Isaiah 22:6

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).

Isaiah 22:6 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 22:6

And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men [and]
horsemen
Or the Elamites, as the Targum and Septuagint, that is, the Persians, who were at this time subject to the Assyrians, and served in Sennacherib's army, which consisted of many nations; see ( Isaiah 29:7 ) these bore the quiver, a case for arrows, being expert in the use of the bow, which was the chief of their might, ( Jeremiah 49:35 ) and so Strabo ^F15 reports, that the Elamites had many archers among them; and along with them went chariots of men,
full of men, of military men; these were chariots for war, and brought men to fight against Jerusalem; [and] horsemen
also, these were the cavalry, as those that carried bows and arrows seem to be the foot soldiers. The Targum is,

``and the Elamites bore arms in the chariot of a man, and with it a couple of horsemen;''

as in the vision or prophecy concerning Babylon, ( Isaiah 21:7 Isaiah 21:9 ) : and Kir uncovered the shield;
this was a city in Media, and signifies the Medes, who were in subjection to the Assyrians, and fought under them; see ( 2 Kings 16:9 ) though Ben Melech says it was a city belonging to the king of Assyria; these prepared for battle, uncased their shields, which before were covered to keep them clean, and preserve them from rust and dirt; or they polished them, made them bright, as the word in the Ethiopic language signifies, as De Dieu has observed; see ( Isaiah 21:5 ) these might be most expert in the use of the shield and sword, as the others were at the bow and arrow. Some render "Kir" a "wall": so the Targum,

``and to the wall the shields stuck;''

and the Vulgate Latin version, "the shield made bare the wall": but it is best to understand it as the proper name of a place.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Geograph. l. 16. p. 512.

Isaiah 22:6 In-Context

4 Therefore I said (And so I said), Go ye away from me, I shall weep bitterly; do not ye be busy to comfort me on the destroying of the daughter of my people.

5 For why a day of slaying, and of defouling, and of weepings, is ordained of the Lord God of hosts, in the valley of vision; and he searcheth the wall, and is worshipful on the hill. (For a day of killing, and of defiling, and of weeping, is ordained by the Lord God of hosts, in the Valley of Vision; and the walls be broken down, and cries for help sound across the mountains.)

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;)