Isaiah 22:9

9 And ye saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many; and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool;

Isaiah 22:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 22:9

Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that
they are many
Not Jerusalem in general, but that part of it which was called the stronghold of Zion, and in particular had the name of the city of David, ( 2 Samuel 5:7 ) the fortifications of which, in times of peace, had gone to decay; and which they had seen before, but took no notice of, being in safety; but now besieged, and in great danger, they looked upon them in good earnest, in order to repair them, and secure themselves from the irruption of the enemy; for this is not to be understood of breaches now made by the Assyrian army, but of old ones, which had lain neglected; see ( 2 Chronicles 32:5 ) : and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool:
not to make mortar with, to be used in repairing the breaches, as Kimchi; but either that they might be as a wall round about the place, as Aben Ezra; or rather to deprive the enemy of them, and cut off all communications from him, and to supply the inhabitants of the city with them; see ( 2 Chronicles 32:3 2 Chronicles 32:4 ) . The Septuagint version is, "and he turned the water of the old pool into the city": but the old pool was another pool hereafter mentioned, and was without the city, the same with the upper pool; whereas this was the lower, and was in the city. The Targum is,

``and ye gathered the people to the waters of the lower pool.''

Isaiah 22:9 In-Context

7 And it came to pass, that thy choicest valleys were full of chariots, and the horsemen set themselves in array at the gate.

8 And he took away the covering of Judah; and thou didst look in that day to the armor in the house of the forest.

9 And ye saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many; and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool;

10 and ye numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and ye brake down the houses to fortify the wall;

11 ye made also a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But ye looked not unto him that had done this, neither had ye respect unto him that purposed it long ago.