Isaiah 21:12

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 21:12 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.
Isaiah 21:12 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
12The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“The watchman said, the morning cometh, and also the night, &c.] Not only a morning, but a night; and as sure as the morning comes, so shall the night; there wilt be a constant succession of morning and night; as a morning of prosperity, so a night of adversity: the morning of the Gospel dispensation was coming on, or of Christ’s coming in the flesh, which was attended with joy and cheerfulness; like the morning, it dispersed the shadows of the law, introduced light, which gradually and irresistibly spread itself over the Gentile world; but then followed a night of darkness to the Jews, blindness happened to them, which still continues; and to the Arabians, Saracens, and Turks, when the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Reply of the prophet, The morning (prosperity) cometh, and (soon after follows) the night (adversity). Though you, Idumeans, may have a gleam of prosperity, it will soon be followed by adversity again. Otherwise, as BARNES, "Prosperity cometh (to the Jews) to be quickly followed by adversity (to you, Idumeans, who exult in the fall of Jerusalem, have seized on the southern part of their land in their absence during the captivity, and now deride them by your question)" (Isa 34:5-7). This view is favored by Oba 1:10-21. if ye will inquire, inquire--If ye choose to consult me again, do so (similar phrases occur in Gen 43:14; Kg2 7:4; Est 4:16). return, come--"Be converted to God (and then),…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The watchman said - Or rather “saith;” indicating that this is the answer which the prophet returned to the inquiry from Idumea. The morning cometh - There are signs of approaching day. The ‘morning’ here is an emblem of prosperity; as the light of the morning succeeds to the darkness of the night. This refers to the deliverance from the captivity of Babylon, and is to be supposed as having been spoken near the time when that captivity was at an end - or nearly at break of day after the long night of their bondage. This declaration is to be understood as referring to a different people from those referred to in the expression which immediately follows - ‘and also the night.’ ‘The morning…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The night - The night is past without any mischief, and the light of the morning is approaching; but tho' the morning is coming, it will be gone, and the night will return, and your fears with it. Come - If you will enquire, enquire: I perceive your danger is not past, and there will be occasion for farther enquiries. Therefore return, come - Come to me the next morning, and so from morning to morning. Isaiah 21:13”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“21:12 Morning is coming, but it would mark the beginning of another oppressive era. Because the Babylonians were on the horizon, night will soon return.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“The morning: Isa 17:14; Jer 50:27; Eze 7:5-7, Eze 7:10, Eze 7:12 if: Isa 55:7; Jer 42:19-22; Eze 14:1-6, Eze 18:30-32; Act 2:37, Act 2:38, Act 17:19, Act 17:20; Act 17:30-32 Isaiah 21:13”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“"Watchman says, Morning cometh, and also night. Will ye inquire, inquire! Turn, come!!" The answer is intentionally and pathetically expressed in an Aramaean form of Hebrew. אתא (written even with א at the end, cf., Deu 33:2) is the Aramaean word for בּוא; and בּעה בּעא) the Aramaean word for שׁאל, from the primary form of which (בּעי) the future tib‛âyūn is taken here (as in Isa 33:7), and the imperative be'ây (Ges. 75, Anm. 4). אתיוּ, which is here pointed in the Syriac style, אתיוּ, as in Isa 56:9, Isa 56:12, would be similarly traceable to אתי (cf., Ges. 75, Anm. 4, with 23, Anm. 2). But what is the meaning? Luther seems to me to have hit upon it: "When the morning comes, it will…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification