This chapter is made up of “two” prophecies, one comprising the first fourteen verses, and addressed to the city of Jerusalem; and the other Isaiah 22:15 relating to the fall of Shebna, the prefect of the palace, and to the promotion of Eliakim in his place. They may have been delivered nearly at th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN - (see the note at Isaiah 13:1). “The valley” גיא _gay'_. Septuagint, Φάραγγος _Pharangos_ - ‘Valley.’ Chaldee, ‘The burden of the prophecy respecting the city which dwells (that is, is built) in the valley, which the prophets have prophesied concerning it.’ There can be no doubt that Je... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU THAT ART FULL OF STIRS - Of tumult, of commotion, of alarm. Or, perhaps, this whole description may mean that it was formerly a city distinguished for the hum of business, or for pleasure; a busy, active, enterprising city. The Hebrew will bear this, but I prefer the former interpretation, as i... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THY RULERS ARE FLED TOGETHER - The general idea in this verse is plain. It is designed to describe the consternation which would take place on the approach of the invader, and especially the timidity and flight of those on whom the city relied for protection and defense. Hence, instead of enteri... [ Continue Reading ]
LOOK AWAY FROM ME - Do not look upon me - an indication of deep grief, for sorrow seeks to be alone, and grief avoids publicity and exposure. I WILL WEEP BITTERLY - Hebrew, ‘I will be bitter in weeping.’ Thus we speak of “bitter” sorrow, indicating excessive grief (see the note at Isaiah 15:5; compa... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS A DAY OF TROUBLE AND OF TREADING DOWN - When our enemies trample on everything sacred and dear to us, and endanger all our best interests (see Psalms 44:6; Luke 21:24). AND OF PERPLEXITY - In which we know not what to do. We are embarrassed, and know not where to look for relief. BY THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELAM - The southern part of Persia, perhaps used here to denote Persia in general (see the note at Isaiah 21:2). Elam, or Persia, was at this time subject to Assyria, and their forces were united doubtless in the invasion of Judea. BARE THE QUIVER - A ‘quiver’ is a case in which arrows are carri... [ Continue Reading ]
THY CHOICEST VALLEYS - Hebrew, ‘The choice of thy galleys;’ meaning the most fertile and most valued lands in the vicinity of the city. The rich and fertile vales around Jerusalem would be occupied by the armies of the Assyrian monarch. What occurs in this verse and the following verses to Isaiah 22... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE DISCOVERED - Hebrew, ויגל _vay__e__gal_ - ‘He made naked, or bare.’ The expression, ‘He discovered,’ means simply that it “was” uncovered, without designating the agent. THE COVERING OF JUDAH - The word used here (מסך _mâsak_) denotes properly “a covering,” and is applied to the “curtain” or... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE SEEN ALSO THE BREACHES - You who are inhabitants of the city. That such breaches were actually made, see 2 Chronicles 32:5. OF THE CITY OF DAVID - Of Jerusalem, so called because it was the royal residence of David. Zion was usually called the city of David, but the name was given also to t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE HAVE NUMBERED THE HOUSES OF JERUSALEM - That is, you have taken an estimate of their number so as to ascertain how many can be spared to be pulled down to repair the walls; or you have made an estimate of the amount of materials for repairing the walls, which would be furnished by pulling dow... [ Continue Reading ]
YE MADE ALSO A DITCH - That is, they made a “reservoir” to retain the water. The word ‘ditch,’ however, will well describe the character of the pool of Gihon on the west side of the city (see the notes at Isaiah 7:3). BETWEEN THE TWO WALLS FOR THE WATER OF THE OLD POOL - Hezekiah built one of these... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THAT DAY - In the invasion of Sennacherib. It might be rendered, ‘And the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, on such a day calls to weeping;’ intimating that in such a time it was a general truth that God required those who were thus afflicted to weep, and fast, and pray. CALL TO WEEPING - That is, by h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BEHOLD ... - When they ought to give themselves to fasting and prayer, they gave themselves up to revelry and riot. LET US EAT AND DRINK - Saying, Let us eat and drink. That is, it is inevitable that we must soon die. The army of the Assyrian is approaching, and the city cannot stand against him... [ Continue Reading ]
IT WAS REVEALED IN MINE EARS, SURELY THIS INIQUITY SHALL NOT BE PURGED FROM YOU UNTIL YE DIE - That is, the sin is so aggravated that it shall never be expiated or pardoned. Few sins can be more aggravated than revelry and riot, thoughtlessness and mirth over the grave. Nothing can show a more decid... [ Continue Reading ]
ANALYSIS OF Isaiah 22:15. - VISION 20. The remainder of this chapter Isaiah 22:15 is occupied with a prediction respecting Shebna, and the promotion of Eliakim in his place. From the prophecy itself it appears that Shebna was prefect of the palace Isaiah 22:15, or that he was in the highest authorit... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT HAST THOU HERE? - This verse contains a severe repoof of the pride and ostentation of Shebna, and of his expectation that he would be buried where be had built his own tomb. It also contains an “implied” declaration that he would not be permitted to lie there, but would be removed to a distant... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE LORD WILL CARRY THEE AWAY - Of the historical fact here referred to we have no other information. To what place he was to be carried, we know not. It is probable, however, that it was to Assyria. WITH A MIGHTY CAPTIVITY - Hebrew, גבר _geber_ - ‘Of a man,’ or perhaps, ‘O man.’ If it means... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL SURELY VIOLENTLY TURN - Lowth has well expressed the sense of this: He will whirl thee round and round, and cast thee away. Thus it refers to the action of throwing a stone with a “sling,” when the sling is whirled round and round several times before the string is let go, in order to incr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FROM THY STATE - From thy office; thy place of trust and responsibility. SHALL HE PULL THEE DOWN - That is, “God” shall do it. The prophet here uses the third person instead of the first. Such a change of person is very common in the writings of the prophets (see Stuart’s “Heb. Gram.” 563-565,... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SERVANT ELIAKIM - A man who will be faithful to me; who will be trustworthy, and to whom the interests of the city may be safely confided; a man who will not seek to betray it into the hands of the enemy. Of Eliakim we know nothing more than what is stated here, and in Isaiah 36. From that accoun... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL CLOTHE HIM WITH THY ROBE - He shall succeed thee in the office, and wear the garments which are appropriate to it. AND STRENGTHEN HIM WITH THY GIRDLE - That is, he shall wear the same girdle that thou didst (see the note at Isaiah 3:24). In that girdle was usually the purse, and to it wa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KEY - A key is that by which a house is locked or opened. To possess that is, therefore, to have free access to it, or control over it. Thus we give possession of a house by giving the “key” into the hands of a purchaser, implying that it is his; that he has free access to it; that he can cl... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL FASTEN HIM AS A NAIL IN A SURE PLACE - The word ‘nail’ here (יתד _yâtēd_) means properly a peg, pin, or spike; and is applied often to the pins or large spikes which were used to drive into the ground to fasten the cords of tents. It is also applied to the nails or spikes which are driv... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL HANG UPON HIM - This figure is a continuation of that commenced in the previous verse; and is derived from the custom of “hanging” clothes or ornaments on the spikes that were fixed in the walls; and, perhaps, more particularly from the custom of suspending shields, swords, suits of a... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY SHALL THE NAIL - Not Eliakim, but Shebna. Eliakim was to be fastened, that is, confirmed in office. But Shebna was to be removed. THAT IS FASTENED IN THE SURE PLACE - Or, that was once fastened, or was supposed to be fastened - a phrase appropriate to an office which the incumbent suppo... [ Continue Reading ]