Isaiah 22

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 22

1¶ The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?

2Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain [men are] not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

3All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, [which] have fled from far.

4Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.

5For [it is] a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

6And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men [and] horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.

7And it shall come to pass, [that] thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8¶ And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

9Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.

10And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.

11Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

12And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

13And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

14And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

15¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, [even] unto Shebna, which [is] over the house, [and say],

16What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, [as] he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, [and] that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

17Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.

18He will surely violently turn and toss thee [like] a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory [shall be] the shame of thy lord's house.

19And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

20And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:

21And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

22And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

23And I will fasten him [as] a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.

24And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

25In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that [was] upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken [it].

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Isaiah 22 pronounces a "burden" upon Jerusalem, the "valley of vision," detailing its impending destruction and the people's misplaced trust in fortifications rather than God. Despite a divine call to repentance and mourning, the inhabitants indulge in revelry, leading to an unpurgable iniquity. The chapter also foretells the downfall of Shebna, the proud treasurer, who will be exiled and replaced by Eliakim, a faithful servant granted significant authority.

Medium Summary

The "burden of the valley of vision" describes Jerusalem in a state of turmoil, facing an imminent siege where its leaders flee and its people are consumed by a false joy. The prophet laments this "day of trouble" from the Lord, as the city's inhabitants desperately fortify walls and gather water, yet fail to acknowledge God, their true Maker. Instead of heeding the divine call to weeping and mourning, they choose revelry, declaring, "let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die," for which their iniquity is deemed unpurgable. A specific prophecy condemns Shebna, the proud treasurer, for his self-aggrandizement, foretelling his violent exile and removal from office. In his stead, Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, is appointed with the "key of the house of David," signifying great authority and responsibility as a "father" to Jerusalem, though even his secure position is ultimately subject to divine removal.

Long Summary

Isaiah 22 opens with a "burden" concerning Jerusalem, referred to as the "valley of vision," portraying a city in a state of confusion and false celebration despite impending calamity. The prophet expresses profound sorrow over the "spoiling of the daughter of my people," recognizing the day as one of trouble and perplexity from the Lord GOD of hosts, with foreign forces like Elam and Kir preparing for an attack. The chapter details the city's frantic defensive measures: inspecting armories, repairing breaches, breaking down houses to fortify walls, and creating a new water ditch. However, these efforts are condemned because the people neglect to "look unto the maker thereof," failing to trust in God. Instead of responding to God's call for weeping, mourning, and sackcloth, the inhabitants indulge in feasting and drinking, adopting a fatalistic motto: "let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die." For this unrepentant iniquity, the Lord declares it shall not be purged from them until they die. The prophecy then shifts to Shebna, the treasurer, who is condemned for his pride in hewing out an elaborate sepulchre for himself. The Lord promises to violently carry Shebna away into a "mighty captivity," tossing him like a ball into a distant land where he will die, bringing shame upon his lord's house, and removing him from his position. In contrast, the Lord announces the appointment of "my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah," who will be clothed with Shebna's robes and entrusted with his authority, becoming a "father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Eliakim will receive the "key of the house of David," symbolizing supreme power to open and shut, and will be fastened "as a nail in a sure place," supporting his father's house. Yet, the chapter concludes with a final pronouncement that even this "nail that is fastened in the sure place shall be removed, and be cut down, and fall," indicating the ultimate transience of all human authority before the Lord.

Core Concepts

  • Valley of VisionJerusalem, a city destined for divine judgment despite being a place of revelation, characterized by its people's misplaced joy amidst impending doom.
  • Misplaced Trust in FortificationsThe inhabitants' desperate efforts to strengthen city walls and secure water, while neglecting to trust in God, the true "maker thereof."
  • Rejection of RepentanceThe people's choice to indulge in feasting and revelry, adopting a fatalistic attitude, rather than heeding the Lord's call to weeping and mourning.
  • Irreversible Divine JudgmentThe Lord's declaration that the iniquity of the people, particularly their unrepentant revelry, will not be purged until they die.
  • Shebna's Pride and DownfallThe treasurer's self-aggrandizing act of preparing a grand sepulchre, leading to his prophesied violent exile and removal from his high office.
  • Eliakim's Appointed AuthorityGod's selection of Eliakim to replace Shebna, granting him the "key of the house of David" and significant governmental power as a faithful servant.
  • Transience of Human AuthorityThe concluding prophecy that even Eliakim, though a "nail in a sure place," will eventually be removed, underscoring that all human power is ultimately subject to the Lord's will.