Isaiah 21

Isaiah · Chapter 21

Isaiah 21:11

1The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.2A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.3Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.4My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.5Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.6For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.7And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:8And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:9And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.10O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.11The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?12The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.13The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.14The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.15For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.16For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:17And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
11The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
[the] oracle ofמַשָּׂ֖אma-SA'H4853B
oracle

מַשָּׂא (mas.sa) utterance, oracle, burden

Dumahדּוּמָ֑הdu-MAHH1746H
Dumah

דּוּמָה (du.mah) § Dumah = "silence" a mystical name of Edom indicating death and ruin

to meאֵלַי֙'e-LAIH0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

[someone is] callingקֹרֵ֣אko-RE'H7121G
to call: call to

קָרָא (qa.ra) : call_to/invite/entreat 1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound 1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God) 1a3) to proclaim 1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read 1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow 1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to call oneself 1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named 1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

from Seirמִשֵּׂעִ֔ירmi-se-'IRH8165A
Seir

שֵׂעִיר (se.ir) § Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy" n pr terr 2) the land of Edom, south of the Dead Sea n pr mont 3) a mountain range in Edom extending from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf 3a) apparently also called 'Mount Seir' and extending most of the distance of the mountain range itself 4) a mountain in northern Judah lying westward from Kirjath-jearim

O watchmanשֹׁמֵר֙sho-MERH8104H
to keep: obey

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) : obey/observe 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep, have charge of 1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life 1a2a) watch, watchman (participle) 1a3) to watch for, wait for 1a4) to watch, observe 1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory) 1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain 1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow) 1a8) to keep, preserve, protect 1a9) to keep, reserve 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware 1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain 1b3) to be kept, be guarded …

what?מַה־mah-H4100
what

מָא (ma) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes)

[is] from [the] nightמִלַּ֔יְלָהmi-LAY-lahH3915
night

לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) 1) night 1a) night (as opposed to day) 1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)

O watchmanשֹׁמֵ֖רsho-MERH8104H
to keep: obey

שָׁמַר (sha.mar) : obey/observe 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to keep, have charge of 1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life 1a2a) watch, watchman (participle) 1a3) to watch for, wait for 1a4) to watch, observe 1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory) 1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain 1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow) 1a8) to keep, preserve, protect 1a9) to keep, reserve 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware 1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain 1b3) to be kept, be guarded …

what?מַה־mah-H4100
what

מָא (ma) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes)

[is] from [the] nightמִלֵּֽיל׃mi-LEILH3915
night

לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) 1) night 1a) night (as opposed to day) 1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.