Isaiah — Chapter 22

📖 Isaiah — Chapter 22 (KJV)

Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.

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Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.

Isaiah 22:1 The burden of ^Rthe valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?

Isaiah 22:2 Thou ^Rthat art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

Isaiah 22:3 All ^Rthy rulers are fled together, they are bound ^Tby the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.

Isaiah 22:4 Therefore said I, ^RLook away from me; I will ^Tweep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.

Isaiah 22:5 For it is ^Ra day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

Isaiah 22:6 And ^RElam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir ^Tuncovered the shield.

Isaiah 22:7 And it shall come to pass, that ^Tthy choicest valleys shall be ^Rfull of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array ^Tat the gate.

Isaiah 22:8 And ^Rhe discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

Isaiah 22:9 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.

Isaiah 22:10 And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.

Isaiah 22:11 Ye made also ^Ra ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

Isaiah 22:12 And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts ^Rcall to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

Isaiah 22:13 And ^Rbehold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

Isaiah 22:14 And ^Rit was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Isaiah 22:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this ^Rtreasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,

Isaiah 22:16 ^RWhat hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, ^Tas he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

Isaiah 22:17 Behold, the LORD ^Twill carry thee away with ^Ta mighty captivity, and will surely ^Rcover thee.

Isaiah 22:18 He will ^Rsurely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a ^Tlarge country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord’s house.

Isaiah 22:19 And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

Isaiah 22:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant ^REliakim the son of Hilkiah:

Isaiah 22:21 And I will ^Rclothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

Isaiah 22:22 ^RAnd the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Isaiah 22:23 And ^RI will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.

Isaiah 22:24 And they shall ^Rhang upon him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the ^Tvessels of flagons.

Isaiah 22:25 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ^Rthe nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

📚 Study This Chapter

📖 What We’re Reading

Isaiah 22:1–9 — The valley of vision faces trouble

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

The city’s excitement contrasts with death, fleeing rulers, and the prophet’s bitter grief. Breached defenses expose a crisis that celebration cannot remove.

Key Truth: Respond truthfully to serious need.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

Isaiah 22:10–17 — Defenses without dependence

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Jerusalem prepares walls and water but fails to look to their Maker. A call to repentance is answered with fatalistic feasting; Shebna’s self-exaltation is also confronted.

Key Truth: Preparation must not replace repentance.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

Isaiah 22:18–25 — Entrusted office is not permanent security

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Shebna’s removal and Eliakim’s appointment show authority being transferred. The closing removed-nail image warns that even apparently secure supports cannot bear every hope forever.

Key Truth: Exercise entrusted authority humbly.

Check What You Remember

Related Scripture (KJV)

Revelation 3:7 — The key-of-David imagery is later applied to Christ.

Revelation 3:7 (KJV) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.

Reflect and Apply

Where do practical preparations need to be joined to dependence on God?

Chapter Navigation

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