Reference: WATCHMEN
American
Are of as early a date as cities, robbers, and wars, Ex 14:24; Jg 7:19. Jerusalem and other cities had regular guards night and day, Song 3:1-3; 5:7, to whose hourly cries Isaiah refers in illustration of the vigilance required by God in his ministers, Isa 21:8,11-12; 62:6. At this day the watchmen of Jerusalem "keep not silence," nor do they "hold their peace day nor night;" especially at night and when danger is apprehended, they are required to call to each other every few minutes, and the cry passes from one to another entirely around the city walls. Those of Sidon also do the same. Watchmen always had a station at the gate of a city and in the adjacent tower, 2Sa 18:24-27; 2Ki 9:27; also on hill-tops overlooking a large circuit of terraced vineyards, whence they could "see eye to eye," and "lift up the voice" of warning or of cheer, Isa 52:7-8; and their responsible office, requiring so much vigilance and fidelity, illustrates that of prophets and ministers, Jer 6:17; Eze 33:1-9; Heb 13:17.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And in the morning watch, the Lord, looking out on the armies of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, sent trouble on the army of the Egyptians;
So Gideon and the three hundred men who were with him came to the outer line of tents, at the start of the middle watch, when the watchmen had only then taken their stations; and the horns were sounded and the vessels broken.
Now David was seated between the two town doors; and the watchman went up to the roof of the doorways, on the wall, and, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running by himself. And the watchman gave news of it to the king. And the king said, If he is coming by himself, then he has news. And the man was travelling quickly, and came near. read more. Then the watchman saw another man running: and crying out in the direction of the door he said, Here is another man running by himself. And the king said, He, like the other, comes with news. And the watchman said, It seems to me that the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and his news will be good.
By night on my bed I was looking for him who is the love of my soul: I was looking for him, but I did not see him. I will get up now and go about the town, in the streets and in the wide ways I will go after him who is the love of my soul: I went after him, but I did not see him. read more. The watchmen who go about the town came by me; to them I said, Have you seen him who is my heart's desire?
The keepers who go about the town overtook me; they gave me blows and wounds; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
And the watchman gave a loud cry, O my lord, I am on the watchtower all day, and am placed in my watch every night:
The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night? The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who comes with good news, who gives word of peace, saying that salvation is near; who says to Zion, Your God is ruling! The voice of your watchmen! their voices are loud in song together; for they will see him, eye to eye, when the Lord comes back to Zion.
I have put watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will not keep quiet day or night: you who are the Lord's recorders, take no rest,
And I put watchmen over you, saying, Give attention to the sound of the horn; but they said, We will not give attention.
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, give a word to the children of your people, and say to them, When I make the sword come on a land, if the people of the land take a man from among their number and make him their watchman: read more. If, when he sees the sword coming on the land, by sounding the horn he gives the people news of their danger; Then anyone who, hearing the sound of the horn, does not take note of it, will himself be responsible for his death, if the sword comes and takes him away. On hearing the sound of the horn, he did not take note; his blood will be on him; for if he had taken note his life would have been safe. But if the watchman sees the sword coming, and does not give a note on the horn, and the people have no word of the danger, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them; he will be taken away in his sin, but I will make the watchman responsible for his blood. So you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the children of Israel; and you are to give ear to the word of my mouth and give them news from me of their danger. When I say to the evil-doer, Death will certainly overtake you; and you say nothing to make clear to the evil-doer the danger of his way; death will overtake that evil man in his evil-doing, but I will make you responsible for his blood. But if you make clear to the evil-doer the danger of his way for the purpose of turning him from it, and he is not turned from his way, death will overtake him in his evil-doing, but your life will be safe.
Give ear to those who are rulers over you, and do as they say: for they keep watch over your souls, ready to give an account of them; let them be able to do this with joy and not with grief, because that would be of no profit to you.