Bible verses about "watchman" | LEB

³ I said to them, "Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While they are standing guard let them shut and fasten the doors. And appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his post and another opposite his house."

³ The sentinels who go about in the city found me. "Have you seen the one whom my _⌊heart_⌋* loves?"

³⁴ Happy is the person who listens to me, in order to keep watch at my doors day by day, in order to guard the frames of my entrances.

¹¹ The oracle of Dumah:
One is calling to me from Seir,
"Watchman, what _⌊of_⌋* the night? Watchman, what _⌊of_⌋* the night?" ¹² The watchman says,
"Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; _⌊come back again_⌋."*

¹ And the word of Yahweh _⌊came_⌋* to me, _⌊saying_⌋,* ² "Son of man,* speak to _⌊your people_⌋,* and you must say to them, 'A land, if I bring over it a sword and the people of the land take a man, one from their number, and they appoint him for them as a watchman, ³ and he sees the sword coming against the land, and he blows on the horn and he warns the people, ⁴ and _⌊anyone who listens_⌋* hears the sound of the horn and _⌊he does not take warning_⌋* and the sword comes and it takes him, his blood will be on his own head. ⁵ For he heard the sound of the horn and he did not take warning; his blood will be on him. But if he took warning, he saved his life. ⁶ And as for the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and _⌊he does not blow_⌋* the horn, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and it takes _⌊their lives_⌋,* he will be taken through his guilt, but his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.' ⁷ "And you, son of man,* I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; if you hear a word from my mouth, then you must warn them from me. ⁸ _⌊When I say_⌋* to the wicked, 'Wicked one, you will certainly die,' and you _⌊did not speak_⌋* to warn the wicked from his way, he, the wicked, will die by his guilt, but his blood I will seek from your hand. ⁹ But, you, if you warn the wicked from his way, to turn from it, and _⌊he does not turn_⌋* from his way, he will die by his guilt, and you will have saved your life.

¹ And the word of Yahweh _⌊came_⌋* to me, _⌊saying_⌋, ² "Son of man,* prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and you must say to them, to the shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who were feeding themselves! Must not the shepherds feed the flock? ³ The fat you eat, and you clothe yourself with the wool; the well-nourished animals you slaughter, but you do not feed the flock. ⁴ The weak you have not strengthened, and the sick you have not healed, and _⌊with respect to_⌋* the hurt* you have not bound them up, and you have not brought back the scattered, and you have not sought the lost, but rather you ruled over them with force* and with ruthlessness. ⁵ And they were scattered _⌊without_⌋* a shepherd, and they were* as food for all the animals* of the field when they were scattered. ⁶ My flock went astray upon all of the mountains and on every high hill, and so upon all the surface of the world* my flock were scattered, and _⌊there was no one seeking them_⌋,* and _⌊there was no one searching for them_⌋."* ⁷ Therefore, hear, O shepherds, the word of Yahweh: ⁸ "_⌊As I live_⌋,"* _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh, "_⌊Surely_⌋* because my flock have become as plunder, and my flock became as food to* all the animals* of the field, since there was not a shepherd, since my shepherds have not sought my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and they fed not my flock,'" ⁹ therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of Yahweh, ¹⁰ 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! I am against the shepherds, and I will seek my flock from their hand, and I will put an end to them from shepherding flocks, and the shepherds will _⌊no longer_⌋* feed themselves, and I will deliver my flocks from their mouth, so that they will not be as food for them." ¹¹ " 'For thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! I, even I, will seek my flock, and I will look after them, ¹² just like the caring of a shepherd for his herd on* the day when he is in the midst of his scattered flock. Thus I will look after my flock, and I will deliver them from all the places _⌊to which they were scattered_⌋* on the day _⌊of storm and stress_⌋.* ¹³ And I will bring them out from the peoples, and I will gather them from the countries, and I will bring them to their soil, and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all of the settlements of the land. ¹⁴ I will feed them in good pasture, and their pasture will be on the mountains of the heights of Israel; there they will lie down in good pasture, and on lush pasture they will feed on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ _⌊I myself_⌋* will feed my flock and _⌊I myself_⌋* will allow them to lie down," _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh. ¹⁶ "I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the scattered, and I will bind up the one hurt, and I will strengthen the sick; and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed her with justice." ¹⁷ " 'And you, my flock, thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! I am judging between _⌊one sheep and another_⌋,* between the rams and between the he-goats. ¹⁸ _⌊Is it not enough for you_⌋* that you feed on the good pasture? And still you must trample the remainder of your pasture with your feet, and _⌊clear water_⌋* you drink, and the _⌊leftover water_⌋* you must make muddy with your feet. ¹⁹ And my flock must graze the pasture treaded upon by* your feet, and must drink the mud puddle stirred up by* your feet." ²⁰ " 'Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh to them: "Look! I, even I will judge between fat sheep and between lean sheep, ²¹ because with your flank and with your shoulder you shoved, and with your horns you pushed all of the sick animals _⌊until_⌋* you scattered it* to the outside. ²² And so I will save my flock, and _⌊they will no longer be_⌋* for plunder, and I will judge between _⌊one sheep and another_⌋.* ²³ And I will set up over them one shepherd, and he will feed them; that is, my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be for them as* a shepherd. ²⁴ And I, Yahweh, I will be for them _⌊as God_⌋,* and my servant David will be a leader in the midst of them. I, Yahweh, I have spoken. ²⁵ And I will make them a covenant of peace, and I will put an end to wild animals* from the land, and they will dwell in the desert _⌊safely_⌋,* and they will sleep in the forest. ²⁶ And I will make them and the area all around my hill a blessing, and I will let the rain go down _⌊at its appointed time_⌋;* they will be rains of blessing. ²⁷ And the tree* of the field will give its fruit, and the land will give its produce, and they will be on their land _⌊safely_⌋,* and they will know that I am Yahweh when I break their yoke, and I will deliver them from the hand of the ones enslaving them. ²⁸ And they will not be any longer plunder to the nations, and the animals of the land will not eat them, and they will dwell _⌊in safety_⌋,* and there will not be anyone frightening them. ²⁹ And I will raise for them a garden plot* of renown, and they will _⌊no longer_⌋* be victims of famine in the land, and they will not bear any more the insult of the nations. ³⁰ And they will know that I, Yahweh their God, am with them and they are my people, the house of Israel," _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh, ³¹ "and you are my flock, the flock of my pasture. You are _⌊my people_⌋;* I am your God," _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh.'"

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.

⁹ So we prayed to our God and set up a guard against them day and night.

⁵ Set out the table in order! Spread out the rugs!* Eat! drink! Rise up, commanders; smear* the shield! ⁶ For the Lord said this to me:
"Go, set a watchman in position. He must announce what he sees. ⁷ When* he sees riders,* a pair of horsemen, riders* of donkeys,* riders* of camels,* _⌊then_⌋* he must listen attentively, paying attention, paying _⌊special_⌋* attention." ⁸ Then* the _⌊watchman_⌋* called,
"Lord, I am standing on the watchtower continually by day, and I am standing at my post _⌊throughout_⌋* the night. ⁹ And look at this! A man's a chariot is coming, a pair of horsemen!"
Then* he responded and said,
"It has fallen! Babylon has fallen! And all the images of her gods are* smashed on the ground!" ¹⁰ My downtrodden people and the son of my threshing floor,
I will announce to you what I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel. ¹¹ The oracle of Dumah:
One is calling to me from Seir,
"Watchman, what _⌊of_⌋* the night? Watchman, what _⌊of_⌋* the night?" ¹² The watchman says,
"Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; _⌊come back again_⌋."*

⁶ For there will be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim, 'Stand up, and let us go up to Zion, to Yahweh our God.'"

³ and he sees the sword coming against the land, and he blows on the horn and he warns the people, ⁴ and _⌊anyone who listens_⌋* hears the sound of the horn and _⌊he does not take warning_⌋* and the sword comes and it takes him, his blood will be on his own head. ⁵ For he heard the sound of the horn and he did not take warning; his blood will be on him. But if he took warning, he saved his life. ⁶ And as for the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and _⌊he does not blow_⌋* the horn, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and it takes _⌊their lives_⌋,* he will be taken through his guilt, but his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.'

⁸ The voices* of your watchmen! They lift up their voices;* together they sing for joy; for they _⌊clearly_⌋* see Yahweh's return to Zion.

¹² Against the walls of Babylon raise a banner; _⌊post a strong watch_⌋,* post watchmen, prepare the ambushes, for Yahweh has both planned as well as performed what he has spoken concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

¹ I will stand at my post, and station myself on the rampart. And I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint. ² Then Yahweh answered me and said, "Write the vision and make it plain on the tablet so that _⌊it might be read quickly_⌋.* ³ For there is yet a vision for the appointed time; it will give witness to the end, and it will not lie. If it tarries, wait for it, for it will surely come and not delay. ⁴ Look! His spirit within him is puffed up; it is not upright. But the righteous shall live by his faithfulness. ⁵ _⌊How much less_⌋* the defiant;* the arrogant, treacherous man? He who broadens his throat like Sheol, and who, like death, is not satisfied, and who gathers to himself all the nations, and harvested for himself all the peoples, will not succeed. ⁶ Shall not all of these take up a taunt against him, with ridicule and riddles against him, saying, 'Woe to him who heaps up what is not his'? For how long? And, 'Woe to him who makes himself heavy with pledges'? ⁷ Will not your creditors suddenly rise up and awaken those who make you tremble? Then you shall be as plunder for them. ⁸ Because you plundered many nations, all the remaining nations will plunder you on account of the blood of humanity and violence against the land, and against cities and all who live in them. ⁹ Woe to him who obtains profit from evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be saved from the hand of misfortune! ¹⁰ You have plotted shame for your house, cutting off many peoples and sinning against your life. ¹¹ For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the plaster from the wood will answer it. ¹² Woe to him who builds a city by bloodguilt, and who founds a city by wickedness! ¹³ Look! Is it not from Yahweh of hosts that people labor for mere fire, and nations exhaust themselves for mere vanity? ¹⁴ For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, like the waters covering the sea. ¹⁵ Woe to him who gives a drink to his neighbors, pouring out your wrath and also making them drunk in order to see their nakedness! ¹⁶ You will be sated with shame rather than glory. Drink also yourself, and expose yourself! The cup of the right hand of Yahweh will come around upon you and disgrace upon your glory. ¹⁷ For the violence of Lebanon will cover you, and the destruction of wild animals will shatter them on account of the blood of humanity, and the violence against the land, against a city and all the inhabitants in it. ¹⁸ What value is an idol when its carver has fashioned it, a molten idol, a teacher of lies? For he who fashioned his creation trusts in it, though making mute idols! ¹⁹ Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Wake up!' And to a lifeless stone, 'Arise!' Can he teach? Look, it is covered with gold and silver, and there is no breath within it. ²⁰ But Yahweh is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him."

⁶ I have appointed watchmen upon your walls, Jerusalem; all day and all night they shall never be silent. You who profess Yahweh have no rest.

¹⁷ "Son of man,* I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, then you must warn them from me.

⁶ And as for the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and _⌊he does not blow_⌋* the horn, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and it takes _⌊their lives_⌋,* he will be taken through his guilt, but his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.'

¹ And the word of Yahweh _⌊came_⌋* to me, _⌊saying_⌋,* ² "Son of man,* speak to _⌊your people_⌋,* and you must say to them, 'A land, if I bring over it a sword and the people of the land take a man, one from their number, and they appoint him for them as a watchman, ³ and he sees the sword coming against the land, and he blows on the horn and he warns the people, ⁴ and _⌊anyone who listens_⌋* hears the sound of the horn and _⌊he does not take warning_⌋* and the sword comes and it takes him, his blood will be on his own head. ⁵ For he heard the sound of the horn and he did not take warning; his blood will be on him. But if he took warning, he saved his life. ⁶ And as for the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and _⌊he does not blow_⌋* the horn, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and it takes _⌊their lives_⌋,* he will be taken through his guilt, but his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.' ⁷ "And you, son of man,* I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; if you hear a word from my mouth, then you must warn them from me. ⁸ _⌊When I say_⌋* to the wicked, 'Wicked one, you will certainly die,' and you _⌊did not speak_⌋* to warn the wicked from his way, he, the wicked, will die by his guilt, but his blood I will seek from your hand. ⁹ But, you, if you warn the wicked from his way, to turn from it, and _⌊he does not turn_⌋* from his way, he will die by his guilt, and you will have saved your life. ¹⁰ "And you, son of man,* say to the house of Israel, _⌊saying_⌋,* 'So you said, _⌊saying_⌋,* "Indeed, our transgressions and our sins are on us, and because of them we are rotting, and how can we live?" ' ¹¹ Say to them, '_⌊As I live_⌋,'* _⌊declares_⌋* the Lord Yahweh, '_⌊Surely I have no delight_⌋* in the death of the wicked, _⌊except_⌋* in the wicked returning from his way, and he lives. Turn back! Turn back from your ways, O evil ones, for why should you die, house of Israel?' ¹² "So* you, son of man,* say to _⌊your people_⌋* that the righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked _⌊will not cause him to stumble_⌋* on the day of his returning from his wickedness; and the righteous will not be able to live by it on the day when he returns to his sin. ¹³ When I say to the righteous, 'Certainly he will live,' and he trusted in* his righteousness, and he turns and he does injustice, all of his righteousness* will not be remembered, and because of his injustice that he did, because of it he will die. ¹⁴ And when I say to the wicked, 'Certainly you will die,' but* he returns from his sin and he does justice and righteousness— ¹⁵ for example, the wicked returns a pledge for a loan, he restores _⌊stolen property_⌋,* he goes in the statutes of life so as not to do injustice—certainly he will live; he will not die. ¹⁶ All of his _⌊sins that he committed_⌋,* they will not be remembered against* him, and he did justice and righteousness; certainly he will live. ¹⁷ "Yet* _⌊your people_⌋* say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' yet their way is not fair. ¹⁸ When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, then he will die _⌊because of it_⌋.* ¹⁹ And when the wicked turns from his wickedness, and he does justice and righteousness, because of it* _⌊he will certainly live_⌋!* ²⁰ Yet you said, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' I will judge you, house of Israel, each person according to his ways." ²¹ _⌊And then_⌋* it was in _⌊the twelfth_⌋* year, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month of our exile, a survivor from Jerusalem came to me, _⌊saying_⌋,* "The city was destroyed!" ²² And the hand of Yahweh was on me on the evening _⌊before_⌋* the coming of the survivor, and he opened my mouth _⌊before the survivor came to me in the morning_⌋,* and my mouth was opened, and I was _⌊no longer_⌋* dumb.* ²³ And the word of Yahweh _⌊came_⌋* to me, _⌊saying_⌋,* ²⁴ "Son of man,* the inhabitants of these ruins on the soil of Israel are saying, 'Abraham was one man, and he took possession of the land, and we are many; the land has been given for* us as a possession.' ²⁵ Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "You eat blood in your meat, and you raise your eyes to your idols and you pour out blood, and yet you want to take possession of the land?* ²⁶ You rely on your sword, you do a detestable thing, and _⌊each man defiles_⌋* the wife of his neighbor, and yet you want to take possession of the land?" '* ²⁷ "Thus you must say to them, 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "_⌊As I live_⌋,* _⌊surely_⌋* whoever is in the ruins, by the sword they will fall, and whoever is on the surface of the open field, I will give him to the animals* to eat him, and whoever is in the stronghold and in the cave, they will die by the plague. ²⁸ And I will make the land a desolation and a wasteland, and the pride of its strength will come to an end, and the mountains of Israel will be desolate _⌊with no one traveling through them_⌋." '* ²⁹ And they will know that I am Yahweh when I make my land a desolation and a wasteland, because of all of their detestable things that they have done. ³⁰ "And you, son of man,* _⌊your people_⌋,* the ones talking together concerning you beside the walls and in the doorways of the houses, each one with his brother _⌊saying_⌋,* 'Please come and hear what is the word _⌊that is going out from Yahweh_⌋.'* ³¹ And they come to you _⌊as people do_⌋,* and they sit _⌊before you_⌋,* and my people hear your words, and they do not do them, for they are showing* passion in their mouth, but their heart is going after ill-gotten gain. ³² Now, look! You are to them like _⌊a sensual song_⌋,* beautiful of voice and _⌊played well on an instrument_⌋,* and they hear your words, _⌊but they are not doing them_⌋.* ³³ So* _⌊when it comes_⌋,* look! It is coming! And then they will know that a prophet was in the midst of them."