Isaiah 21:8

8 and [he] cried as a lion, I stand continually by day on the looking place of the Lord, and I stand by all nights on my keeping. (and he cried out like a lion, and said, I stand continually by day at the lookout of the Lord, and I stand by all nights, or every night, at my station.)

Isaiah 21:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 21:8

And he cried, a lion
That is, the watchman cried, a lion, or that he saw a lion; not Uriah the priest, as the Septuagint; nor Habakkuk, as some Jewish writers; but Cyrus, at the head of the Persian and Median armies, compared to a lion for his fierceness, courage, and strength; see ( 2 Timothy 4:17 ) a type of Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, by whom antichrist, or mystical Babylon, will be destroyed, ( Revelation 5:5 ) . The Targum is,

``the prophet said, the voice of armies, coming with coats of mail, as a lion.''

Aben Ezra interprets it, the watchman cried as a lion, with a great voice; upon sight of the chariots and horsemen, he lifted up his voice, and roared like a lion, to express the terror he was in, and the greatness of the calamity that was coming upon the city. I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime:
so that nothing could escape his notice: and I am set in my ward whole nights:
which expresses his diligence, vigilance, and constancy, in the discharge of his duty; and therefore what he said he saw might be depended on.

Isaiah 21:8 In-Context

6 For why the Lord said these things to me, Go thou, and set a looker; and tell he, whatever thing he seeth. (For the Lord said to me, Go thou, and set a lookout; and let him tell thee, whatever he seeth.)

7 And he saw the chariot of two horsemen, the rider of an ass (the rider of a donkey), and the rider of a camel; and he beheld diligently with much looking,

8 and [he] cried as a lion, I stand continually by day on the looking place of the Lord, and I stand by all nights on my keeping. (and he cried out like a lion, and said, I stand continually by day at the lookout of the Lord, and I stand by all nights, or every night, at my station.)

9 Lo! this cometh, a man-rider of a cart of horsemen. And Isaiah cried, and said, Babylon fell down, fell down; and all the graven images of gods thereof be all-broken into [the] earth. (Lo! here come some men, horsemen riding in a chariot. And Isaiah cried, and said, Babylon fell down, fell down; and all the carved idols of its gods lie broken in pieces on the ground.)

10 My threshing, and the daughter of my cornfloor (My threshing, and the daughter of my threshing floor), I have told to you what things I heard of the Lord of hosts, of (the) God of Israel.