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Isaiah 21 · Grade 5

Watchman, What of the Night?

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Read and Think

Isaiah 21 contains three short oracles. The first, "The burden of the wilderness of the sea," concerns Babylon. The vision was so severe that Isaiah said, "My heart flutters." Elam and Media, the peoples who would later form the Persian empire, are called to attack.

God instructs Isaiah, "Go, set a watchman." The watchman cries, "Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post." Finally the report comes: "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken to the ground." In the New Testament, Revelation 14:8 and 18:2 echo this cry over the final Babylon.

The second oracle concerns Dumah, near Edom (Seir). A voice calls, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?" The reply is honest but mysterious: "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again." Relief and darkness would both come. The third oracle, on Arabia, shows compassion in hard times, as Tema "met the fugitives with their bread."

Show What You Know

  1. Which peoples are called to attack Babylon?

  2. Which New Testament passages echo the cry over Babylon?

  3. What does the watchman's answer to Dumah mean?

  4. How did Tema show compassion?

Crossword

21435

Across

  1. He cried like a ____.
  2. And every night I stay at my ____.
  3. Let him ____ what he sees.

Down

  1. And every ____ I stay at my post.
  2. For the ____ said to me.

Think About It

  1. The question what of the night? asks how long a hard time will last. How can you trust God when you don't know when a difficulty will end?

  2. In the New Testament, Jesus tells his followers to watch and pray (Mark 14:38). What helps you stay spiritually awake?

Memory Verse

The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

Isaiah 21:11 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for watching over me. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • Where does Revelation echo this chapter?
  • What habits keep your faith alert this week?
  • What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.