Isaiah 22
22
Trouble in Vision Valley
1This is a message about Vision Valley:#22.1 Vision Valley: The exact location is not known. In Hebrew the name sounds something like “Hinnom Valley,” where the people of Jerusalem sometimes offered human sacrifices to the gods of Canaan.
Why are you celebrating
on the flat roofs#22.1 flat roofs: In Palestine the houses usually had a flat roof. Stairs on the outside led up to the roof, which was made of beams and boards covered with packed earth.
of your houses?
2Your city is filled
with noisy shouts.
Those who lie drunk
in your streets
were not killed in battle.
3Your leaders ran away,
but they were captured
without a fight.
No matter how far they ran,
they were found and caught.#22.3 No matter … caught: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4Then I said, “Leave me alone!
Let me cry bitter tears.
My people have been destroyed,
so don't try to comfort me.”
5The Lord All-Powerful
had chosen a time
for noisy shouts and confusion
to fill Vision Valley,
and for everyone to beg
the mountains for help.#22.5 and for … help: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6The people of Elam and Kir#22.6 Elam and Kir: Regions in the Iranian highlands.
attacked with chariots#22.6 chariots: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
and carried shields.
7Your most beautiful valleys
were covered with chariots;
your cities were surrounded
by cavalry troops.
8Judah was left defenseless.
At that time you trusted in the weapons you had stored in Forest Palace.#22.8 Forest Palace: Built by Solomon (1 Kings 7.2) and used as a place for storing weapons. 9You saw the holes in the outer wall of Jerusalem, and you brought water from the lower pool.#22.9 the lower pool: Mentioned only here; probably in the southern part of the Central Valley (Tyropoean Valley) of Jerusalem. 10You counted the houses in Jerusalem and tore down some of them, so you could get stones to repair the city wall. 11Then you built a large tank between the walls#22.11 between the walls: Some cities had two walls with a space between them. If the enemy broke through the outer wall, the city was still protected by the inner wall. The houses that were torn down to repair the outer wall were probably squatters' huts that had been built between the two walls. to store the water. But you refused to trust the God who planned this long ago and made it happen.
A Time To Weep
12When all of this happened,
the Lord All-Powerful told you
to weep and mourn,
to shave your heads,
and wear sackcloth.
13 #
1 Co 15.32. But instead, you celebrated
by feasting on beef and lamb
and by drinking wine,
because you said,
“Let's eat and drink today!
Tomorrow we may die.”
14The Lord All-Powerful
has spoken to me
this solemn promise:
“I won't forgive them for this,
not as long as they live.”
Selfish Officials Are Doomed
15The Lord All-Powerful is sending me with this message for Shebna, the prime minister:
16Shebna, what gives you the right to have a tomb carved out of rock in this burial place of royalty? None of your relatives are buried here. 17You may be powerful, but the Lord is about to snatch you up and throw you away. 18He will roll you into a ball and throw you into a wide open country, where you will die and your chariots will be destroyed. You're a disgrace to those you serve.
19The Lord is going to take away your job! 20-21He will give your official robes and your authority to his servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.
Eliakim will be like a father to the people of Jerusalem and to the royal family of Judah. 22#Rev 3.7. The Lord will put him in charge of the key that belongs to King David's family. No one will be able to unlock what he locks, and no one will be able to lock what he unlocks. 23The Lord will make him as firm in his position as a tent peg hammered in the ground, and Eliakim will bring honor to his family.
24His children and relatives will be supported by him, like pans hanging from a peg on the wall. 25That peg is fastened firmly now, but someday it will be shaken loose and fall down. Then everything that was hanging on it will be destroyed. This is what the Lord All-Powerful has promised.
Currently Selected:
Isaiah 22: CEV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Isaiah 22
22
A Prophecy concerning Jerusalem
1A prophecy concerning the “Valley of Vision”: # 22:1 Although Isaiah frequently refers to Jerusalem as a mountain (Mount Zion), he now sees it as a valley from which nothing can be seen. See Jer. 7:31–34; 21:13. Jerusalem is both on a hill and surrounded by hills. The Valley of Vision is where Yahweh imparts revelation.
What’s happening with you?
Why have you all gone up to the rooftops?
2The whole city is in an uproar.
What’s happened to the once happy, bustling city? # 22:2 See Ps. 48:1–2.
The bodies of the slain litter your streets.
They were not slain by the sword on the battlefield
but executed.
3All your leaders have fled far away,
and those who were found were taken captive—
before they even shot a single arrow. # 22:3 Or “they were taken without their bows” or “the mighty ones among you fled away” (LXX).
4That is why I said,
“Leave me alone to weep my bitter tears.
Don’t even try to comfort me
concerning my beloved people # 22:4 Or “the young women [daughters] of my people,” a metaphor to show how Isaiah loved the people of Jerusalem. being destroyed.”
5The Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies,
has a day in store—a day of tumult, trampling,
and terror in the “Valley of Vision.” # 22:5 Or “the valley of Zion” (LXX).
It is a day when they breach the walls # 22:5 The Hebrew of this clause is uncertain. It can also be translated “the people shout.”
and the people cry out to the mountain of holiness. # 22:5 The word mountain is singular and refers to the Temple Mount, the mountain of holiness.
6The soldiers of Elam attacked with chariots and cavalry,
armed with bows and arrows.
The troops of Kir advanced with shields ready.
7Your lush valleys were full of chariots,
and the horsemen took their stand at your gates.
8He removed his protection from Judah. # 22:8 Or “He [the invading army] has taken away Judah’s covering.”
In that day, you looked for additional weapons
from the storehouse of the Forest of Lebanon. # 22:8 Or “the House of the Forest,” likely the royal armory mentioned in 1 Kings 10:17. A forest is often a metaphor for humanity. See Song. 2:3; Isa. 55:12.
9You discovered the many breaches in the City of David,
and you collected water in the lower pool. # 22:9 Possibly the Pool of Siloam.
10You inspected the houses in Jerusalem
and tore some down to fortify the wall.
11You built a reservoir # 22:11 Or “mikveh,” a pool for an immersion ritual offering repentance and consecration. Mikveh can also be translated “ditch,” perhaps suggesting Hezekiah’s tunnel. between the two walls in the city
to conserve water flowing down from the old pool,
but you gave no thought to the one who made it.
You did not trust in the one who formed it long ago!
12In that day, the Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies,
called you to repent with weeping and mourning
and to show your remorse by shaving your heads
and wearing sackcloth.
13But instead, you celebrated with joy and festivity,
slaughtering the sheep and the fatted ox, saying,
“We will feast on meat and drink much wine.
Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” # 22:13 See 1 Cor. 15:32.
14Revealed in my ears are the words of the Lord Yahweh,
Commander of Angel Armies:
“Until your dying day, certainly I will not forgive this sin.” # 22:14 See 2 Kings 24:3–4.
Denunciation of Self-Serving Officials
15This is what the Lord Yahweh, the Commander of Angel Armies, has to say:
“Go to Shebna, the treasurer # 22:15 The meaning of the Hebrew word sōḵēn (a hapax legomenon) is uncertain, although most scholars view it as a word for a high government official in Hezekiah’s court, like a comptroller or perhaps a treasurer. In 2 Kings 18:18 Shebna is mentioned as the king’s scribe or secretary. The name Shebna means “one who rests himself” or “one who is captive.” Shebna becomes a picture of the Adam-life (the spirit of anti-Christ) that seeks self-promotion. But God will replace our “Shebna” with Eliakim (the Christ-life within us; see v. 20). This principle of replacement is found throughout the Scriptures (Isaac for Ishmael, David for Saul, Esther for Vashti, Samuel for Eli, Matthias for Judas, etc.). of the palace, and say to him, 16‘What right do you have to be here, and who gave you permission? And why do you chisel out a tomb for yourself here, carving out your royal burial place, a dwelling place in the rock? # 22:16 This elevated cliff may have been on the other side of the Kidron Valley, where the village of Silwan is now situated. Many rock-cut tombs have been discovered there. It appears that Shebna hewing out his tomb on a cliff was a gross display of self-promotion. 17Watch out, O strong man, for the Lord is about to seize you and hurl you down. 18He will sling you around and around # 22:18 Or “I will wind you up over and over like a headdress [turban].” and throw you like a ball into a distant, barren land. There you will die, and all your splendid chariots will lie there in the dust. You are a disgrace to your master’s house! 19I will kick you out of office and pull you down from your high position!’
20“On that day, I will appoint my servant Eliakim, # 22:20 Eliakim means “raised up by God.” He is a picture of the Lord Jesus, who was raised up by the power of God to rule over God’s house. It is possible that Eliakim was the high priest. The Hebrew text uses priestly terms for his clothing and sash. See Rev. 1:13. son of Hilkiah, # 22:20 There was a high priest named Hilkiah who could be the Hilkiah mentioned here as father of Eliakim. Hilkiah means “my portion is Yahweh.” See 2 Kings 22:4. to take your place. 21I will honor him by clothing him with your robe and binding your priestly sash upon him. I will transfer your authority into his hands, and he will be a father # 22:21 As a father, Eliakim (Jesus) cares for, provides for, and loves his people. See Isa. 9:6–7. to those living in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. 22I will place upon his shoulders the key to the treasures of David’s palace. He will open doors that no one can shut, and he will shut doors that no one can open. # 22:22 See Rev. 3:7. Eliakim (a picture of Jesus) was to have unlimited control. The doors he would open were doors of revelation, treasures, favor, and opportunity. When he would close those doors, no amount of human striving could open them. 23I will strike a blow to him as a nail # 22:23 The Hebrew word yathed can be translated as either “peg” or “nail.” in a secure # 22:23 The Hebrew word ʾaman is most frequently translated “believe.” It is also a form of our word amen. God fastened Jesus on the cross, the sinner’s place of security, so that we would believe in him. place, and he will be a glorious throne of honor for his father’s house. # 22:23 We are now seated with Christ as part of his Father’s house (sons and daughters). See Eph. 2:6; Rev. 3:21. 24All the glory of his father’s house they will fasten to him, including offspring and branches that will trust in him. # 22:24 Or “leaves” or “everyone small or great” (LXX). The Hebrew is uncertain. Every vessel, jar, and bowl, both small and great, will be fastened to him.
25“And in that day,” declares the Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, “the nail fastened in a secure place will give way and be cut off and fall. And all the load hanging on it will fall off.” The Lord Yahweh has spoken. # 22:25 That is, the Lord has decreed that even Eliakim’s authority and prominence will one day be cut off. Human authority is always temporary.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion Translation