Isaiah 21:12
WEB
The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again.”
BSB
The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”
KJV
The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H559
v — say
Derivation: a primitive root;
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.
vb — utter
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
1. Say
2. Say in the heart (= think)
3. Promise
4. Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
H8104
v — hedge, guard, protect, attend to
Derivation: a primitive root;
properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
KJV: beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).
vb — keep
שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve
Qal 425
1.
a. keep, have charge of
b. keep, guard, captives
c. hence, watch for, wait for
d. watch, observe
2.
a. keep, retain, of storing up (food)
b. keep within bounds, restrain
3.
a. observe, celebrate
b. keep sabbath
c. of other obligations
d. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)
4. sts. י׳ subj.
5. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest
Niph. 36
1. be on one's guard
2. keep oneself, refrain, abstain
3. be kept, guarded
Pi. those paying regard to false vanities
Hithp. I kept myself from
H857
v — arrive
Derivation: or אָתָא; a primitive root (collateral to 225 contraction);
to arrive
KJV: (be-, things to) come (upon), bring.
vb — come
אָתָה vb. come (in Heb. only poet.)
Qal come
Hiph. bring
H1242
n-m — dawn, morning
Derivation: from 1239;
properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
KJV: ( ) day, early, morning, morrow.
n.m — morning
בֹּ֫קֶר 214 n.m. morning
1. morning (of point of time, time at which, never during which, Eng. morning = forenoon
2. morrow, next day
H1571
adv — assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and
Derivation: by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
KJV: again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.
adv — also
גַּם 768 adv. denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
H3915
n-m — twist, night, adversity
Derivation: or (Isaiah 21:11) לֵיל; also לַיְלָה; from the same as 3883;
properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity
KJV: (mid-)night (season).
n.m — night
לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night
H518
prt — lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not
Derivation: a primitive particle;
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, + more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, + save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more, none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when, whereas, whether, while, + yet.
conj — if
אִם conj.
1. hypoth. part. if
2. Interrog. part.
relative conjunction
כִּי אם־
1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
a. that if
b. for if
2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
a. limiting the prec. clause, except
b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
c. after an oath, surely
H1158
v — gush, swell, desire, ask
Derivation: a primitive root;
to gush over, i.e. to swell; (figuratively) to desire earnestly; by implication to ask
KJV: cause, inquire, seek up, swell out.
vb — inquire
[בָּעָה] vb. inquire, cause to swell or boil up
Qal
1. of rising desire, seek, inquire
2. cause to boil up
Niph. searched out; swelling, swelling out
H7725
v — turn, return, retreat, again
Derivation: a primitive root;
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
KJV: ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) × again, (cause to) answer ( again), × in any case (wise), × at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, × certainly, come again (back), × consider, continually, convert, deliver (again), deny, draw back, fetch home again, × fro, get (oneself) (back) again, × give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, × needs, be past, × pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, × surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
vb — turn back
שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return
Qal 683;—turn back, return:
1. turn back
2. return, come or go back
3. esp. return unto
4.
a. of dying
b. of revival from death
5. fig. of human relations:
a. return to leader, king
b. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)
c. turn, i.e. resort to
d. return to a physical condition
e. abs. = change course of action
6. fig., specif. of spiritual relations:
a. turn back from God = apostatize
b. of י׳, turn away
c. turn back to God (= seek penitently)
d. abs. repent
e. turn back from evil
f. of י׳
g. of י׳, return (to shew favour)
7. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):
8. denoting repetition, etc.
9. trans.
Pō‛l.
1. bring back
2.
a. fig. restore, refresh
b. restore, repair
3. lead away (enticingly)
4. shew turning = apostatize
Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back
1.
a. bring back into bondage
b. put back
c. = draw back
d. = give back, restore
e. = relinguish
f. = give in payment, requital
g. bring one back (from dead)
2.
a. bring back heart
b. = refresh
3. bring back words of people
4.
a. bring back (in retribution) upon
b. pay as recompense
5. turn back, backward = repel, defeat
6.
a. turn away face
b. late, turn toward, acc. face
7. turn against
8. bring back to mind, take into consideration
9.
10. = shew a turning away from your idols (i.e. turn away)
11. reverse, revoke = repel, defeat
Hoph. my money has been returned
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Verses 11–12
Isaiah 21:11–12
This prophecy concerning Dumah is very short, and withal dark and hard to be understood. Some think that Dumah is a part of Arabia, and that the inhabitants descended from Dumah the sixth son of Ishmael, as those of Kedar (Isa 21:16, Isa 21:17) from Ishmael's second son, Gen 25:13, Gen 25:14. Others, because Mount Seir is here mentioned, by Dumah understand Idumea, the country of the Edomites. Some of Israel's neighbours are certainly meant, and their distress is foretold, not only for warning to them to prepare them for it, but for warning to Israel not to depend upon them, or any of the nations about them, for relief in a time of danger, but upon God only. We must see all creature confidences failing us, and feel them breaking under us, that we may not lay more weight upon them than they will bear. But though the explication of this prophecy be difficult, because we have no history in which we find the accomplishment of it, yet the application will be easy. We have here,
1. A question put by an Edomite to the watchman. Some one or other called out of Seir, somebody that was more concerned for the public safety and welfare than the rest, who were generally careless and secure. As the man of Macedonia, in a vision, desired Paul to come over and help them (Act 16:9), so this man of Mount Seir, in a vision, desired the prophet to inform and instruct them. He calls not many; it is well there are any, that all are not alike unconcerned about the things that belong to the public peace. Some out of Seir ask advice of God's prophets, and are willing to be taught, when many of God's Israel heed nothing. The question is serious: What of the night? It is put to a proper person, the watchman, whose office it is to answer such enquiries. He repeats the question, as one in care, as one in earnest, and desirous to have an answer. Note, (1.) God's prophets and ministers are appointed to be watchmen, and we are to look upon them as such. They are as watchmen in the city in a time of peace, to see that all be safe, to knock at every door by personal enquiries ("Is it locked? Is the fire safe?"), to direct those that are at a loss, and check those that are disorderly, Sol 3:3; Sol 5:7. They are as watchmen in the camp in time of war, Eze 33:7. They are to take notice of the motions of the enemy and to give notice of them, to make discoveries and then give warning; and in this they must deny themselves. (2.) It is our duty to enquire of the watchmen, especially to ask again and again, What of the night? for watchmen wake when other sleep. [1.] What time of the night? After a long sleep in sin and security, is it not time to rise, high time to awake out of sleep? Rom 13:11. We have a great deal of work to do, a long journey to go; is it not time to be stirring? "Watchman, what o'clock is it? After a long dark night is there any hope of the day dawning?" [2.] What tidings of the night? What from the night? (so some); "what vision has the prophet had tonight? We are ready to receive it." Or, rather, "What occurs to night? What weather is it? What news?" We must expect an alarm, and never be secure. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; we must prepare to receive the alarm, and resolve to keep our ground, and then take the first hint of danger, and to our arms presently, to our spiritual weapons.
2. The watchman's answer to this question. The watchman was neither asleep nor dumb; though it was a man of Mount Seir that called to him, he was ready to give him an answer: The morning comes. He answers, (1.) By way of prediction: "There comes first a morning of light, and peace, and opportunity; you will enjoy one day of comfort more; but afterwards comes a night of trouble and calamity." Note, In the course of God's providence it is usual that morning and night are counterchanged and succeed each other. Is it night? Yet the morning comes, and the day-spring knows his place, Psa 30:5. Is it day? Yet the night comes also. If there be a morning of youth and health, there will come a night of sickness and old age; if a morning of prosperity in the family, in the public, yet we must look for changes. But God usually gives a morning of opportunity before he sends a night of calamity, that his own people may be prepared for the storm and others left inexcusable. (2.) By way of excitement: If you will enquire, enquire. Note, It is our wisdom to improve the present morning in preparation for the night that is coming after it. "Enquire, return, come. Be inquisitive, be penitent, be willing and obedient." The manner of expression is very observable, for we are put to our choice what we will do: "If you will enquire, enquire; if not, it is at your peril; you cannot say but you have a fair offer made you." We are also urged to be at a point: "If you will, say so, and do not stand pausing; what you will do do quickly, for it is no time to trifle." Those that return and come to God will find they have a great deal of work to do and but a little time to do it in, and therefore they have need to be busy.
Cross-references: Isa 21:16 · Isa 21:17 · Gen 25:13 · Gen 25:14 · Acts 16:9 · Song 3:3 · Song 5:7 · Ezek 33:7 · Rom 13:11 · Ps 30:5