TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 22:8–14. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
What is meant by the covering of Judah, which in the beginning of this paragraph is said to be discovered, is not agreed. The fenced cities of Judah were a covering to the country; but these, being taken by the army of the Assyrians, ceased to be a shelter, so that the whole country lay exposed to be plundered. The weakness of Judah, its nakedness, and inability to keep itself, now appeared more than ever; and thus the covering of Judah was discovered. Its magazines and stores, which had been locked up, were now laid open for the public use. Dr. Lightfoot gives another sense of it, that by this distress into which Judah should be brought God would discover their covering (that is, uncloak their hypocrisy), would show all that was in their heart, as is said of Hezekiah upon another occasion, Ch2 32:31. Thus, by one means or other, the iniquity of Ephraim will be discovered and the sin of Samaria, Hos 7:1.
They were now in a great fright, and in this fright they manifested two things much amiss: -
I.A great contempt of God's goodness, and his power to help them.
They made use of all the means they could think of for their own preservation; and it is not for doing this that they are blamed, but, in doing this, they did not acknowledge God. Observe,
1.How careful they were to improve all advantages that might contribute to their safety. When Sennacherib had made himself master of all the defenced cities of Judah, and Jerusalem was left as a cottage in a vineyard, they thought it was time to look about them. A council was immediately called, a council of war; and it was resolved to stand upon their defence, and not tamely to surrender. Pursuant to this resolve, they took all the prudent measures they could for their own security. We tempt God if, in times of danger, we do not the best we can for ourselves.
(1.)They inspected the magazines and stores, to see if they were well stocked with arms and ammunition: They looked to the armour of the house of the forest, which Solomon built in Jerusalem for an armoury (Kg1 10:17), and thence they delivered out what they had occasion for. It is the wisdom of princes, in time of peace, to provide for war, that they may not have arms to seek when they should use them, and perhaps upon a sudden emergency.
(2.)They viewed the fortifications, the breaches of the city of David; they walked round the walls, and observed where they had gone to decay for want of seasonable repairs, or were broken by some former attempts made upon them. These breaches were many; the more shame for the house of David that they suffered the city of David to lie neglected. They had probably often seen those breaches; but now they saw them to consider what course to take about them. This good we should get by public distresses, we should be awakened by them to repair our breaches, and amend what is amiss.
(3.)They made sure of water for the city, and did what they could to deprive the besiegers of it: You gathered together the water of the lower pool, of which there was probably no great store, and of which therefore they were the more concerned to be good husbands. See what a mercy it is that, as nothing is more necessary to the support of human life than water, so nothing is more cheap and common; but it is bad indeed when that, as here, is a scarce commodity.
(4.)They numbered the houses of Jerusalem, that every house might send in its quota of men for the public service, or contribute in money to it, which they raised by a poll, so much a head or so much a house.
(5.)Because private property ought to give way to the public safety, those houses that stood in their way, when the wall was to be fortified, were broken down, which, in such a case of necessity, is no more an injury to the owner than blowing up houses in case of fire.
(6.)They made a ditch between the outer and inner wall, for the greater security of the city; and they contrived to draw the water of the old pool to it, that they might have plenty of water themselves and might deprive the besiegers of it; for it seems that was the project, lest the Assyrian army should come and find much water (Ch2 32:4) and so should be the better able to prolong the siege. If it be lawful to destroy the forage of a country, much more to divert the streams of its waters, for the straitening and starving of an enemy.
2.How regardless they were of God in all these preparations: But you have not looked unto the Maker thereof (that is, of Jerusalem, the city you are so solicitous for the defence of) and of all the advantages which nature has furnished it with for its defence - the mountains round about it (Psa 125:2), and the rivers, which were such as the inhabitants might turn which way soever they pleased for their convenience. Note,
(1.)It is God that made his Jerusalem, and fashioned it long ago, in his counsels. The Jewish writers, upon this place, say, There were seven things which God made before the world (meaning which he had in his eye when he made the world): the garden of Eden, the law, the just ones, Israel, the throne of glory, Jerusalem, and Messiah the Prince. The gospel church has God for its Maker.
(2.)Whatever service we do, or endeavour to do, at any time to God's Jerusalem, must be done with an eye to him as the Maker of it; and he takes it ill if it be done otherwise. It is here charged upon them that they did not look to God.
[1.]They did not design his glory in what they did. They fortified Jerusalem because it was a rich city and their own houses were in it, not because it was the holy city and God's house was in it. In all our cares for the defence of the church we must look more at God's interest in it than at our own.
[2.]They did not depend upon him for a blessing upon their endeavours, saw no need of it, and therefore sought not to him for it, but thought their own powers and policies sufficient for them. Of Hezekiah himself it is said that he trusted in God (Kg2 18:5), and particularly upon this occasion (Ch2 32:8); but there were those about him, it seems, who were great statesmen and soldiers, but had little religion in them.
[3.]They did not give him thanks for the advantages they had, in fortifying their city, from the waters of the old pool, which were fashioned long ago, as Kishon is called an ancient river, Jdg 5:21. Whatever in nature is at any time serviceable to us, we must therein acknowledge the goodness of the God of nature, who, when he fashioned it long ago, fitted it to be so, and according to whose ordinance it continues to this day. Every creature is that to us which God makes it to be; and therefore, whatever use it is of to us, we must look at him that fashioned it, bless him for it, and use it for him.
II.A great contempt of God's wrath and justice in contending with them, Isa 22:12-14. Here observe,
1.What was God's design in bringing this calamity upon them: it was to humble them, bring them to repentance, and make them serious. In that day of trouble, and treading down, and perplexity, the Lord did thereby call to weeping and mourning, and all the expressions of sorrow, even to baldness and girding with sackcloth; and all this to lament their sins (by which they had brought those judgments upon their land), to enforce their prayers (by which they might hope to avert the judgments that were breaking in), and to dispose themselves to a reformation of their lives by a holy seriousness and a tenderness of heart under the word of God. To this God called them by his prophet's explaining his providences, and by his providences awakening them to regard what his prophets said. Note, When God threatens us with his judgments he expects and requires that we humble ourselves under his mighty hand, that we tremble when the lion roars, and in a day of adversity consider.
2.How contrary they walked to this design of God (Isa 22:13): Behold, joy and gladness, mirth and feasting, all the gaiety and all the jollity imaginable. They were as secure and cheerful as they used to be, as if they had had no enemy in their borders or were in no danger of falling into his hands. When they had taken the necessary precautions for their security, then they set all deaths and dangers at defiance, and resolved to be merry, let come on them what would. Those that should have been among the mourners were among the wine-bibbers, the riotous eaters of flesh; and observe what they said, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die. This may refer either to the particular danger they were now in, and the fair warning which the prophet gave them of it, or to the general shortness and uncertainty of human life, and the nearness of death at all times. This was the language of the profane scoffers who mocked the messengers of the Lord and misused his prophets. (1.) They made a jest of dying. "The prophet tells us we must die shortly, perhaps tomorrow, and therefore we should mourn and repent today; no, rather let us eat and drink, that we may be fattened for the slaughter, and may be in good heart to meet our doom; if we must have a short life, let it be a merry one." (2.) They ridiculed the doctrine of a future state on the other side death; for, if there were no such state, the apostle grants there would be something of reason in what they said, Co1 15:32. If, when we die, there were an end of us, it were good to make ourselves as easy and merry as we could while we live; but, if for all these things God shall bring us into judgment, it is at our peril if we walk in the way of our heart and the sight of our eyes, Ecc 11:9. Note, A practical disbelief of another life after this is at the bottom of the carnal security and brutish sensuality which are the sin, and shame, and ruin of so great a part of mankind, as of the old world, who were eating and drinking till the flood came.
3.How much God was displeased at it. He signified his resentment of it to the prophet, revealed it in his ears, to be by him proclaimed upon the house-top: Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die, Isa 22:14. It shall never be expiated with sacrifice and offering, any more than the iniquity of the house of Eli, Sa1 3:14. It is a sin against the remedy, a baffling of the utmost means of conviction and rendering them ineffectual; and therefore it is not likely they should ever repent of it or have it pardoned. The Chaldee reads it, It shall not be forgiven you till you die the second death. Those that walk contrary to them; with the froward he will show himself froward.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
(Vers. 10, 11.) And you gathered the waters of the lower pool, and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you destroyed houses to fortify the wall. And you made a reservoir between the two walls, and the water of the Old Pool. And you did not look to the One who made it, and you did not see the One who fashioned it from afar. It tells how they prepared the city for siege, and transferred the waters of the lower pool to the upper fortification, and after destroying the houses, they built walls, and through each family, they counted the amount of water that each house should receive, and they made a cistern between the two walls, and restored the old pool to preserve the water. And they did not call upon the help of God, who is the creator of the city and the Lord of the pool; as if God had said in other words: You trusted in man and not in God, who is the maker of man. Certain people, according to a mystical understanding, understand the old pool to be a shadow of the Law, and between two walls, namely the new and old Testament, they see a lake built by the Pharisees' traditions and commands, which cannot contain water: and they did not look to the Son of God, nor did they believe in His presence, whom they had never seen before, because they have always been incredulous to God's precepts.
(Vers. 10, 11.) And you gathered the waters of the lower pool, and you numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and you destroyed houses to build a wall. And you made a reservoir between two walls, and the water of the old pool. And you did not look to Him who made it, and the worker of it from afar you did not see. LXX: And they turned the water of the old pool into the city, and they destroyed the houses of Jerusalem to strengthen the city wall. And you made water between two walls within the old pool, and you did not look to Him who made it from the beginning, and you did not see its creator. You who know the divisions of the city of David, that is, the Church, will see or have seen, which have multiplied throughout the world; you who have gathered the waters of your pool and your doctrine, not of the higher, but of the lower, and have counted the houses of Jerusalem, whether you have destroyed them to fortify your wall, you have not dug wells that would have had life-giving and eternal water, but broken cisterns that cannot hold water. And you have made them between the two walls of the old and new covenant, and you have neglected the water of the old pool, and you have not considered the giver of the law, God, and you have completely neglected the operator of the world. This is according to the Hebrew. Moreover, according to the Septuagint, the heretics considered themselves many, and with this confidence, they turned the teaching of the old Testament away from the city of God, which is the Church, and destroyed the houses of Jerusalem, in order to build meeting places of the wicked; and while they reject the old Testament, they have not followed the new, because the new is confirmed by the testimonies of the old Testament. Therefore, between the two walls of the old and the new, they have made for themselves new waters, which they think are interior and contain greater mysteries than those contained in the old Testament; and they have not respected God, who is the creator of the old Testament, and they did not even want to see his maker from afar.
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Summary
Isaiah 22:10 powerfully depicts the frantic and desperate measures undertaken by the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the face of an impending siege. Driven by intense self-reliance and a human-centric approach to military preparedness, the people meticulously surveyed and systematically demolished their own homes, repurposing the salvaged materials to strengthen the city's defensive walls. This act vividly highlights their profound reliance on physical fortifications rather than on divine protection, underscoring a critical spiritual oversight.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is intricately woven into Isaiah's "oracle concerning the Valley of Vision" (Isaiah 22:1-14), a profound prophetic indictment against Jerusalem. The immediate preceding verses (Isaiah 22:8-9) set the stage by detailing the city's inhabitants' assessment of breaches in their walls and their efforts to secure water, signaling a state of acute emergency and a singular focus on physical defense. Verse 10 specifically elaborates on the extreme lengths to which they resort for fortification, directly following the observation of "many breaches" in the city of David. The subsequent verse, Isaiah 22:11, delivers the prophet's sharpest critique: despite all their meticulous planning and arduous labor, they "looked not unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago," revealing their fatal spiritual blindness. This entire pericope underscores Jerusalem's tragic misplaced trust in human ingenuity over divine providence.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy in Isaiah 22 is widely understood to refer to the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC by King Sennacherib, during the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chronicles 32). At this time, Jerusalem was a formidable, yet constantly evolving, fortified city. The drastic act of demolishing houses to fortify walls was a severe but not unprecedented measure in ancient siege warfare, where every available resource was conscripted for defense. Houses in ancient Israel were typically constructed from durable materials like stone, mudbrick, and timber, which could be readily repurposed. The "Valley of Vision" likely refers to Jerusalem itself, perhaps highlighting its spiritual blindness despite its privileged position as the place where God's vision and revelation were uniquely disclosed. The prevailing cultural norm was to rely heavily on robust fortifications for protection, but the prophetic message fundamentally challenged this reliance when it superseded trust in God.
Key Themes
Isaiah 22:10 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Isaiah and this specific chapter. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of Human Self-Reliance vs. Divine Trust. The people's frantic efforts to fortify their city by their own strength, even at immense personal cost, stands in stark contrast to the prophet's consistent call for repentance and unwavering trust in Yahweh. This misplaced trust is explicitly condemned in Isaiah 22:11. Secondly, it highlights the Futility of Human Efforts Apart from God. Despite their diligent and costly preparations, the ultimate outcome of the siege was determined solely by God's miraculous intervention, not by the strength of their walls (compare Isaiah 37:33-36). Thirdly, the verse subtly introduces the theme of Judgment and Desperation, as the extreme measures taken reflect the dire consequences of their unfaithfulness and the impending divine judgment. The destruction of their own homes serves as a poignant foreshadowing of the greater destruction that awaits them if they do not turn wholeheartedly to God.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root meaning "to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount." This term signifies a meticulous, systematic survey or inventory of the houses. It implies that the destruction was not random but a calculated, organized effort to identify which structures could be sacrificed for the greater defense, indicating a strategic military decision driven by desperation and urgency.
Meaning "a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, family, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), palace, place, temple." This word refers not merely to physical structures but often carries profound connotations of family, lineage, domesticity, and stability. The demolition of "houses" therefore represents a deep disruption of social order and personal security, sacrificing the very symbols of their settled domestic life for the sake of physical survival.
A primitive root meaning "to tear down; beat down, break down (out), cast down, destroy, overthrow, pull down, throw down." This verb conveys a forceful, violent, and destructive action. It emphasizes the aggressive and thorough dismantling of the homes, highlighting the extreme and urgent nature of their defensive preparations. The materials were not gently removed but rather violently torn from their foundations, reflecting the severity of the crisis.
Verse Breakdown
"And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem"
This initial clause describes the methodical, almost bureaucratic, phase of their desperate defensive strategy. The people meticulously surveyed and counted the dwellings within the city, suggesting a detailed assessment of available resources. This action indicates a calculated decision-making process, identifying which homes were suitable or necessary for demolition to provide essential building materials for the fortifications. It speaks to a human effort, organized yet born of desperation, to control their own fate.
"and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall"
This second clause details the destructive and physically arduous action taken based on the initial survey. The identified houses were not merely abandoned but actively and forcefully demolished. The explicit purpose of this drastic measure was "to fortify the wall," indicating that the salvaged materials (stones, timber, etc.) were immediately repurposed to strengthen Jerusalem's defenses against the impending siege. This reveals the extreme lengths to which the inhabitants were willing to go to secure their city through their own limited means.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Irony is profoundly present, as the very act of preserving the city involves the destruction of its internal fabric—the homes that constitute the lives and stability of its inhabitants. They are tearing down their own dwelling places to build up a defensive barrier, a paradoxical act of self-preservation through self-destruction. Metonymy is also at play, where "houses" stand not just for physical structures but for the families, households, and deeply personal lives contained within them, emphasizing the profound personal and communal cost of their desperate measures. Furthermore, the scene powerfully evokes a sense of Urgency and Desperation, painting a vivid picture of a people in crisis, driven by fear to extreme and costly actions. The detailed description of their actions, from methodical numbering to forceful breaking down, creates a strong and immediate visual image for the reader.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 22:10 stands as a powerful theological statement about human self-reliance in times of crisis, contrasting sharply with the divine expectation of trust in God. The frantic activity of numbering and demolishing houses to fortify walls illustrates a profound spiritual blindness, where the people prioritize physical security derived from their own strenuous efforts over the sovereign protection of Yahweh. This passage highlights the inherent futility of even the most diligent human planning and labor when it is divorced from faith and dependence on God. It underscores a recurring prophetic theme throughout Isaiah: true security and lasting deliverance come not from material strength or human ingenuity, but from humble submission and unwavering trust in the Lord, who alone is the true "stronghold" and "refuge" for His people.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 22:10 offers a sobering mirror for contemporary believers, challenging us to critically examine the foundations of our security and the ultimate objects of our trust. When confronted with personal crises, societal upheavals, or existential threats, where do we instinctively turn? Do we, like the inhabitants of Jerusalem, immediately engage in frantic self-reliance, meticulously "numbering our houses" and "breaking them down" to construct our own defenses—whether financial, relational, intellectual, or emotional—without first seeking the wisdom, guidance, and sovereign provision of God? This verse calls us to a radical reorientation of our priorities, reminding us that true peace, lasting security, and ultimate deliverance are found not in the strength of our self-made "walls," but in the unchanging faithfulness and omnipotent power of God. It compels us to honestly ask if our "preparations" are ultimately rooted in a deep, abiding trust in God's provision and protection, or in a desperate, often futile, attempt to control circumstances through our own limited means and ingenuity.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the primary motivation for the people of Jerusalem to break down their own houses?
The primary motivation was desperate self-preservation in the face of an impending siege, most likely the Assyrian siege under King Sennacherib. They were attempting to fortify the city's defensive walls by repurposing the building materials from their own homes, demonstrating an intense, albeit human-centric, effort to secure their physical safety. This act highlights their reliance on their own ingenuity and resources rather than divine protection.
Does Isaiah 22:10 imply that all human efforts for defense are wrong?
Not necessarily. The verse itself describes a practical, albeit extreme, defensive measure. However, when read in its broader literary context, especially alongside Isaiah 22:11, the prophet's critique is not of the act of preparation itself, but of the spirit behind it—the failure to look to God, the "Maker thereof," and the misplaced trust in human strength over divine sovereignty. The issue is not the action, but the ultimate object of their trust and the spiritual blindness that accompanied their frantic efforts.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 22:10, with its vivid depiction of a people frantically building earthly defenses by sacrificing their own dwellings, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Testament. The futility of human efforts to secure lasting safety through physical means, so starkly portrayed in Jerusalem's desperate acts, points to the ultimate and perfect security found only in Christ. While Jerusalem sought to fortify its walls with broken stones, Christ Himself is revealed as the true "cornerstone" and "living stone" upon whom God's spiritual temple is built (1 Peter 2:4-6). The tearing down of physical houses to build a wall foreshadows the tearing down of the old covenant temple and the establishment of a new, spiritual dwelling place for God among His people, built not with human hands but through the sacrificial work of Christ (John 2:19-21 and Ephesians 2:19-22). Furthermore, the desperate search for refuge in fortified cities ultimately gives way to the reality that Christ is our ultimate refuge and "strong tower" (Proverbs 18:10), our "city of refuge" from the wrath to come. Unlike the temporary and vulnerable walls of Jerusalem, the salvation offered in Christ provides an eternal, unshakeable security that transcends all earthly threats, inviting us to find our true home and defense in Him, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.