Isaiah 22:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: All your leaders have fled together; without the bow they were captured. All of you who were found were captured, though they had fled far away.

NIV: All your leaders have fled together; they have been captured without using the bow. All you who were caught were taken prisoner together, having fled while the enemy was still far away.

NASB: All your rulers have fled together, And have been captured without the bow; All of you who were found were taken captive together, Though they had fled far away.

CSB: All your rulers have fled together, captured without a bow. All your fugitives were captured together; they had fled far away.

NLT: All your leaders have fled. They surrendered without resistance. The people tried to slip away, but they were captured, too.

KJV: All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.

NKJV: All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar.

This continues a description of a terrible event for Judah or Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:1–2). Bible scholars and historians differ about what exact event he mentions. This incident could be the failed siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrians in 701 BC. It may have been the successful siege by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Or, perhaps, some other moment in Jerusalem's history.

Either way, Isaiah gives the people of Jerusalem reasons why they should be more sober before the Lord. The events described in this verse fit closely to the attempted escape by Judah's King Zedekiah. This ruler attempted to flee from the city and the Babylonians. He was indeed chased down and captured without a fight (2 Kings 25:1–7). It also somewhat fits what happened when the angel of the Lord wiped out the Assyrian army and spared Jerusalem in 701 BC (2 Kings 19:35). The leaders and important people all fled into the city and were captured inside of Jerusalem during the siege, though they did survive.

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 5/1/2024 7:22:38 AM