In biblical times, the role of a watchman was crucial for the safety and security of a city or community. Watchmen were stationed on city walls or towers to keep a vigilant eye for any approaching danger, such as enemy armies or other threats. The concept of the watchman is rich with spiritual and prophetic significance throughout the Scriptures.

Old Testament Context

The Hebrew word for watchman is "tsaphah," which means to look out or to keep watch. In the Old Testament, watchmen were often appointed to guard cities and alert the inhabitants of any impending danger. For instance, in 2 Samuel 18:24-27, a watchman is described as standing on the city wall, observing and reporting the approach of a runner. Similarly, in 2 Kings 9:17-20, a watchman on the tower in Jezreel reports the approach of Jehu's company.

The role of the watchman is also metaphorically applied to the prophets of Israel. In Ezekiel 3:17, God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman for the house of Israel, saying, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me." This passage highlights the spiritual responsibility of the watchman to warn the people of God's impending judgment and call them to repentance.

Prophetic and Spiritual Significance

The watchman's duty to warn and protect is a recurring theme in the prophetic books. Isaiah 21:6-8 describes a watchman who is instructed to "go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees." The watchman sees riders and calls out, fulfilling his duty to alert the people. This imagery underscores the watchman's role as a vigilant observer and communicator of divine messages.

In Isaiah 62:6-7, the watchmen are depicted as intercessors who "never keep silent day or night" and "give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth." Here, the watchmen are not only guardians but also persistent prayer warriors, advocating for God's purposes to be fulfilled.

New Testament Application

While the specific term "watchman" is not as prevalent in the New Testament, the concept of spiritual vigilance is emphasized. Jesus instructs His disciples to "watch and pray" in Matthew 26:41, highlighting the importance of spiritual alertness and readiness. Similarly, in 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Paul exhorts believers to "stay awake and be sober," drawing on the imagery of a watchman to encourage spiritual preparedness.

The role of a watchman can also be seen in the pastoral responsibilities of church leaders. Hebrews 13:17 speaks of leaders who "keep watch over your souls as those who must give an account." This reflects the watchman's duty to care for and protect the spiritual well-being of the community.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of the watchman serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual vigilance, prophetic responsibility, and pastoral care. Whether in the context of ancient Israel or the New Testament church, the watchman is a guardian, intercessor, and communicator of divine truth, charged with the solemn duty of warning, protecting, and guiding God's people.1. (n.) One set to watch; a person who keeps guard; a guard; a sentinel.

2. (n.) Specifically, one who guards a building, or the streets of a city, by night.

WATCHMAN

woch'-man (tsopheh, shomer, metsappeh, notser): Used to designate a sentinel on the city walls (2 Samuel 18:25 2 Kings 9:18 Psalm 127:1 Isaiah 62:6) or on the hilltops (Jeremiah 31:6). Songs 3:3; Songs 5:7 introduces another class, "the watchmen that go about the city," and thus, it would seem, points to some system of municipal police. 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 to besiegers from outside: Jeremiah 4:16, "watchers"), while shomer also embraces the idea of "defending" or "guarding." In Isaiah 21:6 metsappeh is to be taken generally in the sense of "watch." In Sirach 37:14 skopos, means simply "looker."

W. M. Christie

4649. skopos -- a watchman, a mark (on which to fix the eye)
... a watchman, a mark (on which to fix the eye). Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: skopos Phonetic Spelling: (skop-os') Short Definition: a goal ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4649.htm - 7k6822. tsaphah -- to look out or about, spy, keep watch
... tsaphah. 6823 . to look out or about, spy, keep watch. Transliteration: tsaphah
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-faw') Short Definition: watchman. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/6822.htm - 6k

8104. shamar -- to keep, watch, preserve
... care (1), take heed (5), take note (1), take...heed (1), waiting (1), waits (1),
watch (11), watched (1), watches (3), watching (3), watchman (4), watchmen (7 ...
/hebrew/8104.htm - 7k

4412. melunah -- a lodge, hut
... Definition: shack. Word Origin from lun Definition a lodge, hut NASB Word Usage
shack (1), watchman's hut (1). cottage, lodge. Feminine ...
/hebrew/4412.htm - 6k

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

The Watchman
... THE WATCHMAN. Watchman, what of the night?' 'The stars are out in the sky; And the
merry round moon will be rising soon, For us to go sailing by.' ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the watchman.htm

Report of the Watchman.
... CHRIST; HIS CHARACTER AND OFFICES. 200. " Report of the Watchman. 200.
7s. M. Bowring. Report of the Watchman. 1 Watchman! tell ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/200 report of the.htm

Watchman, Tell us of the Night
... II. THE CHRISTIAN YEAR Sundays after Epiphany 106. Watchman, tell us of the night.
Eight 7's [404]Watchman: Lowell Mason, 1830. [405]Watchman (arranged): ...
/.../sundays after epiphany 106 watchman.htm

M. Bowring. Advent.
... Advent. 1 Watchman! tell us of the night, What its signs of promise are; Traveller!
o'er yon mountain's height, See that glory-beaming star! Watchman! ...
/.../book of hymns for public and private devotion/102 7s m bowring advent.htm

The Morning Breaketh
... THE MORNING BREAKETH. TEXT: "Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said,
The morning cometh, and also the night.""Isaiah 21:11-12. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapman/and judas iscariot/the morning breaketh.htm

Missionary Hymns.
... Tune"Boylston. "WATCHMAN, TELL US OF THE NIGHT.". ... A few hymnals have named it
"Bowring," (and why not?) and some later ones simply "Watchman.". ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter iv missionary hymns.htm

On the Character and Teaching of the Bishop.
... great in the kingdom of God." [2615] For you bishops are to be guides and watchmen
to the people, as you yourselves have Christ for your guide and watchman. ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec ii on the character and.htm

True Christianity Defended
... 1. "When I bring the sword upon a land, saith the Lord, if the watchman blow the
trumpet, and warn the people; then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 134 true christianity defended.htm

"And Watch unto Prayer. "
... "Watch." A Christian should watch. A Christian is a watchman by office. ... What then
should his exercise and posture be? He should be a watchman. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxi and watch unto.htm

The Wail of a Broken Heart
... And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the
gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the wail of a broken.htm

Watchman (19 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. WATCHMAN. ... Multi-Version Concordance Watchman
(19 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 13:34 But Absalom went in flight. ...
/w/watchman.htm - 14k

Watchman's (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Watchman's (3 Occurrences). Job 27:18 His house has no
more strength than a spider's thread, or a watchman's tent. (BBE). ...
/w/watchman's.htm - 7k

Watch (203 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) One who watches, or those who watch; a watchman, or a body of watchmen;
a sentry; a guard. 3. (n.) The post or office of ...
/w/watch.htm - 40k

Lookout (4 Occurrences)
... with peace? Fall in behind me!" The watchman said, "The messenger came to
them, but he isn't coming back." (See NIV). 2 Chronicles ...
/l/lookout.htm - 7k

Warn (35 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 3:17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore
hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. ...
/w/warn.htm - 17k

Gardener (4 Occurrences)
... Versions of the Bible (John 20:15), the translation of kepos and ouros, "warden"
or "keeper." It is likely that the man referred to was the watchman or keeper ...
/g/gardener.htm - 8k

Watchmen (40 Occurrences)
... (n.) Plural of Watchman. ... Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that
build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. ...
/w/watchmen.htm - 19k

Warned (63 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 3:17 that there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, 'Son of man, a watchman
I have given thee to the house of Israel, and thou hast heard from My ...
/w/warned.htm - 25k

Gatekeeper (5 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 18:26 And the watchman seeth another man running, and the watchman calleth
unto the gatekeeper, and saith, 'Lo, a man running by himself;' and the ...
/g/gatekeeper.htm - 8k

Dumah (4 Occurrences)
... Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman,
what of the night?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV). ...
/d/dumah.htm - 9k

What are watchmen in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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Watchman: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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