The (A)watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guards of the walls took my shawl away from me.

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The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.(A)
They beat me, they bruised me;
    they took away my cloak,
    those watchmen of the walls!

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For this is what the Lord says to me:

“Go, station the lookout, have him (A)report what he sees.
When he sees [a]a (B)column of chariots, horsemen in pairs,
A train of donkeys, a train of camels,
He is to pay close attention, very close attention.”

Then [b]the lookout called,

(C)Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower,
And I am stationed every night at my guard post.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 21:7 Or riders
  2. Isaiah 21:8 As in DSS; MT he called like a lion

This is what the Lord says to me:

“Go, post a lookout(A)
    and have him report what he sees.
When he sees chariots(B)
    with teams of horses,
riders on donkeys
    or riders on camels,(C)
let him be alert,
    fully alert.”

And the lookout[a](D) shouted,

“Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower;
    every night I stay at my post.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 21:8 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac; Masoretic Text A lion

Pronouncements about Edom and Arabia

11 The pronouncement concerning [a](A)Edom:

One keeps calling to me from (B)Seir,
“Watchman, [b]how far gone is the night?
Watchman, [c]how far gone is the night?”
12 The watchman says,
“Morning comes but also night.
If you would inquire, inquire;
Come back again.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 21:11 As in LXX; MT Dumah, silence
  2. Isaiah 21:11 Lit what is the time of the night?
  3. Isaiah 21:11 Lit what is the time of the night?

A Prophecy Against Edom

11 A prophecy against Dumah[a]:(A)

Someone calls to me from Seir,(B)
    “Watchman, what is left of the night?
    Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12 The watchman replies,
    “Morning is coming, but also the night.
If you would ask, then ask;
    and come back yet again.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 21:11 Dumah, a wordplay on Edom, means silence or stillness.