Isaiah 21

Isaiah · Chapter 21

Isaiah 21:12

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
12The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.

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.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
he saysאָמַ֣ר'a-MARH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

[the] watchmanשֹׁמֵ֔רsho-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 …

it will comeאָתָ֥ה'a-TAHH0857
to come

אָתָה (a.tah) 1) to come, arrive 1a) (Qal) to come (of men, time, beasts, calamity) 1b) (Hiphil) to bring Aramaic equivalent: a.tah (אֲתָה "to come" H0858)

morningבֹ֖קֶרVO-kerH1242
morning

בֹּ֫קֶר (bo.qer) 1) morning, break of day 1a) morning 1a1) of end of night 1a2) of coming of daylight 1a3) of coming of sunrise 1a4) of beginning of day 1a5) of bright joy after night of distress (fig.) 1b) morrow, next day, next morning

and alsoוְגַם־ve-gam-H1571
also

גַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike

nightלָ֑יְלָהLA-ye-lahH3915
night

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

ifאִם־'im-H0518A
if

אִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

you will enquire !תִּבְעָי֥וּןtiv-'a-YUNH1158
to ask

בְּעָא (be.a) 1) to ask, seek, request, desire, pray, make petition 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to ask, request 1a2) to seek (for favour)

enquireבְּעָ֖יוּbe-'A-yuH1158
to ask

בְּעָא (be.a) 1) to ask, seek, request, desire, pray, make petition 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to ask, request 1a2) to seek (for favour)

returnשֻׁ֥בוּSHU-vuH7725J
to return: return

שׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) …

comeאֵתָֽיוּ׃ ס'e-TA-yuH0857
to come

אָתָה (a.tah) 1) to come, arrive 1a) (Qal) to come (of men, time, beasts, calamity) 1b) (Hiphil) to bring Aramaic equivalent: a.tah (אֲתָה "to come" H0858)

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