Isaiah 22:6-16

6 And Elam took an arrow-case, or a quiver, and the chariot of an horseman; and the shield made naked the wall (and Kir uncovered, or made ready, its shield).

7 And thy chosen valleys, Jerusalem, shall be full of carts; and knights shall put their seats in the gate. (And thy chosen valleys, Jerusalem, shall be full of chariots; and the horsemen shall plant their feet at thy gates.)

8 And the covering of Judah shall be showed; and thou shalt see in that day the place of armours of the house of the forest; (And Judah's defences shall be shown; and thou shalt see on that day, the arms, or the weapons, in the House of the Forest;)

9 and ye shall see the crazings of the city of David, for those be multiplied (and ye shall see the cracks, or the crevices, in the wall of the city of David, for they be greatly multiplied). Ye gathered together the waters of the lower cistern,

10 and ye numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and ye destroyed [the] houses, to make strong the wall (to strengthen the wall);

11 and ye made a pit betwixt (the) two walls, and ye restored the water of the eld cistern; and ye beheld not to him, that made that Jerusalem, and ye saw not the worker thereof afar. (and ye made a pit between the two walls, for the water of the old cistern; but ye looked not to Him who made that Jerusalem, yea, ye thought not about the Craftsman who made it long ago.)

12 And the Lord of hosts shall call in that day to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to a girdle of sackcloth; (And the Lord of hosts shall call on that day for weeping, and for mourning, and for baldness, and for a girdle of sackcloth;)

13 and lo! joy and gladness is to slay calves, and to strangle wethers, to eat flesh, and to drink wine; eat we, and drink we, for we shall die tomorrow (and lo! joy and happiness is to kill calves, and to strangle rams, yea, to eat flesh, and to drink wine; eat we, and drink we, for tomorrow we shall die.)

14 And the voice of the Lord of hosts is showed in mine ears (And the voice of the Lord of hosts was heard in my ears), This wickedness shall not be forgiven to you, till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts.

15 The Lord God of hosts saith these things, Go thou, and enter to him that dwelleth in the tabernacle, to Shebna, the sovereign of the temple; and thou shalt say to him, (The Lord God of hosts saith these things, Go thou, and go to him who liveth in the palace, to Shebna, the ruler of the king's household; and thou shalt say to him,)

16 What (hast) thou here, either as who (art thou) here? for thou hast hewed [out] to thee a sepulchre here, thou hast hewed a memorial in (an) high place diligently, a tabernacle in a stone to thee. (What hast thou here, and who art thou? for thou hast hewn out for thyself a tomb here, yea, thou hast diligently hewn out a memorial in a high place, a home for thyself in the stone.)

Isaiah 22:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 22

This chapter contains two prophecies, one concerning the invasion of Judah and Jerusalem, not by the Medes and Persians, but by the Assyrian army, under which they served; and the other of the removal of Shebna, an officer in Hezekiah's court, and of the placing of Eliakim in his stead. After the title of the former of these prophecies, the distress of the people, through the invasion, is described, by their getting up to the housetops, Isa 22:1 by the stillness of the city, having left both trade and mirth; by the slain in it, not by the sword, but through fear or famine, Isa 22:2 by the flight of the rulers, and by the lamentation of the prophet, Isa 22:3-5 the instruments of which distress were the Persians and Medes serving under Sennacherib, who are described by their quivers and shields, their chariots and horsemen, Isa 22:6,7 the methods the Jews took to defend themselves, and their vain confidence, are exposed; for which, with their disrespect to the Lord, and his admonitions, their carnal security and luxury, they are threatened with death, Isa 22:8-14 then follows the prophecy of the deposition of Shebna, who is described by his name and office, Isa 22:15 whose pride is exposed as the cause of his fall, Isa 22:16 and he is threatened not only to be driven from his station, but to be carried captive into another country, suddenly and violently, and with great shame and disgrace, Isa 22:17-19 and another put in his place, who is mentioned by name, Isa 22:20 and who should be invested with his office and power, and have all the ensigns of it, Isa 22:21,22 and should continue long in it, to great honour and usefulness to his family, Isa 22:23,24 yet not always, Isa 22:25.