Focused Passage

Isaiah 22:20-25

The Valley of Vision, Jerusalem’s Refusal to Repent, and the Stewardship of Shebna and Eliakim

The chapter moves from Jerusalem’s strange rooftop commotion, to the prophet’s grief over the city’s devastation, to the military crisis and defensive preparations, to the people’s failure to look to the LORD, to the LORD’s call for weeping and mourning, to the people’s fatalistic feasting, to a sworn word that this sin will not be atoned for, and finally to the leadership oracle: Shebna will be removed and Eliakim installed, though even the seemingly firm peg will ultimately give way.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20 On that day I will summon My servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah.

21 I will clothe him with your robe and tie your sash around him. I will put your authority in his hand, and he will be a father to the dwellers of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

23 I will drive him like a peg into a firm place, and he will be a throne of glory for the house of his father.

24 So they will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house: the descendants and the offshoots—all the lesser vessels, from bowls to every kind of jar.

25 In that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, the peg driven into a firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and fall, and the load upon it will be cut down.” Indeed, the LORD has spoken.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

- וְהָיָ֖ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular On that הַה֑וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular I will summon וְקָרָ֣אתִי H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular My servant לְעַבְדִּ֔י H5650 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Eliakim לְאֶלְיָקִ֖ים H471 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Hilkiah חִלְקִיָּֽהוּ׃ H2518 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

I will clothe him וְהִלְבַּשְׁתִּ֣יו H3847 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular with your robe כֻּתָּנְתֶּ֗ךָ H3801 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular and tie your sash וְאַבְנֵֽטְךָ֙ H73 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular around him אֲחַזְּקֶ֔נּוּ H2388 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular I will put אֶתֵּ֣ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular your authority וּמֶֽמְשֶׁלְתְּךָ֖ H4475 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular in his hand בְּיָד֑וֹ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular and he will be וְהָיָ֥ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular a father לְאָ֛ב H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular to the dwellers לְיוֹשֵׁ֥ב H3427 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct of Jerusalem יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular and to the house וּלְבֵ֥ית H1004 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָֽה׃ H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

I will place וְנָתַתִּ֛י H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition his shoulder שִׁכְמ֑וֹ H7926 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular the key מַפְתֵּ֥חַ H4668 Noun - masculine singular construct to the house בֵּית־ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct of David דָּוִ֖ד H1732 Noun - proper - masculine singular What he opens וּפָתַח֙ H6605 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular no וְאֵ֣ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb one can shut סֹגֵ֔ר H5462 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular and what he shuts וְסָגַ֖ר H5462 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular no וְאֵ֥ין H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb one can open פֹּתֵֽחַ׃ H6605 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • See Revelation 3:7.
Verse 23

Original words

I will drive him וּתְקַעְתִּ֥יו H8628 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular like a peg יָתֵ֖ד H3489 Noun - feminine singular into a firm נֶאֱמָ֑ן H539 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular place בְּמָק֣וֹם H4725 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and he will be וְהָיָ֛ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular a throne לְכִסֵּ֥א H3678 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of glory כָב֖וֹד H3519 Noun - masculine singular for the house לְבֵ֥ית H1004 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of his father אָבִֽיו׃ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 24

Original words

So they will hang וְתָל֨וּ H8518 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural on him עָלָ֜יו H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular all כֹּ֣ל׀ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the glory כְּב֣וֹד H3519 Noun - masculine singular construct of his father’s אָבִ֗יו H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular house בֵּית־ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct the descendants הַצֶּֽאֱצָאִים֙ H6631 Article | Noun - masculine plural and the offshoots וְהַצְּפִע֔וֹת H6849 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine plural all כֹּ֖ל H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the lesser הַקָּטָ֑ן H6996 Article | Adjective - masculine singular . . . מִכְּלֵי֙ H3627 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct vessels כְּלֵ֣י H3627 Noun - masculine plural construct from bowls הָֽאַגָּנ֔וֹת H101 Article | Noun - masculine plural to וְעַ֖ד H5704 Conjunctive waw | Preposition every kind כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . כְּלֵ֥י H3627 Noun - masculine plural construct of jar הַנְּבָלִֽים׃ H5035 Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 25

Original words

In that הַה֗וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular declares נְאֻם֙ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֔וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural the peg הַיָּתֵ֔ד H3489 Article | Noun - feminine singular driven הַתְּקוּעָ֖ה H8628 Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular into a firm נֶאֱמָ֑ן H539 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular place בְּמָק֣וֹם H4725 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular will give way תָּמוּשׁ֙ H4185 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular it will be sheared off וְנִגְדְּעָ֣ה H1438 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular and fall וְנָפְלָ֗ה H5307 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular and the load הַמַּשָּׂ֣א H4853 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative upon it עָלֶ֔יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular will be cut down וְנִכְרַת֙ H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Indeed כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has spoken דִּבֵּֽר׃ס H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.