In biblical literature, the term "Watcher" refers to a class of angelic beings mentioned specifically in the Book of Daniel. The concept of Watchers is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine beings who observe and influence the affairs of humanity. The term is derived from the Aramaic word "עִיר" (ʿîr), meaning "watcher" or "guardian."

Biblical References:

1. Daniel 4:13 : "As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven." In this passage, King Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream in which he sees a "watcher, a holy one" descending from heaven. The Watcher delivers a divine decree concerning the king's fate, emphasizing the role of these beings as messengers and executors of God's will.

2. Daniel 4:17 : "This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and this command is by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men." Here, the Watchers are depicted as part of a heavenly council that issues decrees to demonstrate God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms.

3. Daniel 4:23 : "And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field until seven times pass him by.’" This verse reiterates the role of the Watcher in delivering and executing divine judgment.

Theological Significance:

In the context of the Book of Daniel, Watchers serve as intermediaries between God and humanity, tasked with observing human actions and implementing divine judgments. Their presence underscores the belief in a structured heavenly order where angelic beings participate in the governance of the world under God's authority.

The Watchers' involvement in Nebuchadnezzar's dream highlights the theme of divine sovereignty, a central message in the Book of Daniel. The narrative demonstrates that earthly rulers are subject to the decrees of a higher, divine authority, and that God uses His messengers to communicate and enforce His will.

Extra-Biblical Literature:

The concept of Watchers is further elaborated in extra-biblical Jewish literature, particularly in the Book of Enoch, where they are described as angels who descended to earth and became involved with human affairs, leading to their fall from grace. While these texts are not considered canonical in the Protestant tradition, they provide additional context for understanding the cultural and religious milieu in which the biblical references to Watchers were made.

Conclusion:

The Watchers in the Book of Daniel serve as a reminder of the divine oversight and intervention in human history. Their role as messengers and executors of God's will reflects the biblical theme of divine sovereignty and the belief in a heavenly order that governs the affairs of the world.Watcher

Daniel 4:13,17,23, a figurative designation of heavenly beings, apparently angels, as seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his dream.

(n.) One who watches; one who sits up or continues; a diligent observer; specifically, one who attends upon the sick during the night.WATCHER

woch'-er (Aramaic 'ir, "wakeful one"): In Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 4:13, 17, 23 (MT 10, 14, 20)) a messenger who with "a holy one" descended from heaven, they having joint authority to issue decrees. In the apocryphal literature the doctrine of the "watchers" is much elaborated. In Jubilees they are regarded as angels sent to instruct mankind in righteousness. In Enoch they sometimes appear as archangels and at other times as fallen angels. In the latter condition only we find them in the Book of Adam and Eve. The place of descent was according to Enoch 6:6 the summit of Mt. Hermon.

W. M. Christie

5432. phroureo -- to guard
... From a compound of pro and horao; to be a watcher in advance, ie To mount guard
as a sentinel (post spies at gates); figuratively, to hem in, protect -- keep ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5432.htm - 7k

2685. kataskopos -- a spy
... spy. From kata (intensive) and skopos (in the sense of a watcher); a reconnoiterer --
spy. see GREEK kata. see GREEK skopos. (kataskopous) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2685.htm - 6k

2780. kepouros -- a gardener
... garden-keeper. Word Origin from kepos and ouros (a watcher) Definition a
gardener NASB Word Usage gardener (1). gardener. From kepos ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2780.htm - 6k

5441. phulax -- a guard, keeper
... Word Origin from phulasso Definition a guard, keeper NASB Word Usage guards (3).
keeper. From phulasso; a watcher or sentry -- keeper. see GREEK phulasso. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5441.htm - 6k

4649. skopos -- a watchman, a mark (on which to fix the eye)
... to fix the eye). Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: skopos Phonetic
Spelling: (skop-os') Short Definition: a goal Definition: a watcher; a goal, a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4649.htm - 7k

2377. thuroros -- a doorkeeper
... a doorkeeper, gatekeeper. From thura and ouros (a watcher); a gate- warden -- that
kept the door, porter. see GREEK thura. (thuroros) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2377.htm - 6k

7796b. shorer -- (treacherous) watcher
... (treacherous) watcher. Transliteration: shorer Short Definition: foes. Word Origin
from shur Definition (treacherous) watcher NASB Word Usage foes (5). ...
/hebrew/7796b.htm - 5k

5894. ir -- waking or wakeful one
... 5893, 5894. ir. 5895 . waking or wakeful one. Transliteration: ir Phonetic
Spelling: (eer) Short Definition: watcher. Word ... 1). watcher. ...
/hebrew/5894.htm - 6k

5341. natsar -- to watch, guard, keep
... 1), man (1), observe (10), observed (1), observes (1), preserve (10), preserves
(1), reserve (1), secret places (1), tends (1), watch (4), watcher (1), watches ...
/hebrew/5341.htm - 6k

The Unseen Watcher
... In the Lands of the Heathen Chapter 43 The Unseen Watcher. [This chapter
is based on Daniel 5..] Toward the close of Daniel's life ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 43 the unseen watcher.htm

In the Birth of the Son Light Dawned, --And Darkness Fled from the ...
... 40. "A Watcher revealed to me, when I received"conception of the Babe, that my Son
is a King;"that His diadem is from on high and is not dissolved,"he ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn xv in the birth.htm

The Dream of the Tree Cut Down
... fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher
and an holy one came down from heaven. He cried aloud ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/vi the dream of the.htm

Chapter xxxviii
... by the father is supposed to be an idiosyncrasy of the Elohist; yet this chapter
is unhesitatingly assigned to J. "Er," from '?�r, may mean "watcher" or in a ...
/.../leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxviii.htm

True Greatness
... As the king gazed upon the lofty tree, he beheld "a Watcher," even "an Holy
One," who approached the tree and in a loud voice cried: ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 42 true greatness.htm

Babylon.
... Then came another warning dream, of a tree, great and spreading, the rest and stay
of bird and beast, till a watcher and a holy one came down and bade that it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xi babylon.htm

Letter cix. To Riparius.
... But let us say with David: "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber
nor sleep." [3046] So will the Holy One and the Watcher come to us. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cix to riparius.htm

The Ten virgins.
... At midnight a cry arose, apparently from some more wakeful watcher in the neighbourhood,
"Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." At this alarm ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/xiii the ten virgins.htm

Letter Lxxv. To Theodora.
... that is, saviour and keeper"of whom it is said in the psalm, "He that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep." [2297] May the watcher and the holy ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lxxv to theodora.htm

The Story of Prophets and Kings
... Chapter 41 The Fiery Furnace. Chapter 42 True Greatness. Chapter 43 The Unseen
Watcher. Chapter 44 In the Lions' Den. After the Exile. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the story of prophets and kings/

Watcher (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. WATCHER. ... Multi-Version Concordance Watcher (2
Occurrences). Job 7:20 If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? ...
/w/watcher.htm - 7k

Angelic (6 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). Daniel 4:13 I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold,
a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky. (See NAS). ...
/a/angelic.htm - 8k

Watchers (16 Occurrences)

/w/watchers.htm - 11k

Watched (50 Occurrences)

/w/watched.htm - 21k

Lone (1 Occurrence)
... See Loanin. 2. (a.) Being without a companion; being by one's self; also, sad from
lack of companionship; lonely; as, a lone traveler or watcher. ...
/l/lone.htm - 7k

Late (24 Occurrences)
... late intelligence. 5. (v.) Continuing or doing until an advanced hour of
the night; as, late revels; a late watcher. 6. (a.) After ...
/l/late.htm - 14k

Watchman (19 Occurrences)
... The distinction in meaning between the various words is clear, tsopheh having the
idea of "outlooker" and notser that of "careful watcher" (being applied even ...
/w/watchman.htm - 14k

Flourish (26 Occurrences)
... fading white flowers of the almond tree; by others it is taken to indicate
"sleeplessness," the name of the almond tree (shaqedh) meaning the watcher or early ...
/f/flourish.htm - 18k

Target (14 Occurrences)
... (DBY YLT). Job 7:20 If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why
have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself? ...
/t/target.htm - 11k

Er (8 Occurrences)
... ER. ar (`er, "watcher"; Er'): (1) The eldest son of Judah, the son of Jacob,
by Shua the Canaanite. Judah took for him a wife named Tamar. ...
/e/er.htm - 9k

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