Isaiah 22:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way, and it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will be cut off, for the Lord has spoken."

NIV: "In that day," declares the Lord Almighty, "the peg driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down." The Lord has spoken.

NASB: On that day,' declares the Lord of armies, 'the peg driven into a firm place will give way; it will even break off and fall, and the load that is hanging on it will be cut off, for the Lord has spoken.'

CSB: On that day"—the declaration of the Lord of Armies—"the peg that was driven into a firm place will give way, be cut off, and fall, and the load on it will be destroyed." Indeed, the Lord has spoken.

NLT: But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies also says: 'The time will come when I will pull out the nail that seemed so firm. It will come out and fall to the ground. Everything it supports will fall with it. I, the Lord, have spoken!'

KJV: In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it.

NKJV: In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘the peg that is fastened in the secure place will be removed and be cut down and fall, and the burden that was on it will be cut off; for the Lord has spoken.’ ”

The oracle Isaiah has been declaring against Jerusalem has taken a surprising turn. It began with a condemnation of the people of Jerusalem for turning to self-reliance and partying in the face of the Assyrian invasion (Isaiah 22:1–2). Instead of looking to the Lord for salvation they focused on what pleasure they could indulge in before the enemy destroyed them (Isaiah 22:8–13). The king's steward was also condemned and held accountable for attending to his own elaborate tomb. He focused on his own legacy instead of the needs of the king and the people in this moment (Isaiah 22:15–19).

Isaiah's narrative then turned to the steward's replacement: a faithful man referred to by the Lord as "my servant." Though this man, Eliakim, was not the king, nor related to him, Isaiah describes him as a servant-leader who will carry the load in upholding Jerusalem and Judah. He will be like a father to the people and like a son to the king. The servant of the king will hold the weight of all the responsibilities of the royal family and the people. He will be exactly the man Jerusalem needs at exactly the time they need him (Isaiah 22:20–24).

Now the prophet reveals that Eliakim will be mortal, after all. Although he is like a secure force that can bear enormous weight in all he does for the kingdom, he will eventually give away. Eliakim will be cut down, and he will fall. The load he was holding up, including the honor of the king's house and his offspring, will fall with Eliakim and be cut down.

Despite seasons of good leadership, the pattern in Judah remained one of repeated faithlessness to the Lord. In the end, Jerusalem would be destroyed and the people marched off into captivity.

Chapter 22:15–25 concludes Isaiah's oracle against Jerusalem with a focus on two men. Shebna is the steward of the king's household. The Lord condemns him for carving his elaborate tomb, with the enemy at the gates, instead of seeking the Lord or serving the king. The Lord gives this steward's authority and position to Eliakim. Eliakim serves with such strength, faithfulness, and integrity that he becomes a father figure to the people. However, he also falls away eventually.

Isaiah presents a prophecy against the city of Jerusalem: "the valley of vision." The prophet condemns the people for partying, perhaps following an astonishing deliverance from the Lord. Instead, they should remember all who died. They should be sobered to realize how helpless they had been. When destruction seemed certain, they should have mourned and cried out to the Lord to save them. Instead, they reveled like nothing mattered. The Lord condemns the steward of the king's house for carving out his tomb instead of trusting God. He puts a man named Eliakim in that position. Eliakim serves with great integrity, faithfulness, and excellence. Yet, he, too, falls away.

Isaiah has recorded several prophecies in preceding chapters. These spoke of nations such as Egypt as well as various tribes. Chapter 22 is an oracle against the city of Jerusalem. Isaiah condemns the people for celebrating instead of mourning and seeking the Lord's help. This could be either before or after a great siege of the city. The prophet weeps for the lost and calls the people to repent. The Lord condemns the king's steward for faithlessness. His replacement, Eliakim, serves with strength and integrity. The next oracles concern Tyre and Sydon, before addressing the entire world.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).