Ye made also a ditch ; rather, a lake , or reservoir (see the comment on Isaiah 22:9 ). But ye have not looked unto the maker thereof; i.e. you have not looked to God, who in his eternal counsels foreknew and decreed all the steps that you are taking for your defense (see below, Isaiah 37:26 ). read more
Ye have seen also the breaches - You who are inhabitants of the city. That such breaches were actually made, see 2 Chronicles 32:5.Of the city of David - Of Jerusalem, so called because it was the royal residence of David. Zion was usually called the city of David, but the name was given also to the entire city.And ye gathered together ... - That is, Hezekiah and the people of the city collected those waters.Of the lower pool - (For a description of the upper and lower pool, see the notes at... read more
And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem - That is, you have taken an estimate of their number so as to ascertain how many can be spared to be pulled down to repair the walls; or you have made an estimate of the amount of materials for repairing the walls, which would be furnished by pulling down the houses in Jerusalem.To fortify the wall - The houses in Jerusalem were built of stone, and therefore they would furnish appropriate materials for repairing the walls of the city. In 2... read more
Ye made also a ditch - That is, they made a “reservoir” to retain the water. The word ‘ditch,’ however, will well describe the character of the pool of Gihon on the west side of the city (see the notes at Isaiah 7:3).Between the two walls for the water of the old pool - Hezekiah built one of these walls himself (2 Chronicles 32:5, 2 Chronicles 32:30; compare 2 Kings 25:5, and Jeremiah 39:4). Between these two walls the water would be collected so as to be accessible to the inhabitants of the... read more
Isaiah 22:8-11. And he Namely, the enemy Sennacherib, of whose invasion he seems to speak; discovered the covering of Judah Took those fenced cities which were a covering or safeguard, both to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem. Thou didst look Or, rather, as Dr. Waterland and Bishop Lowth render it, Thou shalt, or wilt look, &c. For the prophet is evidently predicting an invasion which was future, and the behaviour of the Jews on that occasion. He is showing beforehand some... read more
Jerusalem besieged (22:1-25)In Judah, the land where the prophet had his visions of judgment on other nations, he recalls one of God’s judgments on Judah, namely, the Assyrians’ siege of Jerusalem. On that occasion the city was saved only through the faith of Hezekiah and Isaiah (2 Kings 18:13-19:37).Ignoring the gracious intervention of God that had miraculously saved them, the people celebrate as if they had won the victory themselves. Isaiah is disgusted at the light-hearted attitude of the... read more
have seen = beheld. the lower pool. The pool of Siloam. Compare Isa 7:3 ; 2 Chronicles 32:30 . The old pool. See notes on 2 Chronicles 32:3 , 2 Chronicles 32:30 , and App-68 . read more
ditch = a gathering of waters. read more
Isaiah 22:8-11. And thou didst look in that day, &c.— Or, And thou shalt look, &c. The verbs may be rendered throughout in the future. The third member of the former part contains the causes of these judgments; namely, the crimes and vices of the people; and, in these verses, their inconsideration and want of faith. This passage is best explained by the history, 2 Chronicles 32:2; 2 Chronicles 32:33. Whence we learn, that the prince and the people were rather solicitous to seek for... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 22:10
Ye have numbered … have broken down ; rather, ye numbered … ye broke down . The "numbering" was probably in order to see how many could be spared for pulling down. The repair of the walls with materials thus furnished was a sign of extreme haste and urgency. It would seem from Isaiah 22:7 , Isaiah 22:8 that the repairs were not begun until the town was invested. read more