King James Version

Isaiah 21:8

And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:

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Hebrew

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וַיִּקְרָ֖אvayiqraand callקָרָאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and call”, the next action in the storyH7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.אַרְיֵ֑הaryehlionאֲרִיnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “lion”, the ordinary formH738a lion(young) lion, [phrase] pierce (from the margin).עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…מִצְפֶּ֣הmitspehwatch towerמִצְפֶּהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “watch tower”, the ordinary formH4707an observatory, especially formilitary purposeswatch tower.אֲדֹנָ֗יadonayLordאֲדֹנָיnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “Lord”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH136the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)(my) Lord.אָנֹכִ֞יanokhimeאָנֹכִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “me”H595II, me, [idiom] which.עֹמֵ֤דomedstandעָמַדverb, qal, participle, absolute — “stand”, a verb used as a describing wordH5975to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, [phrase] serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, m…תָּמִיד֙tamiddailyתָּמִידnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “daily”, the ordinary formH8548properly, continuance (as indefinite extension); but used only (attributively as adjective) constant (or adverbially, constantly); ellipt. the regular (daily) sacrificealway(-s), continual (employment, -ly), daily, (n-)ever(-more), perpetual.יוֹמָ֔םyomamdailyיוֹמָםadverb — “daily”H3119dailydaily, (by, in the) day(-time).וְעַלvealand aboveעַלconjunction, preposition — “and above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…מִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔יmishmartior to be keptמִשְׁמֶרֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “or to be kept”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4931watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post; objectively preservation, or (concretely) safe; figuratively observance, i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or partycharge, keep, or to be kept, office, ordinace, safeguard, ward, watch.אָנֹכִ֥יanokhimeאָנֹכִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “me”H595II, me, [idiom] which.נִצָּ֖בnitsavappointedנָצַבverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “appointed”, a verb used as a describing wordH5324to station, in various applications (literally or figuratively)appointed, deputy, erect, establish, [idiom] Huzzah (by mistake for a proper name), lay, officer, pillar, present, rear up, set (over, up), settle, sharpen, establish, (make to) stand(-ing, still, up, upright), best state.כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).הַלֵּילֽוֹתhaleylotthe nightלַיִלdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the night”, the ordinary formH3915properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity(mid-)night (season).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And he cried as a lion: 'Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set in my ward all the nights.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And he cried as a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights;

Young’s Literal Translation

And he crieth — a lion, 'On a watch-tower my lord, I am standing continually by day, And on my ward I am stationed whole nights.

World English Bible

He cried like a lion: “Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post.

Darby Translation

And he cried [as] a lion, Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights.

Douay-Rheims

And a lion cried out: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day: and I am upon my ward, standing whole nights.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And he cried as a lion: 'Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set in my ward all the nights.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Hearken with great attention, and call thou Urias to the watch-tower: the Lord has spoken. I stood continually during the day, and I stood in the camp all the night:

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

καὶ κάλεσον Οὐρίαν εἰς τὴν σκοπιάν· Κύριος εἶπεν, ἔστην διαπαντὸς ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐγὼ ἔστην ὅλην τὴν νύκτα,