Isaiah 22:21

21 and I will clothe him [with] your tunic, and I will bind your sash firmly about him, and I will put your authority into his hand, and he shall be like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

Isaiah 22:21 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 22:21

And I will clothe him with thy robe
The same he wore, or rather one like unto it, which was a badge and token of his office. If he was a priest, as the Jews say, this was his priestly robe, by which the high priest was distinguished from others; but he rather seems to be a civil officer, who wore a garment suitable to it, and distinctive of it; in which he was a type of Christ, invested with the priestly, or rather with the kingly office, crowned with glory and honour; and who is seen among his churches, clothed with a garment down to the feet, ( Revelation 1:13 ) :

and strengthen him with thy girdle:
which was a symbol both of power and of strength; both priests and princes had their girdles. Christ's girdle, in the administration of his office, is faithfulness and righteousness, ( Isaiah 11:5 ) ;

and I will commit thy government into his hand;
the government of the king's house, typical of the government of the church, put into the hands of Christ by his Father, ( Isaiah 9:6 Isaiah 9:7 ) ( John 5:22 John 5:23 ) :

and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to
the house of Judah;
have a fatherly care over them, and affection for them; and such an one is Christ, who stands in the relation of the everlasting Father to his church and people, and of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named; he provides for them, takes care of them, is tenderly affected towards them, pities and sympathizes with them, and affords them all supply and support. Kimchi interprets it of a faithful counsellor, and a good leader. So Ben Melech.

Isaiah 22:21 In-Context

19 And I will push you from your office, and he will throw you down from your position.
20 And this shall happen: On that day I will call to my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah,
21 and I will clothe him [with] your tunic, and I will bind your sash firmly about him, and I will put your authority into his hand, and he shall be like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
22 And I will put the key of the house of David on his shoulder, and he shall open and no one [will be able to] shut; and he shall shut and no one [will be able to] open.
23 And I will drive him in [like] a peg into a secure place, and he will become like a throne of glory to the house of his father.

Footnotes 1

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.