Isaiah 22:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

NIV: But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! 'Let us eat and drink,' you say, 'for tomorrow we die!'

NASB: Instead, there is joy and jubilation, Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, Eating of meat and drinking of wine: 'Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.'

CSB: But look: joy and gladness, butchering of cattle, slaughtering of sheep and goats, eating of meat, and drinking of wine -- "Let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we die! "

NLT: But instead, you dance and play; you slaughter cattle and kill sheep. You feast on meat and drink wine. You say, 'Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!'

KJV: And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

NKJV: But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

With an unbeatable enemy amassed at the gates in a siege of the city, did the people of Jerusalem finally admit all hope was lost except their hope in the Lord (Isaiah 22:5–7)? Did they finally turn to Him, repent of their sin, and plead for His assistance in saving their city? They did not.

Instead, they prepared for the siege as best they could and then began to party (Isaiah 22:8–11). This course of action is apparently a desperate attempt to escape their reality and enjoy themselves before the end. Isaiah writes that they engaged in forced joy and gladness. They prepared expensive and sumptuous feasts and said to each other, "Let's eat and drink for tomorrow we die." There wasn't even a pause to reach out to their Lord.

Could there be a more godless response to impending disaster and death? Instead of pleading for their Maker to save them or soberly making peace with God before the end comes, the people of Jerusalem throw themselves into feasting and drunkenness. They choose to try to forget and hide from their fate. Their refusal to turn to the Lord in such a moment reveals just how little faith God's people had in Him at this time.

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).