ישעיהו, פרק כ״א, פסוק ח׳

A prophet waits with tense, unbroken anticipation for a vision from God regarding the fall of Babylon. This endless wait is experienced through the perspective of a dedicated watchman who refuses to leave his post, standing guard day and night. Turning to God, the prophet testifies to his own persistence. He remains entirely devoted to his position, waiting without pause for the vision that will announce Babylon's destruction as a rightful payback for the evil they committed against Israel [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אבן עזרא].

A sudden cry of a lion breaks the silence. Commentators offer different ways to understand this alarm. One approach suggests that the watchman himself cries out with a mighty, roaring voice like a lion, driven by the overwhelming intensity of the vision or his deep frustration from the prolonged wait [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective views the word simply as a standard warning call. Just as shepherds would yell about a lion to summon help against wild beasts, the watchman shouts this familiar warning to signal an approaching enemy army [שד״ל]. Alternatively, the lion serves as a direct metaphor for the enemy forces. In this view, the watchman is announcing that the armies of Media and Persia are advancing, likening them to a fierce predator hunting for its prey [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].

The nature of this constant watchfulness changes depending on the time of day. During the daylight hours, the watchman is positioned on a high, steep mountain or a tall tower designed for seeing great distances [מצודת ציון, מלבי ם באור המילות]. In this setting, he maintains a normal standing posture. However, as night falls, he moves to a specific guard post on the city wall [מלבי ם באור המילות]. The darkness requires a shift in his physical readiness. Rather than simply standing, he takes on a rigid, firmly planted stance. The night demands that a guard gather his strength, remaining highly alert and prepared to face unseen dangers in the dark [מלבי ם באור המילות].