CHAPTER XXII.
rophecies of calamities coming on the Jews ; with a rebuke of their impious and sensual behaviour, when threatened with divine judgments, 1—1l4: and concerning the ruin of Shebna the treasurer, and the advancement of Elia-kim, 15—25. HE burden of “the valley of vision. *What aileth thee now, “that thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops? 2 Thou “that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: fthy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle. 3 All sthy rulers are fled together, they are
bound “by the archers: all that are found in‘Pepe are bound together, which have fled from ar.
4 Therefore said I, "Look away from me: I will ‘weep bitterly, ‘labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.
5 For it is *a day of trouble, and of !treading down, and of ™perplexity by the Lord Gop of hosts in the valley of vision, “breaking down the walls, and of °crying to the mountains.
a Ps. 125:2. Jer. 21:13. Rom. 3:2. 9:4,5,
b 1 Sam, 3:1. Ps. 147:19,20. Prov, 29:18. Mic, 3:6. c Gen, 21:17. Judg. 18:23, 1 Sam, 11:5. 2Sam, 14:5, 2 Kings d 15:3, Jer. 48:38. e 12,13, 23:7. 32:13, Am.6:3—6, — f 37: 52:6. Lam, 2:20.4:9,10. g 3:1—8. 2 Kings 25:4—7,18—
21. Jer. 39:4—7. 52:24—27. * Heb. of the bow. h Ruth 1:20,21. Jer. 4:19.9:1, t Heb. be bitter in weeping. 33:7. Jer. 6:26. Mic. 1:8, Matt, 26:75. i Pa. 77:2. Jer, 8:18. 31:15, Matt, 2:18. k 37:3, 2 Kings 19:3. Jer. 30:7. Am. 5:18—20. 1 5:5. 10:6. 25:10. m Esth. 3:15, Mic. 7:4. n 2 Kings 25:10. Lam.
was accomplished by Sennacherib, when he first marched his army into Judah. (Marg. Ref.) PRACYICAL OBSERVATIONS,
The history of mankind is little more than a detail of the treachery, rapine, and cruelty, which they have committed, and of the miseries which they have endured: and an insight into futurity would be attended with many grievous discoveries, respecting ourselves, our families, and those with whom we should sympathize. But, “ sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.”—What anguish and horror must seize the enemies of God, when he shall arise to execute vengeance upon them; and when all which they see, hear, remember, or expect, shall combine to increase their terror!
This some perceive to be their wretched case, at the approach of death ; and all the ungodly will know it in another world. But words can never express, nor can imagination reach to an adequate conception of their dismay or despair.
And what numbers will then dolefully exclaim, ‘* The night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me!”—While smners are saying, * Let us eat, drink, and be merry ;” and let others watch for our souls, if they see good; perhaps the Lord is about to say, Thou fool, this night is thy soul required of thee.”— He has set ministers, as watchmen, to declare what they see: let every one, therefore, to whom this office is committed, “ hearken diligently, with much heed,” to his instructions, and continue day and night upon his watchtower; and give sinners warning of their approaching danger; that at least he may deliver his own soul. (P.O.
Ez. 33:1—9.) Let him “declare the whole counsel of God,” as far as he can learn it, whether it relate to mercies, or judgments: and let all, who love their souls, attend to the warnings of such ministers, as may truly say, ‘‘that which I have heard of the Lorp, ... have I declared unto you.” (Noles, Acts 20: 18—3l. 1 Cor. 15:1,2.) For all the enemies of God will as surely be destroyed, as Babylon and her graven images are fallen : but every trial conduces to purify believers, that they may be gathered as wheat into the garner.—There are many who make curious inquiries of the watchmen; they would willingly have many difficult questions resolved, unrevealed mysteries explained, and abstruse prophecies interpreted ; and they want to know exactly where we now are in the series of predicted events: but they do not inguire into the state of their own souls; or about the way of saivation, or the path of duty, or how to grow in grace.
These are mere Edomitish inquirers: and though we should be ready, as far as we can, to answer any proper question; yet we ought to warn such men ‘‘ to look to themselves,” and to repent, and return to God by faith and prayer, and not amuse themselves with these discussions.
Whilst they forget their time of life, and are growing old in their sins; it little concerns them to inquire, what time of the night it is with the church: for though the morning of her deliverance comes, yet the midnight of their final misery approaches with equal speed.— Calainities still go round, in this sinful world: and it behooves tls to relieve the distresses of our brethren, knowing that our turn may come shortly.
But happy are they, and they only, whose riches and glory are placed out of the reach of hostile mvaders; all other prosperity will speedily pass away ; ‘‘ for the Lorp God of Israel hath spoken ti.”
NOTES.—Cuap. XXII. V.1. Jerusalem, as situated in the midst of surrounding hills, and favoured with the revealed truth and will of God, is here called “* The valley of vision."—The prophet saw, in vision, all the inhabitants of shat city gone up to the roofs of their houses, on a sudden
CHAPTER XXII.
B.C. 718.
6 And PElam bare the quiver with chariots 0* men and horsemen, and %Kir tuncovered tbe shield.
7 And it shall come to pass, that Sthy choicest valleys shall be "full of chariots, and the horsemer shall set themselves in array lat the gate.
8 41 And *he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to ‘the armour of the house of’ the forest.
9 Ye"have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
10 And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.
11 Ye made also *a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool; but Yye have not looked unto the Maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.
12 And in that day did the Lord Gop of hosts 7call to weeping, and to mourning, and *to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth :
2:2, o Hos. 10:8. Matt. 24:16. Luke 23:30. Rev.6:16,17. p 21:2. Gen. 10:22, Jer, 49:35—39. q 2 Kings 16:9. Am. 1:5. 9:7. { Heb. made naked. 21:5. Hab. 3:9. § Heb. the choice of thy valleys. _r 8:7,8, 10:28—82, 37:34. Jer. 39:1—3. \| Or, towards. 8 36:1—3, t1 Kings 7:2. 10:17. 14:27,28. Cant. 4:4. u 2 Kings 20:20. 2 Chr. 32:1—6,30. x Neh. 3:16. y 8:17. 19:7. 31:1. 37:26. 2 Chr. 6:6, 16;7—9. Jer. 33:2,3. Mic.7:7. 2 2 Chr. 35;25, Neh. 8:9—12. 9:9. Ec. 3:4,11, pa 2:17, Jam. 4:8—10.5:1. a15;2, Ezra 9:3, Am. 8:10. Jon. 3:6. Mics.
alarm, and to make observations ; and he inquired what was the matter. Their houses in general were without windows towards the street, and the tops flat, and much used, on various occasions. (Votes, Deut. 22:8. Matt. 10:27,28.) ‘The houses in the east were in ancient times, as they are still generally, built in one and the same uniform manner. ..: The house is built with a court within, into which chiefly the windows open: those that open to the street are so obstructed with lattice work, that no one either without or within can see through them.—Whenever therefore any thing is to be seen or heard in the streets, any public spectacle, any alarm of a public nature; every one immediately goes up to the house-top to satisfy his curiosity. ... The people running all to the tops of their houses gives a lively image of a sudden general alarm.’ Bp. Lowth.
V. 2, 3. Jerusalem had been full of the hurry and tumult of business and pleasure, and at certain seasons, of the mule titudes who attended the sacred feasts: but now the stir and tumult was of another nature. Being invested by their invaders, numbers died, not by the sword of war, but by famine and pestilence, or even terror: their rulers attempted to flee ; but they were overtaken and bound as prisoners by the archers: and even those who had fled from far out of the open country, to take shelter within the walls of the city, were bound together with the rest of the inhabitants. (Notes, 2 Kings 25:1—7. Ez. 12:1—16.)
V. 4. ‘He showeth what is the duty of the godly, and especially of the ministers, when God’s plagues hang over the church” (Marg. Ref. Notes, Jer. 6:24—26, 9:1,2. 13 15—17. Luke 19:41—44.)
V.5. Marg. Ref. Notes, 2 Kings 19:3. 25:3—10.—Of crying, &c.] One crying to another to flee to the adjacen mountains, in order to escape destruction.
V. 6, 7. Elam and Kir, (Marg. Ref. p—r.) or the Persians and Medes, might serve in Sennacherib’s army as subjects to Assyria. Yet the former part of the prophecy seems to accord best to the demolition of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. For it does not appear, that, any destructive pestilence or famine raged in the city, when Sennacherib invaded the land; or that the rulers fled, or were taken and bound ; or that the walls were broken down. (Votes, 2,3,5.)—By “chariots of men” we may understand those in which men rode and fought; for the word, translated chariots, sometimes means carriages employed in other uses.
V. 8—14. The preceding verses chiefly relate to subsequent events, yet they might have also some reference to previous calamities: but these seem to predict Sennacherib’s invasion, and the behaviour of the Jews on that occasion. He dismantled many of their fortified cities, which had been the covering or protection of Judah; and he threatened the siege of Jerusalem.
This put Hezekiah and his princes upon examining the state of their armories and fortifications; and upon making various preparations for defending the city. (Note, 2 Chr. 32:3—8.) But numbers of the people had no. . proper regard to the Lord, who had constituted Jerusalem to be the place of his own worship, and had long before fashioned every thing respecting it, in subserviency to that end, Notwithstanding the pious labours of Hezekiah and others, most of the people were destitute of faith and piety: and instead of uniting in fasting and prayer, with every token of godly sorrow and humiliation, to which the Lord evident’y called them in his providence, if not explicitly by his prophets they were generally indulging themselves in not and feast~ ing, and that from the most atheistical principles: es ‘f the
( 455 )
B C. 718.
13 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.
14 And ‘it was revealed in mine ears by the Lorp of hosts, ‘Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord Gop of
10Sts. [Practical Observations.)
15 7 Thus saith the Lord Gop of hosts, Go, get thee unto this ‘ treasurer, even unto eShebna, 3which zs over the house, and say,
16 What hast thou here, and whom hast thou here, that thou hast khewed thee out a sepulchre here, ‘as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth a habitation for himself in a rock?
17 Behold, the Lorp twill carry thee away with ta mighty captivity, and will surely 'cover shee.
18 He will "surely violently turn and toss thee hve a ball into Sa large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord’s house.
19 And *I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.. Am. 6:3—7, Luke 17:26—29. e Num, 15:25—31. : A 27. Rev. 22;11,12. £1 Chr. 87:2. 2 Kings 18:18,37.19:2. h 1 Kings 4:6. 2 Kings 10 k 14:18. 2Sam. 18:18, 2 Chr. 16:14. Job 3:14. Matt. 27:60. * Or, Ohe. T Or, who covered thee with an excellent coverins, and clothed thee gorgeously, shall surely violently turn, §c. J Heb. the captivity ofaman. | Esth. 7:8. Job 9:24. Jer. 14:3. m 17:13, Am. 7:17, § Heb. a land large of spaces. u Job
c 56:12. 1Cor. 15:32. Jam. 1 Sam. 3:14, Ez, 24:13, Acts 8:27. g 36:3. i 52:5. Mic. 2:10.
apparently near approach of death urged them to seize the present fleeting moment for sensual gratification. (Notes, b:11—17. 56:9—12. Neh. 8:9—12. Am. 6:33—8. Matt. 24:36—
44. 1 Cor. 15:31—34, v. 32.) The Lord was so provoked by this profane contempt of his uplifted scourge, that he determined to accept of no expiatory sacrifices for it; but to punish it by the death of the criminals: though for his own name’s sake he would, for that time, spare the city. The same part was doubtless, for substance, acted over again, at the time when Nebuchadnezzar besieged, took, and destroyed Jerusalem.—‘ There were two pools in or near Jerusalem, supplied by springs: the upper pool, or the old pool, supplied by the spring called Gihon, 2 Chr. 32:30. towards the higher pert of the city, near Zion, or the city of David; and the ower pool, probably supplied by Siloam.’ Bp. Lowth.—' The ditch was a channel to carry off the waters from the upper to the lower pool.’ Lowth.— House of the forest. (8) Notes, 1 Kings 7:2. 14:25—28.—Revealed, &e. (14) Marg. Ref. d.
V. 15. This prophecy concerning Shebna seems to have
been delivered about the same time with the preceding: and perhaps he was one of the ringleaders in the unseasonable and profane riot, above severely reprobated. Some think that he had been preferred ky Ahaz to be treasurer and steward of the household; and that he outwardly complied with Hezekiah’s reformation, to keep his place, though a proud and wicked man. (Marg. Ref.g.) If this were the Shebna, of whom we read in the history of Sennacherib’s invasion: the prophecy had not its full accomplishment, ‘till some years after.
Some think he was deprived of his office as treasurer, but still continued scribe, or secretary. (Vole, 2 Kings 19:2.) But perhaps another person of the same name is meant. _ VY. 16.
It is thought that Shebna was a foreigner; that instead of being treasurer to Hezekiah, he had no right to associate with the Jews at all; and that his connexions and inclinations led him to favour their enemies, He, however, deemed himself established in authority till death; and had prepared himself a magnificent sepulchre in a lofiy and con-splcuous situation, according to the custom of monarchs; and durable, as if graven out of a rock, to perpetuate his memory and grandeur after his decease. | Marg. Ref.
Note, 14:16— 20.)—‘* O thou, that hewest out thy sepulchre on high, that gravest in the rock an habitation for thyself!” Bp. Lowth.
V. 17—19. Notwithstanding Shebna’s ostentatious confidence, his ruin was at hand. He would be degraded from his dignity ; violently forced into captivity; covered with infamy, as the condemned criminal’s face was covered for execution ; (Marg. Note, Esth. 7:8.) driven from place to place, in a strange and wide country, like a ball, when driven with great force in an open field, where no wall or fence obstructs its course: and at length he would die in misery and disgrace ; whilst the remains of his magnificence would shame that family, whizhhad preferred so ostentatious and wicked a tian. Doubtless this sentence was speedily and exactly executed, though nothing is recorded concerning him, (Marg. Ref.)
V.20—25. God himself appointed Eliakim, his servant, to succeed Shebna ; (Marg. Ref. 0.) he knew that Hezekiah would be obedient to his word sent by his prophet Isaiah ; and this probably occasioned Shebna’s disgrace. Eliakim would succeed to the robe and girdle, which were worn by thase in office: and he a fill his high station, with the
456 )
ISAIAH.
B.C. 718.
20 % And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant °Eliakim the son of Hilkiah :
21 And I will Pclothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be 9a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
22 And tthe key of the house of David will I lay upon. his shoulder: tso he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
P93 And ‘I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for %a glorious throne to his father’s house.
24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the issue, all Yvessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the ''vessels of flagons.
25 In that day, saith the Lorn of hosts, sha. the nail that is fastened in the sure place be re moved, and be cut down, and fall; and *the bur den that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lorp hath spoken it.
40:11,12. Ps. 75:6,7. Ew. 17:24, Luke 1:52, 0 36:3,11,22. 37:2. 2 Kings 18:37 p Gen. 41;42,43. 1 Sam sth. 8:2,15. q 9:6,7. Gen. 45:8, r Matt. 16: 18,19. Rev. 1;18. s Job Matt. 18:18,19, Rev. 3:7, t Ezra 9:8. Ec. 1&
Il. Zech, 10:4, u Gen, 45:9—13, 1 Sam.2:8. Esth, 4:14. 10:3, Job 36:7. Luke 22:29,30. Rev. 3:21. x Gen. 41:44,55.47:11—25. Dan.6:1—3. Matt. 28:18 John 5:22—27, 20;21—23, Kz. 15:3. Rom, 9:22,23. 2 Tim. 2:20,21. {| Or instruments of viols. 7% 15,16. a Esth. 9:5—14,24,25, Ps. 52:;5—7, 146:3,4 Jer. 17:5,6. b 46:11. 48:15. Jer. 4:28, Ez. 5:13,15,17, Mic. 4:4.
prudence and affection of a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the Jews in general. The key also was a token of authority in those days, as the seals are now ; being an emblem, that great and important matters were intrusted to a man’s care, and at his disposal ; and that he could admit to manifold privileges or advantages, or exclude from them. Probably, either a real key, or the figure of one, was worn upon the shoulder. Christ applies this part of the emblem to himself: we may therefore look upon Eliakim as, in some respects, a type of him. (Votes, Matt. 16:19.
Rev. 1:12— 20, v. 18. 3:7.)—As nails also are fixed in the walls, on which to hang such things as may be wanted; thus Eliakim would be established in authority, and act so honourably, that his advancement would be like raising his “father’s house to a glorious throne *’ and all the reputation and interest of every branch of the family would be secure in his hands; for he would be able and willing to take care of them, whether more or less considerable, whilst all those who had depended on wicked Shebna, would be ruined by his fall. (Marg.
Ref.x.) ‘ A keyisan emblem of trust: and the expression alludes to the fashion of keys in old time, which were long, and made like a hook, and then laid upon the shoulder, and worn there asthe badge of an office.’ Lowth——* They, (the Asiatics,) ‘fix them’ (the nails) ‘in the brick-work, when they are building. They are large nails, with square heads like dice, well made ; their ends being bent so as to make them cramp irons.’ Chardinin Bp. Lowth.—'These nails were of necessary and common use, and of no small importance, in all their apartments.’ Bp. Lowth. (Ezra 9:8. Ee. 12:11.
Zech. 10:4.) PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
V. 1—14.
No burden will be more heavy, than that which falls on “‘ the valley of vision,” and weighs down those who lived wickedly amidst ‘ the means of grace..—They who have been most secure and prosperous, and those cities which have been most full of the tumultuous hurry of business, pleasure, and ambitious contests, are liable above others to be surprised with unexpected calamities, and left without redress under them.—The Lord has many ways of destroying his enemies: so that it is as vain to attempt to escape, as to withstand “ the power of his wrath.”—The servants of God, who clearly foreseé, and awfully warn sinners of their approaching miseries, are most affected by the prospect.
They sometimes ‘ weep bitterly and refuse to be comforted,” because of the trouble, perplexity, and ruin, which are coming on their beloved neighbours, relatives, and countrymen: yet, whilst their hearts thus melt with tender compassion, they are counted. cruel and morose ; because they insist upon ‘ty that God will execute this threatened vengeance o. all. the impenitent, unbelieving, and ungodly, without exception.— But all the horrors of a city taken by storm, and given up & indiscriminate rapes, murder, and plunder, are scarcely nm shadow of the terrors of “the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” And yet the invasion of a fertile country, when the choicest valleys are full of hostile armies, and the gates of populous cities beset with merciless besiegers, must be inexpressibly distressing to the inhabitants. —Often the approach of danger discovers that weakness which before was unnoticed ; yea, and detects that hypocrisy, which had not been suspected; and then the further and the more carefully men examine, the more they discover their exposed and perilous situation.
But too generally they look on.y to externals, and rest in superficial anvendment; w
Buc..219)