Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

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THE PROPHET ISAIAH

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:
MESSAGE AGAINST ZION

Isaiah 22:1-3 – The Valley of Vision

IS22:1 The weighty message against the Valley of the Vision: 851 So, then, what is the matter with all of you? That you all have gone up to the roofs of your houses?
851 Valley of the Vision: Or, LXX: Valley of Zion; NJB: [footnote: valley of Gehenna]. The context points to Jerusalem.
IS22:2 O, you fortress in disturbance, 852 filled with disorder! 853 O, city triumphant! 854 The dead among you 855 are not those killed by the sword, nor those who died in battle.
852 Fortress in disturbance: Or, KJV: full of stirs; NJB: full of excitement; JPS: full of tumult; RHM: citadel in commotion; LXX: the city is filled with shouting. Jerusalem’s concern about approaching disaster.
853 Filled with disorder: NJB: boisterous town; JPS: clamorous town. Compare Isaiah 32:13.
854 City triumphant: Or, RHM: city exultant; JPS: city so gay; NJB: joyful city. There is some sarcasm in the voice.
855 Dead among you: Or, slain. Many die of famine while others escape. Note Isaiah 3:1. [Jeremiah 14:18; 38:2; Lamentations 4:9]
IS22:3 Together all your commanders 856 having escaped are now taken prisoner – everyone captured 857 without the need of bows and arrows. All of you have been captured together. They have all run far away.
856 Commanders: Or, princes, rulers, officers, leaders. The leadership escapes leaving the common folk to famine.
857 Everyone captured: Including the fleeing political, religious and military leaders. It appears much of the citizenry surrendered.

Isaiah 22:4-11 – City of David Breached

IS22:4 This is the reason I said: “Do not look at me as I weep bitter tears. 858 Do not try to comfort me because of the violent havoc 859 on the daughter of my poor people.
858 Do not look at me as I weep bitter tears: Or, KJV: look away from me; I will weep bitterly; JPS: let me be. [Isaiah 33:7; Jeremiah 9:1; Micah 1:8]
859 Violent havoc: Or, LXX: breach of; RHM: the ruin of; KJV: spoiling.
IS22:5 For [it is] a day of confusion! 860 And subjugation under foot! 861 And bewilderment! 862 [A day] of the Sovereign Lord Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies in the Valley of the Vision. Breaching of the fortress walls! 863 Crying for aid from the mountains! 864
860 Day of confusion: Or, NJB: day of rout; JPS: tumult; RHM: confusion; LXX: trouble.
861 Subjugation under foot: Or, LXX: treading down; RHM: downtreading; NJB: panic and confusion. Note Isaiah 5:5; 10:6.
862 Bewilderment: Or, Confusion, perplexity.
863 Breaching of the fortress walls: Or, RHM: undermining of walls; NJB: the wall is sapped; KJV: breaking down the walls. That is, during the coming siege. [2 Kings 25:10; Nehemiah 1:3; Lamentations 2:2]
864 Crying for aid from the mountains: Or, KJV: crying to the mountains; NJB: cries for help ring to the mountains. Compare Luke 23:30; Revelation 6:16. [Hosea 10:8]
IS22:6 Yes, Elam 865 carries bow and arrow, with columns of soldiers and horsemen. Kir 866 has exposed the shield. 867
865 Elam: See notes at Isaiah 21:2.
866 Kir: The precise name or location is uncertain though it seems related to Elam, and possibly mercenaries employed by Sennacherib. [2 Kings 16:9; Amos 9:7]
867 Exposed the shield: Or, LXX: gathering for battle; RHM: uncovered; NJB: bared his shield.
IS22:7 So it has happened that your finest valleys 868 are filled with chariots. Yes, the horsemen have marshaled before your gates.
868 Finest valleys: Or, choicest, fairest.
IS22:8 They have removed the protective screen of Judah. 869 Yes, on that day you looked to the armor of the Forest House. 870
869 Protective screen of Judah: That is, the umbrella. Or, LXX: uncover [ANACALYPSOUSI] the gates of Judah; RHM: removed the veil of; JPS: pressed beyond its screen; NJB: thus falls the defense of; KJV: discovered the covering of.
870 Looked to the armor of the Forest House: Or, KJV: house of the forest; NJB: weapons; JPS: arms. See 1 Kings 7:2 and Nehemiah 7:2.
IS22:9 You beheld all the many breaches into the City of David. 871 You collect the waters of the Lower Pool. 872
871 Breaches into the City of David: Or, LXX: uncover [ANACALYPSOUSI] the secret [CRYPTA] places of the houses of the citadel of David; JPS: took note of the many breaches. [2 Kings 25:10; Jeremiah 52:7]
872 Collect the waters of the Lower Pool: Or, KJV: gathered together. Like because of famine and water shortage during the siege. [2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:30; Nehemiah 3:15] Compare notes on John 9:7.
IS22:10 You counted all the houses of Jerusalem, breaking down the walls to strengthen the fortress. 873
873 To strengthen the fortress: Or, LXX: to fortify the wall of the city. [Nehemiah 1:3]
IS22:11 You made a reservoir between the two walls 874 to store the water from the older pool. 875 You did not think of the One who made it, 876 nor did you show any respect for Him who constructed it long ago.
874 You made a reservoir between the two walls: Or, KJV: made also a ditch between the two walls; JPS: constructed a basin.
875 Older pool: Or, ancient. Compare 2 Kings 18:17; Isaiah 7:3; 36:2.
876 The One who made it: Or, NJB: to the Creator of these things; JPS: to Him who planned it LXX: to him that made it from the beginning.

Isaiah 22:12-14 – Tomorrow We Die!

IS22:12 In that day the Sovereign Lord Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies will call for weeping, 877 and for mourning, 878 and for shaving the head, 879 and for dressing in sackcloth!
877 Weeping: See Isaiah 15:3; Joel 2:17.
878 Mourning: Or, lamenting, lamentation.
879 Shaving the head: Or, LXX: baldness [footnote: shaving]; RHM: shaving bare; JPS: tonsuring; NJB: shave your heads. That is, because of mourning. See notes on Isaiah 3:24; 15:2. [Jeremiah 48:37; Ezekiel 7:18; Amos 8:10; Micah 1:16]
IS22:13 But, look! – jubilation! 880 – the slaughter of cattle and the killing of sheep – eating meat and drinking wine – [and hearing], “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 881 [1 Corinthians 15:32]
880 Jubilation: Or, KJV: joy and gladness; NJB: joy and merriment. There is a contradiction here in the attitudes of those who would become victims of the Assyrian [or, Babylonian] siege.
881 For tomorrow we die: That is, Let us eat and drink all we have because the end of Jerusalem is near. The phrase is quoted by Paul in the context of doubting the resurrection at 1 Corinthians 15:32. See notes on Isaiah 21:5. Compare a later example before the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. [James 5:5]
IS22:14 Just so Y^eH^oW^aH revealed Himself to my ears: “For a certainty there will be no atonement to cover these sins 882 of yours until you die,” 883 said Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies.
882 No atonement to cover these sins: Or, LXX: for this sin shall not be forgiven you; RHM: propitiatory-covering put over your iniquity; JPS: never be forgiven; KJV: shall not be purged from you. See notes on Isaiah 1:11. There is a state in which no forgiveness is possible. [Hebrews 10:26] The Hebrew is KAPHAR [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #3722, cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation]. These Jews will still be resurrected on Judgment Day to receive their condemnation. For details see the Biblical Article God and Judgment.
883 Until you die: Or, NJB: until you are dead. That is, throughout your remaining lives you will receive no forgiveness. See notes on Matthew 13:35-37; Acts 17:31; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-14.

Isaiah 22:15-19 – Burial of Shebna

IS22:15 So says the Sovereign Lord Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies: “Come here and go to the steward 884 Shebna 885 who is in charge of the house.
884 Steward: Or, LXX: treasurer. See notes on 1 Corinthians 4:1, 2.
885 Shebna: Or, LXX: Somnas. An official in King Hezekiah’s court. [2 Kings 18:37; 19:2; Isaiah 36:3; 37:2]
IS22:16 Tell him, ‘What are you doing? Who is with you? That you have carved out a tomb 886 for yourself?’ For [Shebna] carves out for himself a lofty tomb, chiseling out of a rocky cliff his own dwelling.
886 Carved out a tomb: Or, LXX: hewn thyself a sepulchre; JPS: tomb. Compare Isaiah 14:18. [Matthew 27:60]
IS22:17 Behold! O mighty man, 887 Y^eH^oW^aH is ready to harshly shake you out 888 and then shut you up like closing a book. 889
887 O mighty man: Or, NJB: strong as you are.
888 Harshly shake you out: Or, RHM: hurl thee with a hurl; JPS: shake you severely; NJB: throw you away.
889 Shut you up like closing a book: Or, NJB: grasp you in his grip; JPS: wrap you around Himself; RHM: roll thee with a roll.
IS22:18 [Y^eH^oW^aH] will cast you out with a violent hurling 890 like throwing a ball with both hands in open country. 891 There you will die. There your glorious chariots will become a reproach 892 to the house of your master.
890 Cast you out with a violent hurling: Or, RHM: he will toss thee with a toss; NJB: scvrew you up into a ball; KJV: violently turn and toss thee.
891 Throwing a ball with both hands in open country: Or, KJV: a ball in a large country; NJB: a ball thrown into a vast space; RHM: like a ball into a country wide on both hands.
892 Glorious chariots will become a reproach: Or, LXX: thy fair chariot to shame; RHM: contempt; JPS: chariots bearing your body; NJB: with your splendid chariots, disgrace to your master’s house.
IS22:19 Just so I will drive you out of your office, 893 and right from your own station someone will tear you down.”
893 Drive you out of your office: Or, KJV: drive thee from thy station; NJB: hound you out of office; JPS: hurl you from your station; RHM: thrust thee out from thine office; LXX: removed from thy stewardship [OIKONOMIAS]. On the LXX Greek compare Ephesians 1:9 [OIKONOMIAN].

Isaiah 22:20-25 – Eliakim Appointed

IS22:20 “In that day it will happen that I will call for My servant Eliakim, 894 son of Hilkiah.
894 Eliakim: His name means My-God-raises. He was an official in Hezekiah’s kingdom. [Isaiah 36:11, 22; 37:1, 2; 2 Kings 18:17, 18, 26, 36, 37; 19:1, 2]
IS22:21 And I will clothe him with your linen under-garment, 895 girding him with your sash. I will place in his hand your authority. Then he will become like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the House of Judah.
895 Linen under-garment: Or, LXX: thy robe [STOLEN]; RHM: tunic. See the Greek at Revelation 7:9.
IS22:22 I will place the key of the House of David 896 on his shoulders. He will open so none can lock, and lock so none can open. [Revelation 3:7]
896 David: The phrasing is used by the Risen Master at Revelation 3:7.
IS22:23 I will hammer him like a nail 897 into a solid place. He will become a glorious throne to the house of his father.
897 Nail: Or, peg. [Ezra 9:8]
IS22:24 Then they will hang on him the whole weight of the house of his father – sprouts and twigs, small vessels of every type of cups and jars.” 898
898 Every type of cups and jars: Compare 2 Timothy 2:20.
IS22:25 In that day, Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies proclaims, “The firmly driven nail will be removed. Yes, it will be chopped off and fall. The heavy burden placed on it will be destroyed, for Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies has spoken.”

Mark Heber Miller