For thus has the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman, Let him declare what he sees.”
Parallel translations
- WEB For the Lord said to me, “Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.
- KJV For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
- BSB For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.
- NASB For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, station the lookout, have him report what he sees.
- NLT Meanwhile, the Lord said to me, “Put a watchman on the city wall. Let him shout out what he sees.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Lord commands a watchman to be posted to report what he sees. It matters because it frames the prophet as a watchman awaiting God's verdict on Babylon.
Overview
God instructs that a sentinel be set to watch and announce coming events. The watchman motif portrays the prophet's task of vigilant attentiveness to God's unfolding word. He must faithfully declare whatever is revealed, however grave. The image underscores the seriousness and responsibility of the prophetic office.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Ezek 33:2–7Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them, When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;
- Ezek 3:17“Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the word from my mouth, and warn them from me.
- Hab 2:1–2I will stand at my watch, and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
- 2 Kgs 9:17–20Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’”
- Isa 62:6I have set watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day nor night. You who call on Yahweh, take no rest,
- Jer 51:12–13Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon! Make the watch strong! Set the watchmen, and prepare the ambushes; for Yahweh has both purposed and done that which he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 21:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.