stand at my guard post. I will station myself on the wall. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what answer I will get to my complaint.
Commentaries on Isaiah 21:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8And he cried, A lion "He that looked out on the watch" - The present reading, אריה aryeh, a lion, is so unintelligible, and the mistake so obvious, that I make no doubt that the true reading is הראה haroeh, the seer; as the Syriac translator manifestly found it in his copy, who renders it by דקוא duka, a watchman.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And he cried, A lion - Margin, As a lion.‘ This is the correct rendering. The particle כ (k ) - as,‘ is not unfrequently omitted (see Isaiah 62:5; Psalm 11:1). That is, I see them approach with the fierceness, rapidity, and terror of a lion (compare Revelation 10:3). My lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower - This is the speech of the watchman, and is addressed, not to Yahweh, but to him that appointed him. It is designed to show the “diligence”…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. A lion--rather, "(The watchman) cried, I am as a lion"; so as is understood (Is 62:5; Psa 11:1). The point of comparison to "a lion" is in Re 10:3, the loudness of the cry. But here it is rather his vigilance. The lion's eyelids are short, so that, even when asleep, he seems to be on the watch, awake; hence he was painted on doors of temples as the symbol of watchfulness, guarding the place (Hor. Apollo) [Horsley].Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 21:8
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
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