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 ( :-). read more
8. he discovered the covering—rather, "the veil of Judah shall be taken off" [HORSLEY]: figuratively for, exposing to shame as a captive (Isaiah 47:3; Nahum 3:5). Sennacherib dismantled all "the defensed cities of Judah" (Nahum 3:5- :). 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 (1 Kings 7:2; 1 Kings 10:17; Nehemiah 3:19). Isaiah says (Isaiah 22:8-13) his countrymen... read more
9. Ye have seen—rather, "Ye shall see." city of David—the upper city, on Zion, the south side of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7; 2 Samuel 5:9; 1 Kings 8:1); surrounded by a wall of its own; but even in it there shall be "breaches." Hezekiah's preparations for defense accord with this (2 Chronicles 32:5). ye gathered—rather, "ye shall gather." lower pool—(See on 2 Chronicles 32:5- :). Ye shall bring together into the city by subterranean passages cut in the rock of Zion, the fountain from which the... read more
10. numbered—rather, "ye shall number," namely, in order to see which of them may be pulled down with the least loss to the city, and with most advantage for the repair of the walls and rearing of towers ( :-). have ye broken down—rather, "ye shall break down." read more
11. Ye made . . . a ditch—rather, "Ye shall make a reservoir" for receiving the water. Hezekiah surrounded Siloah, from which the old (or king's, or upper) pool took its rise, with a wall joined to the wall of Zion on both sides; between these two walls he made a new pool, into which he directed the waters of the former, thus cutting off the foe from his supply of water also. The opening from which the upper pool received its water was nearer Zion than the other from which the lower pool took... read more
12. did the Lord God call—Usually the priests gave the summons to national mourning ( :-); now JEHOVAH Himself shall give it; the "call" shall consist in the presence of a terrible foe. Translate, "shall call." baldness—emblem of grief (Job 1:20; Micah 1:16). read more
13. Notwithstanding Jehovah's "call to mourning" ( :-), many shall make the desperate state of affairs a reason for reckless revelry (Isaiah 5:11; Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 5:14; Jeremiah 18:12; 1 Corinthians 15:32). 1 Corinthians 15:32- :. PROPHECY THAT SHEBNA SHOULD BE DEPOSED FROM BEING PREFECT OF THE PALACE, AND ELIAKIM PROMOTED TO THE OFFICE. In Isaiah 36:3; Isaiah 36:22; Isaiah 37:2, we find Shebna "a scribe," and no longer prefect of the palace ("over the household"), and Eliakim in that... read more
15. Go, get thee unto—rather, "Go in to" (that is, into the house to). treasurer—"him who dwells in the tabernacle" [JEROME]; namely, in a room of the temple set apart for the treasurer. Rather, "the king's friend," or "principal officer of the court" (1 Kings 4:5; 1 Kings 18:3; 1 Chronicles 27:33, "the king's counsellor") [MAURER]. "This" is prefixed contemptuously (1 Chronicles 27:33- :). unto Shebna—The Hebrew for "unto" indicates an accosting of Shebna with an unwelcome message. read more
16. What . . . whom—The prophet accosts Shebna at the very place where he was building a grand sepulcher for himself and his family (compare Isaiah 14:18; Genesis 23:1-20; Genesis 49:29; Genesis 50:13). "What (business) hast thou here, and whom hast thou (of thy family, who is likely to be buried) here, that thou buildest," &c., seeing that thou art soon to be deposed from office and carried into captivity? [MAURER]. on high—Sepulchres were made in the highest rocks (Genesis 50:13- :,... read more
Get a Bible verse delivered to your inbox every day!
Read on Mobile
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 22:6
6. Elam—the country stretching east from the Lower Tigris, answering to what was afterwards called Persia (see on Isaiah 22:2). Later, Elam was a province of Persia (Isaiah 22:2- :). In Sennacherib's time, Elam was subject to Assyria (Isaiah 22:2- :), and so furnished a contingent to its invading armies. Famed for the bow (Isaiah 13:18; Jeremiah 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.... read more