The Meaning of Isaiah 21:6 Explained

Isaiah 21:6

KJV: For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

YLT: For thus said the Lord unto me: 'Go, station the watchman, That which he seeth let him declare.'

Darby: For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

ASV: For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman: let him declare what he seeth:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For thus hath the Lord  said  unto me, Go,  set  a watchman,  let him declare  what he seeth. 

What does Isaiah 21:6 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 21

1  The prophet, bewailing the captivity of his people,
6  sees in a vision the fall of Babylon by the Medes and Persians
11  Edom, scorning the prophet, is moved to repentance
13  The set time of Arabia's calamity

What do the individual words in Isaiah 21:6 mean?

For thus has said to me the Lord go set a watchman what he sees let him declare
כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֵלַ֖י אֲדֹנָ֑י לֵ֚ךְ הַעֲמֵ֣ד הַֽמְצַפֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִרְאֶ֖ה יַגִּֽיד

כֹ֥ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֛ר  has  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלַ֖י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֲדֹנָ֑י  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
לֵ֚ךְ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
הַעֲמֵ֣ד  set 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
הַֽמְצַפֶּ֔ה  a  watchman 
Parse: Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
יִרְאֶ֖ה  he  sees 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יַגִּֽיד  let  him  declare 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.