221 The burden of the Valley of Vision. What—to thee, now, that thou hast gone up, All of thee—to the roofs? 2 Full of stirs—a noisy city—an exulting city, Thy pierced are not pierced of the sword, Nor dead in battle. 3 All thy rulers fled together from the bow, Bound have been all found of thee, They have been kept bound together, Afar off they have fled. 4 Therefore I said, 'Look ye from me, I am bitter in my weeping, Haste not to comfort me, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.' 5 For a day of noise, and of treading down, And of perplexity, 'is' to the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, In the valley of vision, digging down a wall, And crying unto the mountain. 6 And Elam hath borne a quiver, In a chariot of men—horsemen, And Kir hath exposed a shield. 7 And it cometh to pass, The choice of thy valleys have been full of chariots, And the horsemen place themselves diligently at the gate.
8 And one removeth the covering of Judah, And thou lookest in that day Unto the armour of the house of the forest, 9 And the breaches of the city of David ye have seen, For they have become many, And ye gather the waters of the lower pool, 10 And the houses of Jerusalem ye did number, And ye break down the houses to fence the wall. 11 And a ditch ye made between the two walls, For the waters of the old pool, And ye have not looked unto its Maker, And its Framer of old ye have not seen. 12 And call doth the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, In that day, to weeping and to lamentation, And to baldness and to girding on of sackcloth, 13 And lo, joy and gladness, slaying of oxen, And slaughtering of sheep, Eating of flesh, and drinking of wine, Eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 22:1-13
Commentary on Isaiah 22:1-7
(Read Isaiah 22:1-7)
Why is Jerusalem in such terror? Her slain men are not slain with the sword, but with famine; or, slain with fear, disheartened. Their rulers fled, but were overtaken. The servants of God, who foresee and warn sinners of coming miseries, are affected by the prospect. But all the horrors of a city taken by storm, faintly shadow forth the terrors of the day of wrath.
Commentary on Isaiah 22:8-14
(Read Isaiah 22:8-14)
The weakness of Judah now appeared more than ever. Now also they discovered their carnal confidence and their carnal security. They looked to the fortifications. They made sure of water for the city. But they were regardless of God in all these preparations. They did not care for his glory in what they did. They did not depend upon him for a blessing on their endeavours. For every creature is to us what God makes it to be; and we must bless him for it, and use it for him. There was great contempt of God's wrath and justice, in contending with them. God's design was to humble them, and bring them to repentance. They walked contrary to this. Actual disbelief of another life after this, is at the bottom of the carnal security and brutish sensuality, which are the sin, the shame, and ruin of so great a part of mankind. God was displeased at this. It is a sin against the remedy, and it is not likely they should ever repent of it. Whether this unbelief works by presumption or despair, it produces the same contempt of God, and is a token that a man will perish wilfully.