Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.” New Living Translation The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but night will soon return. If you wish to ask again, then come back and ask.” English Standard Version The watchman says: “Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again.” Berean Standard Bible The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.” King James Bible The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. New King James Version The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!” New American Standard Bible The watchman says, “Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again.” NASB 1995 The watchman says, “Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again.” NASB 1977 The watchman says, “Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again.” Legacy Standard Bible The watchman says, “Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again.” Amplified Bible The watchman says, “The morning comes [only briefly], but also [comes] the night [of Babylonian oppression]. If you would ask [of me then], ask [again, if Edom really wishes to know]; Come back again.” Christian Standard Bible The watchman said, “Morning has come, and also night. If you want to ask, ask! Come back again.” Holman Christian Standard Bible The watchman said,” Morning has come, and also night. If you want to ask, ask! Come back again.” American Standard Version The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come. Contemporary English Version From my guard post, I answered, "Morning will soon be here, but night will return. If you want to know more, come back later." English Revised Version The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come. GOD'S WORD® Translation The watchman answers, "Morning is coming, and night will come again. If you need to ask, come back and ask." Good News Translation I answer, "Morning is coming, but night will come again. If you want to ask again, come back and ask." International Standard Version The watchman replies: 'Morning is coming, but also the night. If you want to ask, then ask; come back again.'" Majority Standard Bible The watchman replies, ?Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.? NET Bible The watchman replies, "Morning is coming, but then night. If you want to ask, ask; come back again." New Heart English Bible The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again." Webster's Bible Translation The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. World English Bible The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionThe watchman has said, “Morning has come, and also night, "" If you inquire, inquire, return, come.” Young's Literal Translation The watchman hath said, 'Come hath morning, and also night, If ye inquire, inquire ye, turn back, come.' Smith's Literal Translation The watch said, I will mark out morning, and also night; if ye will seek, seek ye: turn back, come. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe watchman said: The morning cometh, also the night: if you seek, seek: return, come. Catholic Public Domain Version The watchman said: “Morning approaches with the night. If you are seeking: seek, and convert, and approach.” New American Bible The watchman replies, “Morning has come, and again night. If you will ask, ask; come back again.” New Revised Standard Version The sentinel says: “Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThe watchman says, The morning comes, and also the night; if you will inquire, inquire; you will come back again. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The Watchman said "The dawn comes, also the night. If you seek, seek. You are coming again!” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917The watchman said: 'The morning cometh, and also the night-- If ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come.' Brenton Septuagint Translation I watch in the morning and the night: if thou wouldest enquire, enquire, and dwell by me. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context An Oracle Concerning Edom11This 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?” 12The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.” Cross References Psalm 130:6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning—more than watchmen wait for the morning. Matthew 25:6 At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober. Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.” Psalm 30:5 For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning. John 9:4 While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. Luke 12:38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed. Mark 13:35 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning. 2 Peter 1:19 We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Psalm 119:147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope. Proverbs 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. Lamentations 3:23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! Hosea 6:3 So let us know—let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth. Zephaniah 3:5 The LORD within her is righteous; He does no wrong. He applies His justice morning by morning; He does not fail at dawn, yet the unjust know no shame. Treasury of Scripture The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night: if you will inquire, inquire you: return, come. the morning Isaiah 17:14 And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. Jeremiah 50:27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation. Ezekiel 7:5-7,10,12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come… if Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Jeremiah 42:19-22 The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day… Exodus 14:1-6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, … Jump to Previous Enquire Inquire Morning Night Questions Replies Turn WatchmanJump to Next Enquire Inquire Morning Night Questions Replies Turn WatchmanIsaiah 21 1. The prophet, bewailing the captivity of his people, 6. sees in a vision the fall of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. 11. Edom, scorning the prophet, is moved to repentance. 13. The set time of Arabia's calamity. The watchman replies In ancient times, watchmen were stationed on city walls to observe and report any approaching danger. Spiritually, watchmen symbolize prophets or spiritual leaders who are vigilant and provide guidance. Isaiah, acting as a watchman, delivers God's message to the people, emphasizing the importance of being alert to spiritual truths and warnings. “Morning has come, but also the night.” If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again. Persons / Places / Events 1. WatchmanA symbolic figure representing a prophet or someone who is vigilant and alert to the spiritual and moral state of the people. In this context, the watchman delivers a message of both hope and warning. 2. Morning Symbolically represents hope, renewal, and the coming of God's light and truth. It signifies a new beginning or a time of deliverance. 3. Night Represents darkness, uncertainty, or judgment. It can symbolize a period of trial or difficulty that is either present or impending. 4. Inquiry The act of seeking understanding or guidance. It implies a desire for knowledge or insight into God's will or the future. 5. Return A call to repentance or to seek God repeatedly. It suggests persistence in seeking divine guidance and understanding. Teaching Points Vigilance and ReadinessJust as the watchman is alert, Christians are called to be spiritually vigilant, discerning the times, and ready for Christ's return. Hope Amidst Darkness Even when facing trials or judgment (night), believers can hold onto the hope of God's deliverance and renewal (morning). Persistent Seeking The call to "inquire" and "come back yet again" encourages believers to continually seek God's guidance and wisdom, especially in uncertain times. Repentance and Return The invitation to return suggests the importance of repentance and turning back to God, emphasizing His readiness to receive those who seek Him. Balance of Judgment and Mercy The dual message of morning and night reflects the balance of God's judgment and mercy, reminding believers of the need to live righteously while trusting in His grace.(12) If ye will enquire . . .--The words pre-suppose a craving to know the meaning of the mysterious oracle just given. The prophet declines to answer. If they like to ask, they may, and return and go back after a bootless journey. Some interpreters, however. have seen in the "return" a call to repentance like that conveyed by the same word in Jeremiah 3:22, but hardly on sufficient grounds. We should, in that case, have expected "return to Jehovah."Verse 12. - The morning cometh, and also the night. An oracular reply, but probably meaning (1) that a brighter time would soon dawn upon the Edomite people; and (2) that this brighter time would be followed by a return of misery and affliction. We may (conjecturally) understand the "morning" of the earlier part of Sennacherib's reign, when Edom was at peace with Assyria, merely paying a moderate tribute (G. Smith, 'Eponym Canon,' p. 132), and the "night" of the later period in the same king's reign, when (about B.C. 694-690) the country suffered from another Assyrian invasion, in which the king's treasures and his gods were carried off to Nineveh (ibid., p. 137). If ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come. Some take this very literally, as meaning, "If ye would inquire further into the meaning of this answer, do so; return to me; come again." But this implies that the Edomites had sent an actual messenger to make the inquiry of ver. 5, which is improbable. Others understand a reproach to Edom: "If ye will have recourse to God in the time of trouble, do so; but then do more - return to him altogether; come, and be one with Judah." Hebrew The watchmanשֹׁמֵ֔ר (šō·mêr) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to replies, אָמַ֣ר (’ā·mar) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Morning בֹ֖קֶר (ḇō·qer) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning has come, אָתָ֥ה (’ā·ṯāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 857: To arrive but also וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and the night. לָ֑יְלָה (lā·yə·lāh) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity If אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not you would inquire, תִּבְעָי֥וּן (tiḇ·‘ā·yūn) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun Strong's 1158: To gush over, to swell, to desire earnestly, to ask then inquire! בְּעָ֖יוּ (bə·‘ā·yū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 1158: To gush over, to swell, to desire earnestly, to ask Come back אֵתָֽיוּ׃ (’ê·ṯā·yū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 857: To arrive yet again.” שֻׁ֥בוּ (šu·ḇū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again Links Isaiah 21:12 NIVIsaiah 21:12 NLT Isaiah 21:12 ESV Isaiah 21:12 NASB Isaiah 21:12 KJV Isaiah 21:12 BibleApps.com Isaiah 21:12 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 21:12 Chinese Bible Isaiah 21:12 French Bible Isaiah 21:12 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Isaiah 21:12 The watchman said The morning comes (Isa Isi Is) |
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