Bible Commentaries

Isa 22:1-14.

PROPHECY AS TO AN ATTACK ON JERUSALEM.

That by Sennacherib, in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah;

Isa 22:8-11,

the preparations for defense and securing of water exactly answer to those in

2Ch 32:4, 5, 30.

"Shebna," too

(Isa 22:15),

was scribe at this time

(Isa 36:3)

[MAURER]. The language of

Isa 22:12-14,

as to the infidelity and consequent utter ruin of the Jews, seems rather to foreshadow the destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in Zedekiah's reign, and cannot be restricted to Hezekiah's time [LOWTH].

1. of . . . valley of vision--rather, "respecting the valley of visions"; namely, Jerusalem, the seat of divine revelations and visions, "the nursery of prophets" [JEROME],

(Isa 2:3; 29:1; Eze 23:4,

Margin;

Lu 13:33).

It lay in a "valley" surrounded by hills higher than Zion and Moriah

(Ps 125:2; Jer 21:13).

thee--the people of Jerusalem personified.

housetops--Panic-struck, they went up on the flat balustraded roofs to look forth and see whether the enemy was near, and partly to defend themselves from the roofs

(Jud 9:51,

&c.).

2. art--rather, "wert"; for it could not now be said to be "a joyous city"

(Isa 32:13).

The cause of their joy

(Isa 22:13)

may have been because Sennacherib had accepted Hezekiah's offer to renew the payment of tribute, and they were glad to have peace on any terms, however humiliating

(2Ki 18:14-16),

or on account of the alliance with Egypt. If the reference be to Zedekiah's time, the joy and feasting are not inapplicable, for this recklessness was a general characteristic of the unbelieving Jews

(Isa 56:12).

not slain with the sword--but with the famine and pestilence about to be caused by the coming siege

(La 4:9).

MAURER refers this to the plague by which he thinks Sennacherib's army was destroyed, and Hezekiah was made sick

(Isa 37:36; 38:1).

But there is no authority for supposing that the Jews in the city suffered such extremities of plague at this time, when God destroyed their foes. BARNES refers it to those slain in flight, not in open honorable "battle";

Isa 22:3

favors this.

3. rulers--rather, "generals"

(Jos 10:24; Jud 11:6, 11).

bound--rather, "are taken."

by the archers--literally, "by the bow"; so

Isa 21:17.

Bowmen were the light troops, whose province it was to skirmish in front and

(2Ki 6:22)

pursue fugitives

(2Ki 25:5);

this verse applies better to the attack of Nebuchadnezzar than that of Sennacherib.

all . . . in thee--all found in the city

(Isa 13:15),

not merely the "rulers" or generals.

fled from far--those who had fled from distant parts to Jerusalem as a place of safety; rather, fled afar.

4. Look . . . from me--Deep grief seeks to be alone; while others feast joyously, Isaiah mourns in prospect of the disaster coming on Jerusalem

(Mic 1:8, 9).

daughter, &c.--(see on

Isa 1:8;

La 2:11).

5. trouble . . . by the Lord--that is, sent by or from the Lord (see on

Isa 19:15;

Lu 21:22-24).

valley of vision--(See on

Isa 22:1).

Some think a valley near Ophel is meant as about to be the scene of devastation (compare see on

Isa 32:13,14).

breaking . . . walls--that is, "a day of breaking the walls" of the city.

crying to the mountains--the mournful cry of the townsmen "reaches" to (MAURER translates, towards) the mountains, and is echoed back by them. JOSEPHUS describes in the very same language the scene at the assault of Jerusalem under Titus. To this the prophecy, probably, refers ultimately. If, as some think, the "cry" is that of those escaping to the mountains, compare

Mt 13:14; 24:16,

with this.

6. Elam--the country stretching east from the Lower Tigris, answering to what was afterwards called Persia (see on

Isa 21:2).

Later, Elam was a province of Persia

(Ezr 4:9).

In Sennacherib's time, Elam was subject to Assyria

(2Ki 18:11),

and so furnished a contingent to its invading armies. Famed for the bow

(Isa 13:18; Jer 49:35),

in which the Ethiopians alone excelled them.

with chariots of men and horsemen--that is, they used the bow both in chariots and on horseback. "Chariots of men," that is, chariots in which men are borne, war chariots (compare see on

Isa 21:7;

Isa 21:9).

Kir--another people subject to Assyria

(2Ki 16:9);

the region about the river Kur, between the Caspian and Black Seas.

uncovered--took off for the battle the leather covering of the shield, intended to protect the embossed figures on it from dust or injury during the march. "The quiver" and "the shield" express two classes--light and heavy armed troops.

7. valleys--east, north, and south of Jerusalem: Hinnom on the south side was the richest valley.

in array at the gate--Rab-shakeh stood at the upper pool close to the city

(Isa 36:11-13).

8. he discovered the covering--rather, "the veil of Judah shall be taken off" [HORSLEY]: figuratively for, exposing to shame as a captive

(Isa 47:3; Na 3:5).

Sennacherib dismantled all "the defensed cities of Judah"

(Isa 36:1).

thou didst look--rather, "thou shalt look."

house of . . . forest--The house of armory built of cedar from the forest of Lebanon by Solomon, on a slope of Zion called Ophel

(1Ki 7:2; 10:17; Ne 3:19).

Isaiah says

(Isa 22:8-13)

his countrymen will look to their own strength to defend themselves, while others of them will drown their sorrows as to their country in feasting, but none will look to Jehovah.