Focused Passage

Isaiah 22:9-14

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

9 You saw that there were many breaches in the walls of the City of David. You collected water from the lower pool.

10 You counted the houses of Jerusalem and tore them down to strengthen the wall.

11 You built a reservoir between the walls for the waters of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or consider Him who planned it long ago.

12 On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth.

13 But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

14 The LORD of Hosts has revealed in my hearing: “Until your dying day, this sin of yours will never be atoned for,” says the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

- וְאֵ֨ת H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker You saw רְאִיתֶ֖ם H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural that כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction there were many רָ֑בּוּ H7231 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural breaches בְּקִיעֵ֧י H1233 Noun - masculine plural construct in the walls of the City עִיר־ H5892 Noun - feminine singular construct of David דָּוִ֛ד H1732 Noun - proper - masculine singular You collected וַֽתְּקַבְּצ֔וּ H6908 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker water מֵ֥י H4325 Noun - masculine plural construct from the lower הַתַּחְתּוֹנָֽה׃ H8481 Article | Adjective - feminine singular pool הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה H1295 Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 10

Original words

- וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker You counted סְפַרְתֶּ֑ם H5608 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural the houses בָּתֵּ֥י H1004 Noun - masculine plural construct of Jerusalem יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular and tore them down וַתִּתְֿצוּ֙ H5422 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural . . . הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים H1004 Article | Noun - masculine plural to strengthen לְבַצֵּ֖ר H1219 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct the wall הַחוֹמָֽה׃ H2346 Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

You built עֲשִׂיתֶ֗ם H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural a reservoir וּמִקְוָ֣ה׀ H4724 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular between בֵּ֚ין H996 Preposition the walls הַחֹ֣מֹתַ֔יִם H2346 Article | Noun - fd for the waters לְמֵ֖י H4325 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct of the ancient הַיְשָׁנָ֑ה H3465 Article | Adjective - feminine singular pool הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה H1295 Article | Noun - feminine singular but you did not וְלֹ֤א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle look הִבַּטְתֶּם֙ H5027 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the One who made it עֹשֶׂ֔יהָ H6213 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular or consider רְאִיתֶֽם׃ H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural Him who planned וְיֹצְרָ֥הּ H3335 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular it long ago מֵֽרָח֖וֹק H7350 Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular . . . לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle
Verse 12

Original words

On that הַה֑וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular day בַּיּ֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular the Lord אֲדֹנָ֧י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular GOD יְהוִ֛ה H3069 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֖וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural called וַיִּקְרָ֗א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular for weeping לִבְכִי֙ H1065 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular and wailing וּלְמִסְפֵּ֔ד H4553 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular for shaven heads וּלְקָרְחָ֖ה H7144 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular and the wearing וְלַחֲגֹ֥ר H2296 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct of sackcloth שָֽׂק׃ H8242 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

But look וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection there is joy שָׂשׂ֣וֹן H8342 Noun - masculine singular and gladness וְשִׂמְחָ֗ה H8057 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular butchering הָרֹ֤ג׀ H2026 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute of cattle בָּקָר֙ H1241 Noun - masculine singular and slaughtering וְשָׁחֹ֣ט H7819 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute of sheep צֹ֔אן H6629 Noun - common singular eating אָכֹ֥ל H398 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute of meat בָּשָׂ֖ר H1320 Noun - masculine singular and drinking וְשָׁת֣וֹת H8354 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute of wine יָ֑יִן H3196 Noun - masculine singular Let us eat אָכ֣וֹל H398 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute and drink וְשָׁת֔וֹ H8354 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction tomorrow מָחָ֖ר H4279 Adverb we die נָמֽוּת׃ H4191 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural

BSB notes

  • Cited in 1 Corinthians 15:32
Verse 14

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֑וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural has revealed וְנִגְלָ֥ה H1540 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular in my hearing בְאָזְנָ֖י H241 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | first person common singular Until עַד־ H5704 Preposition your לָכֶם֙ Preposition | second person masculine plural dying day תְּמֻת֔וּן H4191 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun this הַזֶּ֤ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular sin הֶעָוֺ֨ן H5771 Article | Noun - common singular of yours will never אִם־ H518 Conjunction be atoned for יְ֠כֻפַּר H3722 Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular says אָמַ֛ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the Lord אֲדֹנָ֥י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular GOD יְהוִ֖ה H3069 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָאֽוֹת׃פ H6635 Noun - common plural

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.