Isaiah 22:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall.

NIV: You counted the buildings in Jerusalem and tore down houses to strengthen the wall.

NASB: Then you counted the houses of Jerusalem And tore down houses to fortify the wall.

CSB: You counted the houses of Jerusalem so that you could tear them down to fortify the wall.

NLT: You survey the houses and tear some down for stone to strengthen the walls.

KJV: And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.

NKJV: You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall.

Jerusalem had begun their preparations against an outside siege. This meant securing and distributing the weapons from their armory (Isaiah 22:8). Water had been redirected from springs outside the walls into the city to keep the enemy from depriving them of essential drinking water (Isaiah 22:9).

Also, breaches in the walls were identified and patched with building material from houses that were torn down. It's possible these houses were removed from between the inner and outer walls of the city. This removal of the houses could have had two purposes. First, for the safety of the citizens, and secondly to flood that space as an extra obstacle to the enemy.

Chapter 22:1–14 describes how the people of Jerusalem partied and feasted in the face of certain destruction during a siege. Isaiah condemns them, especially for failing to mourn and cry out to the Lord for help when all seemed lost. He weeps for those who have died. The prophet calls the people to soberly understand what has happened to them instead of partying on their rooftops. The Lord says that the sins of the people in this moment will not be atoned for until they die.

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).

Accessed 5/3/2024 8:11:44 AM