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Journey of a Passage

Isaiah 21:8–9

A lion or the seer? "Babylon is fallen, is fallen"

"And he cried, A lion" (KJV, Masoretic aryeh). The Great Isaiah Scroll reads "and the seer (ha-ro'eh) cried," which most modern translations follow; the library's Greek reads "call Uriah," apparently another reading of the same letters. Then the watchman's report: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen," taken up in Revelation 14:8 and 18:2.

Manuscript variant: witnesses differ in wording

The family tree

Each row is a language or text tradition. Witnesses in the same row may share ancestry, revise one another, or have an uncertain relationship; the line under each box says which. A solid arrow appears only where direct copying or a documented revised edition is established. Order by date never implies copying. Scroll sideways on a phone.

✓ contains it · ✕ does not · ❝ quotes part of it · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives

  • Same line, through lost copies
  • Translation
  • Uncertain connection
Hebrew
  1. The oracle as first spoken or written8th–6th century BC (by section; debated)
  2. Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a), Qumran Cave 1c. 125 BC (palaeography; reported)Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
  3. 4QIsa-a (4Q55), Qumran Cave 41st century BC (reported)Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
  4. Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)AD 1008Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
Greek
  1. Greek Isaiah (library: Giguet's French)Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872Translated from the Old Greek Isaiah
Latin
  1. Latin Vulgate (Clementine)Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592Translated from the Hebrew text Jerome used
English
  1. King James Bible1611Translated from printed Masoretic Hebrew
New Testament quotation
  1. Revelation 14:8 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)1st century AD; edition 2010sUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)
  2. Revelation 18:2 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)1st century AD; edition 2010sUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

Every witness, in order

  1. 8th–6th century BC (by section; debated)

    The oracle as first spoken or written

    – No copy survives

    No original survives. The oldest copies of Isaiah are the Qumran scrolls: the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a, about 125 BC, nearly complete), 1QIsa-b (1Q8) and some twenty other fragmentary manuscripts.

  2. c. 125 BC (palaeography; reported)

    Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a), Qumran Cave 1

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

    And the seer cried: On the watchtower, my lord, I stand continually by day

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 21:8–9. Reads ha-ro'eh, "the seer," where the Masoretic Text has aryeh, "a lion": the same letters in a different order, with he for yod. Otherwise the differences are of spelling (fuller use of vowel letters) and small grammatical forms.

  3. 1st century BC (reported)

    4QIsa-a (4Q55), Qumran Cave 4

    ◐ Contains part of itDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 21:8–9. A fragmentary copy: only parts of these verses survive, and in the transcription much of the passage is restored by the editors. At the disputed word the transcription restores the Masoretic "lion," so this copy cannot decide it.

  4. 1st century AD; edition 2010s

    Revelation 14:8 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)

    ✓ Contains this passageUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: the Greek New Testament editions in the library (Textus Receptus, Byzantine Textform, Statistical Restoration).

    ¶Καὶ ἄλλος δεύτερος ἄγγελος ἠκολούθησεν λέγων, “Ἔπεσεν, ἔπεσεν Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη, ἣ ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς, πεπότικεν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη.”

    Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who made all nations drink the wine of the wrath of her immorality

    Revelation's reuse; an angel speaks. KJV: "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

  5. 1st century AD; edition 2010s

    Revelation 18:2 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)

    ✓ Contains this passageUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: the Greek New Testament editions in the library (Textus Receptus, Byzantine Textform, Statistical Restoration).

    Καὶ ἔκραξεν ἐν ἰσχυρᾷ φωνῇ λέγων, “Ἔπεσεν, ἔπεσεν Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη! Καὶ ἐγένετο κατοικητήριον δαιμονίων, καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ μεμισημένου.

    Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and has become a dwelling of demons

    Joined with the haunted-ruin image of Isaiah 13:21 and Jeremiah 51. KJV: "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."

  6. Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592

    Latin Vulgate (Clementine)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Hebrew text Jerome used

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

    Et clamavit leo: Super speculam Domini ego sum, stans jugiter per diem; et super custodiam meam ego sum, stans totis noctibus. Ecce iste venit ascensor vir bigæ equitum; et respondit, et dixit: Cecidit, cecidit Babylon, et omnia sculptilia deorum ejus contrita sunt in terram.

    Latin numbering: Isaiah 21:8–9. Jerome translated Isaiah from Hebrew (c. AD 400).

  7. AD 1008

    Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

    וַיִּקְרָ֖א אַרְיֵ֑ה עַל־מִצְפֶּ֣ה ׀ אֲדֹנָ֗י אָנֹכִ֞י עֹמֵ֤ד תָּמִיד֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְעַל־מִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב כָּל־הַלֵּילֽוֹת׃ וְהִנֵּה־זֶ֥ה בָא֙ רֶ֣כֶב אִ֔ישׁ צֶ֖מֶד פָּֽרָשִׁ֑ים וַיַּ֣עַן וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָפְלָ֤ה נָֽפְלָה֙ בָּבֶ֔ל וְכָל־פְּסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹהֶ֖יהָ שִׁבַּ֥ר לָאָֽרֶץ׃

    And he cried, "A lion!" (or: like a lion) On the watchtower, my lord, I stand continually by day (v. 8)

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 21:8–9.

  8. 1611

    King James Bible

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

    And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

  9. Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872

    Greek Isaiah (library: Giguet's French)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Old Greek Isaiah

    How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

    Et appelle Urie au lieu d’observation. Ainsi dit le Seigneur. Et moi je me tins debout tout le jour, et je surveillai le camp toute la nuit. Et voilà que vint à moi un homme sur un char à deux chevaux. Et, répondant à ma demande, il dit: Elle est tombée, elle est tombée, Babylone; et toutes ses statues et toutes les œuvres de ses mains sont brisées contre terre.

    Greek (digital file) numbering: Isaiah 21:8–9. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only); a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Isaiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.

What changed, and why

Classification: manuscript variant (אריה / הראה); Greek = a third reading; Revelation = later reuse in a new setting.

The Vulgate follows the Masoretic "lion" (clamavit leo).

4QIsa-a is restored at the disputed word in the transcription and cannot decide it.

What the evidence shows

  • Independently documented1QIsa-a reads "the seer" in 21:8. Transcription.
  • Independently documentedRevelation 14:8 and 18:2 reuse "Babylon is fallen, is fallen."

Sources

    Related lessons

    • Isaiah 21: Watchman, What of the Night? →"The burden of the desert of the sea": a harsh vision of Elam and Media attacking; the prophet doubles over in pain (21:1–4). A feast is set while a watchman is posted; riders come, and the cry goes up: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground" (vv. 5–10). From Seir someone calls, "Watchman, what of the night?" and the watchman answers, "The morning cometh, and also the night" (vv. 11–12). Arabian caravans of Dedan flee; Tema brings water to fugitives; within a year Kedar's glory will fail (vv. 13–17).
    • Investigation: The Great Isaiah Scroll →Found in a cave near the Dead Sea in 1947, the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a) is the only complete book of the Hebrew Bible among the Dead Sea Scrolls, about a thousand years older than the medieval codices behind printed Hebrew Bibles. It agrees with the Masoretic Text in most of its words and differs in thousands of small ways: spelling, grammar, scribal slips, corrections, and a few real variants. This investigation explains what the scroll is, how its differences are classified, and which ones matter.