Isaiah 22

1 This is the burden [message from God, prophecy] against the Valley [deep, narrow gorge] of Vision [divine revelation, spiritual insight]: What [or how] ails you now [at this time, then], that you have all [everything, completely] gone up [ascended, risen] to the rooftops [housetops, flat roofs], word study 2 O city [full of stirs, tumultuous] of commotion, O town [of outcries, joyous] of revelry? Your slain [pierced, profaned] did not die by the sword [cutting instrument], nor were they killed in battle [war, conflict]. word study 3 All [every single one] your rulers [leaders, chiefs] have fled [to wander, escaped] together [unitedly, in unity], captured [bound, tied up] without [lacking] a bow [an archer’s weapon]. All [every single one] your fugitives [those who fled, escaped ones] were captured [bound, taken] together [unitedly, as one], having fled [run away, escaped] to a distant [far away, remote] place [location, area]. word study 4 Therefore I said [turning away in sorrow], “Turn away from me, let me weep [with intense emotional pain] bitterly! Do not try [or labor] to console [comfort or show pity] me over the destruction [or devastation, spoiling] of the daughter [a female child or a nation] of my people [a nation or community].” word study 5 For the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence] GOD [Yehovah] of Hosts [armies, a large group] has set a day [a period of time, an appointed season] of tumult [confusion, chaos] and trampling [subjugation, being walked all over] and confusion [perplexity, bewilderment] in the Valley [a deep, narrow valley] of Vision [a place of revelation, a spiritual insight]— of breaking down [destroying, tearing down] the walls [barriers, defenses] and crying [calling out, shouting] to the mountains [a high place]. word study 6 Elam [a son of Shem, a region in Mesopotamia] takes up [lifts, raises] a quiver [container for arrows], with chariots [vehicles, cavalry] and horsemen [cavalry soldiers, riders], and Kir [a place in Assyria or Moab, a region] uncovers [exposes, makes bare] the shield [a protective device]. word study 7 Your [most fertile] choicest valleys [lowland areas, like the Valley of Elah] are full [completely filled, made full] of chariots [vehicles, teams of horses, or cavalry], and horsemen [cavalry soldiers, those who ride chariots] are posted [set in array, placed] at the gates [city entrances, doors]. word study 8 He has uncovered [revealed, removed the covering of] the defenses [protective covering, screen] of Judah [the southern kingdom, the tribe of Judah]. On that day [the day of reckoning, a specific time] you looked [regarded, gazed] to the weapons [armor, military equipment] in the House [dwelling place, temple] of the Forest [a grove of trees, a wooded area]. word study 9 You saw [examined, looked carefully at] that there were many [numerous, increased] breaches [gaps, holes, fissures] in the walls [barriers, fortifications] of the City [town, settlement] of David [the king of Israel]. You collected [gathered, assembled] water [a liquid, a source of refreshment] from the lower [bottommost, nethermost] pool [reservoir, basin]. word study 10 You counted [reviewed the number, numbered] the houses [dwelling places, homes] of Jerusalem [the city of peace] and tore [broke, demolished] them down to strengthen [fortify, make stronger] the wall [a barrier of protection]. word study 11 You built [constructed, made] a reservoir [a collection of water] between [in the midst of] the walls [strongholds, fortifications] for the waters [source of refreshment] of the ancient [old, long-standing] pool [a place of rest], but you did not look [regard, consider] to the One [Elohim, the supreme God] who made [created, formed] it, or consider [reflect on, think about] Him who planned [purposed, designed] it long ago [from a distant past, in ancient times]. word study 12 On that day [in the future, at a specific time] the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence] GOD [Yehovah] of Hosts [armies, a large group] called [to summon, to invite] for weeping [overflowing tears, lamentation] and wailing [intense crying, mourning], for shaven heads [a sign of grief, baldness] and the wearing [to gird, to put on] of sackcloth [coarse cloth]. word study 13 But look [behold, take notice], there is joy [gladness, rejoicing] and gladness [happiness, celebration], butchering [slaying, killing] of cattle [oxen, domesticated animals] and slaughtering [killing, sacrificing] of sheep [a flock, goats], eating [consuming, devouring] of meat [flesh, animal tissue] and drinking [consumption, intoxication] of wine [fermented grape juice]: “Let us eat [consume, feast] and drink [imbibe, revel], for [because, since] tomorrow [the next day, a future time] we die [perish, meet our end]!” word study 14 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [a large group of people or things, often referring to an army] has revealed [uncovered, made known] in my hearing [ear, the ability to hear]: “Until [as far as, until the point of] your dying [the end of life, to die] day, this [specific, particular] sin [moral evil, iniquity] of yours will never [not at all] be atoned for [covered, forgiven],” says the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence and respect] GOD [Yehovah, the covenant name of God] of Hosts. word study 15 This is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] of Hosts [armies, celestial forces] says: “Go [walk, proceed], say to Shebna [a high-ranking official], the steward [one who manages, oversees] in charge of the palace [the royal house, the king’s residence]: word study 16 What [for what purpose, to what end] are you doing here [in this place, at this location], and who [what person, what authority] authorized you to carve out [to hew, to cut] a tomb [sepulchre, grave] for yourself here [in this spot, at this site]—to chisel [to grave, to engrave] your tomb [resting place, sepulchre] in the height [on high, in a lofty place] and cut [to hew, to excavate] your resting place [dwelling, tabernacle] in the rock [crag, cliff]? word study 17 Look [behold, see], O mighty man [great warrior, strong one]! The LORD [Yehovah] is about to shake [cast, hurl] you violently [with great force, strongly]. He will take hold of you [enwrap, grasp firmly], word study 18 roll you into a ball [like a bundle, wrapping you round and round], and sling you into a wide [broad, spacious] land [country, territory]. There you will die [come to an end, perish], and there your glorious [magnificent, honorable] chariots [vehicles of war] will remain [be left, abandoned]—a disgrace [shame, dishonor] to the house [family, household] of your master [lord, ruler]. word study 19 I will remove [thrust, drive, or push] you from office [your position, station, or place of authority], and you will be ousted [pulled down, overthrown, or destroyed] from your position [office, or state or ministry]. word study 20 On that day [in the future, at a specific time] I will summon [call out to, invite] My servant [faithful attendant, bondservant], Eliakim [a leader] son [descendant, offspring] of Hilkiah [a high priest, a significant Israelite]. word study 21 I will clothe him with your robe [tunic, long garment] and tie your sash [girdle, belt] around him. I will put your authority [dominion, power] in his hand, and he will be a father [provider, protector] to the dwellers [inhabitants, residents] of Jerusalem [city of peace] and to the house [family, tribe] of Judah. word study 22 I will place [give, set, bestow] on his shoulder [back, burden-bearing area] the key [opening instrument, authority] to the house [dwelling place, family] of David [the king]. What he opens [unlocks, reveals] no one can shut [close, conceal], and what he shuts [closes, restricts] no one can open [unlock, disclose]. word study 23 I will drive him like a [nail hammered securely] peg into a [sure] firm place, and he will be a [seat of honor] throne of glory for the house [family, dwelling] of his father [ancestors, heritage]. word study 24 So they will hang [place a heavy burden] on him the whole burden [weight of responsibility] of his father’s house [family, descendants]: the descendants [offspring, children] and the offshoots [branches, extensions]—all the lesser [small, insignificant] vessels, from bowls [cups, containers] to every kind of jar [pitcher, utensil]. word study 25 In that day [the time of reckoning, a future era], declares the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] of Hosts [the armies of heaven, the heavenly forces], the peg [nail, a small but crucial fastener] driven into a firm place [a secure location, a steadfast position] will give way [be removed, fall]; it will be sheared off [cut down, severed] and fall [collapse, come down], and the load [burden, weight] upon it will be cut down [removed, severed].” Indeed, the LORD [the sovereign God] has spoken [declared, uttered]. word study