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 22:1–7. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The title of this prophecy is very observable. It is the burden of the valley of vision, of Judah and Jerusalem; so all agree. Fitly enough is Jerusalem called a valley, for the mountains were round about it, and the land of Judah abounded with fruitful valleys; and by the judgments of God, though they had been as a towering mountain, they should be brought low, sunk and depressed, and become dark and dirty, as a valley. But most emphatically is it called a valley of vision because there God was known and his name was great, there the prophets were made acquainted with his mind by visions, and there the people saw the goings of their God and King in his sanctuary. Babylon, being a stranger to God, though rich and great, was called the desert of the sea; but Jerusalem, being entrusted with his oracles, is a valley of vision. Blessed are their eyes, for they see, and they have seers by office among them. Where Bibles and ministers are there is a valley of vision, from which is expected fruit accordingly; but here is a burden of the valley of vision, and a heavy burden it is. Note, Church privileges, if they be not improved, will not secure men from the judgments of God. You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore will I punish you. The valley of vision has a particular burden. Thou Capernaum, Mat 11:23. The higher any are lifted up in means and mercies the heavier will their doom be if they abuse them.
Now the burden of the valley of vision here is that which will not quite ruin it, but only frighten it; for it refers not to the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, but to the attempt made upon it by Sennacherib, which we had the prophecy of, ch. 10, and shall meet with the history of, ch. 36. It is here again prophesied of, because the desolations of many of the neighbouring countries, which were foretold in the foregoing chapters, were to be brought to pass by the Assyrian army. Now let Jerusalem know that when the cup is going round it will be put into her hand; and, although it will not be to her a fatal cup, yet it will be a cup of trembling. Here is foretold,
I.The consternation that the city should be in upon the approach of Sennacherib's army.
It used to be full of stirs, a city of great trade, people hurrying to and fro about their business, a tumultuous city, populous and noisy. Where there is great trade there is great tumult. It used to be a joyous revelling city. What with the busy part and what with the merry part of mankind, places of concourse are places of noise. "But what ails thee now, that the shops are quitted, and there is no more walking in the streets and exchange, but thou hast wholly gone up to the house-tops (Isa 22:1), to bemoan thyself in silence and solitude, or to secure thyself from the enemy, or to look abroad and see if any succours come to thy relief, or which way the enemies' motions are." Let both men of business and sportsmen rejoice as though they rejoiced not, for something may happen quickly, which they little think of, that will be a damp to their mirth and a stop to their business, and send them to watch as a sparrow alone upon the house-top, Psa 102:7. But why is Jerusalem in such a fright? Her slain men are not slain with the sword (Isa 22:2), but,
1.Slain with famine (so some); for Sennacherib's army having laid the country waste, and destroyed the fruits of the earth, provisions must needs be very scarce and dear in the city, which would be the death of many of the poorer sort of people, who would be constrained to feed on that which was unwholesome.
2.Slain with fear. They were put into this fright though they had not a man killed, but so disheartened themselves that they seemed as effectually stabbed with fear as if they had been run through with a sword.
II.The inglorious flight of the rulers of Judah, who fled from far, from all parts of the country, to Jerusalem (Isa 22:3), fled together, as it were by consent, and were found in Jerusalem, having left their respective cities, which they should have taken care of, to be a prey to the Assyrian army, which, meeting with no opposition, when it came up against all the defenced cities of Judah easily took them, Isa 36:1. These rulers were bound from the bow (so the word is); they not only quitted their own cities like cowards, but, when they came to Jerusalem, were of no service there, but were as if their hands were tied from the use of the bow, by the extreme distraction and confusion they were in; they trembled, so that they could not draw a bow. See how easily God can dispirit men, and how certainly fear will dispirit them, when the tyranny of it is yielded to.
III.The great grief which this should occasion to all serious sensible people among them, which is represented by the prophet's laying the thing to heart himself; he lived to see it, and was resolved to share with the children of his people in their sorrows, Isa 22:4, Isa 22:5. He is not willing to proclaim his sorrow, and therefore bids those about him to look away from him; he will abandon himself to grief, and indulge himself in it, will weep secretly, but weep bitterly, and will have none go about to comfort him, for his grief is obstinate and he is pleased with his pain. But what is the occasion of his grief? A poor prophet had little to lose, and had been inured to hardship, when he walked naked and barefoot; but it is for the spoiling of the daughter of his people. It is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity. Our enemies trouble us and tread us down, and our friends are perplexed and know not what course to take to do us a kindness. The Lord God of hosts is now contending with the valley of vision; the enemies with their battering rams are breaking down the walls, and we are in vain crying to the mountains (to keep off the enemy, or to fall on us and cover us) or looking for help to come to us over the mountains, or appealing, as God does, to the mountains, to hear our controversy (Mic 6:1) and to judge between us and our injurious neighbours.
IV.The great numbers and strength of the enemy, that should invade their country and besiege their city, Isa 22:6, Isa 22:7.
Elam (that is, the Persians) come with their quiver full of arrows, and with chariots of fighting men, and horsemen. Kir (that is, the Medes) muster up their arms, unsheath the sword, and uncover the shield, and get every thing ready for battle, every thing ready for the besieging of Jerusalem. Then the choice valleys about Jerusalem, that used to be clothed with flocks and covered over with corn, shall be full of chariots of war, and at the gate of the city the horsemen shall set themselves in array, to cut off all provisions from going in, and to force their way in. What a condition must the city be in that was beset on all sides with such an army!
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Remember the compassion of God, how he heals with olive oil and wine. Do not despair of salvation. Recall the memory of what has been written, how he that falls rises again, and he that is turned away turns again, he that has been smitten is healed, he that is caught by wild beasts escapes, and he that confesses is not rejected. The Lord does not wish the death of the sinner, but that he return and live. Be not contemptuous as one who has fallen into the depths of sins.There is still time for patience, time for forbearance, time for healing, time for amendment. Have you slipped? Rise up. Have you sinned? Cease. Do not stand in the way of sinners, but turn aside; for then you will be saved when turning back you bewail your sins. In fact, from labors there is health; for sweat, salvation. So take heed, lest, in wishing to keep your contracts with others, you transgress your covenants with God that you confessed before many witnesses. Do not, therefore, because of certain human considerations, hesitate to come to me. For, receiving my dead, I shall lament; I shall care for him, “I shall weep bitterly for the devastation of the daughter of my people.” All welcome you, all will aid you in your sufferings. Do not lose heart; be mindful of the days of old. There is salvation; there is amendment. Have courage; do not despair. There is no law that passes sentence of death without pity, but grace, exceeding the chastisement, awaits the amendment. Not yet have the doors been closed; the Bridegroom listens; sin is not the master. Again take up the struggle; do not draw back, but pity yourself and all of us in Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom be glory and might, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.
It is, after all, the practice of the prophets and the just to grieve not only for themselves but also for the rest of humankind.
Grief is often capable of refreshing distressed souls and of rendering a burdened conscience light: consider how often women, when they have lost their most beloved children, break their hearts and perish if they are forbidden to mourn and to shed tears. But if they do all which those who are sad are apt to do, they are relieved and receive consolation. And what wonder that this should be the case with women, when you may even see a prophet affected in a similar manner? Therefore he was continually saying, “Leave me alone. I will weep bitterly. Do not try to comfort me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.” So oftentimes sadness is the bearer of consolation; and if it is so with regard to this world, much more with regard to spiritual things.
(Verse 4.) Therefore I said, depart from me; I will weep bitterly: do not try to console me concerning the devastation of the daughter of my people. If the prophet weeps in the devastation of Babylon with great sorrow, and says: Anguish has taken hold of me, as the anguish of a woman in labor: I fell down when I heard it, I was troubled when I saw it, my heart became faint, darkness stunned me: Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me, how much more now, in the ruin of her city, can she receive no consolation, surrendering herself entirely to mourning!
(Ver. 4-6.) Therefore I said: Depart from me, I will weep bitterly: labour not to comfort me, for the devastation of the daughter of my people. For it is a day of slaughter and treading down, and of weeping from the Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision, searching the wall, and magnifying upon the mountain. LXX: Therefore I said: Let me alone, I will weep bitterly: labour not to comfort me, for the destruction of the daughter of my people. For it is a day of tumult, and of destruction, and of treading down, and of error from the Lord God of hosts in the valley of Zion; they wander about from the least to the greatest: they are wandering upon the mountains. And Samuel wept for Saul (1 Samuel 15), and the Lord and Savior wept for Jerusalem (Luke 19; 2 Corinthians 12:21): and the Apostle wrote to the Corinthians: For if I cause you sorrow, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. For I wrote to you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you. (2 Corinthians 2:2-4). So with a compassionate affection, he speaks to others: Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? (2 Corinthians 11:29)? Therefore, seeing the people once climb the empty rooftops of vain visions, and being in turmoil; and all its leaders fleeing, and being bound by the chains of sins, the Prophet bursts into tears and dismisses the comforters, and with bitter weeping testifies that he weeps not for his sons, but for the daughter of his people, who has lost her dignity of manhood. For the Day of Judgment and slaughter and trampling shall never come to Jerusalem, which is interpreted as the vision of peace; but to the ancient name Jebus, which is interpreted as trampling. And also tears or errors, as the Seventy have translated from the Lord of hosts, not that tears and errors are from the Lord; but by the occasion of the holy Scriptures, which the Lord has given to be read, occasions of error are born to those who can say: Why have you made us to err from your ways? (Isa. LXIII, 27). And in another place: The Lord mixed for them the spirit of error (Ibid. XXIX, 10): so that they would not stand on the mountain of Vision, but in the valley of Zion. But this very day, which rises in the valley of Vision from the Lord of hosts, examines the wall of the heretics, which they have constructed against the Church as the strongest defense; and also the magnificent and glorious, that is, their teachers, who boast of standing on the mountain of Christ. We read elsewhere: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob: and he will instruct us in his ways (Isaiah 2:3). Moreover, what the Seventy translated, they err from the minimum to the maximum, they err over the mountains. We should understand that they are in a greater sin, who are greater, and yet all err from the minimum to the maximum, and err over the mountains: Moses, Jeremiah, and the other prophets, the evangelists and apostles. And when they are in the valley, they wander astonishingly in the mountains.
Continue studying Isaiah 22:4 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Isaiah 22:4 captures the prophet's profound and inconsolable grief over the impending devastation of Jerusalem, tenderly referred to as "the daughter of my people." His desperate plea to be left alone to weep bitterly underscores the overwhelming burden of judgment he foresees, a sorrow so deep that it resists all attempts at human comfort, stemming from the certain "spoiling" or violent destruction awaiting his beloved nation due to their persistent unfaithfulness and spiritual blindness.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 22 opens with a "burden concerning the valley of vision," a prophetic oracle specifically directed at Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. The verses immediately preceding Isaiah 22:4 (Isaiah 22:1-3) paint a stark picture of a city paradoxically filled with revelry, shouts, and feasting, seemingly oblivious to the dire warnings and the imminent threat of judgment. This atmosphere of misplaced celebration stands in stark contrast to the divine call for weeping, mourning, and repentance found later in the chapter (Isaiah 22:12-13). God's desire for His people to humble themselves is met with defiant indulgence: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!" The prophet's intensely personal lament in verse 4 serves as a poignant counterpoint to the nation's spiritual apathy and hardened hearts. It acts as a crucial transition, moving from the general description of Jerusalem's festive blindness to the specific, agonizing sorrow of the prophet who truly grasps the gravity of the situation, highlighting the immense chasm between God's perspective, conveyed through Isaiah, and the people's dangerous complacency.
Historical & Cultural Context
The "spoiling" prophesied in Isaiah 22:4 likely refers to the imminent threat posed by the Assyrian Empire, the dominant geopolitical power in the 8th century BCE. During this period, Judah, and specifically Jerusalem, faced the very real prospect of siege, famine, and utter destruction at the hands of Assyrian forces. The Assyrians were notorious for their brutal military tactics, which included mass deportations, widespread plunder, and the complete devastation of conquered cities. The tender phrase "daughter of my people" is a common biblical idiom, personifying the nation of Judah or the city of Jerusalem, emphasizing its vulnerability and the prophet's deep affection for it, much like a father's concern for his child. Culturally, public lament and bitter weeping were customary and expected expressions of profound grief and national distress in the ancient Near East, often accompanied by specific rituals such as tearing clothes, wearing sackcloth, or covering oneself with ashes. Isaiah's private, yet intensely expressed, lament here reflects his deep identification with his people's fate, even as he delivers God's stern message of judgment.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Isaiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it vividly illustrates the theme of Prophetic Burden and Empathy, showcasing the prophet's profound identification with his people's suffering, even when that suffering is a direct consequence of their own sin and rebellion. This personal anguish mirrors, in a human way, God's own sorrow over His people's unfaithfulness, a theme echoed in passages like Isaiah 1:2-4. Secondly, the verse underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and its Inevitability, as the "spoiling" is presented not as a mere possibility but as a certain outcome of Judah's unfaithfulness and their persistent refusal to heed God's warnings and calls to repentance (compare with Isaiah 5:1-7). Finally, Isaiah 22:4 highlights the stark contrast between Misplaced Confidence and True Repentance. While the people of Jerusalem engage in revelry and self-indulgence, Isaiah weeps bitterly, illustrating the profound difference between human folly and the righteous, Spirit-led response to impending judgment. This serves as a potent reminder of the critical importance of genuine lament and turning to God, rather than relying on human strength or fleeting pleasures, a message woven throughout the prophetic books.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from the root bâkâh (to weep), this noun signifies "a weeping," and by extension, "a dripping" or "overflowing." In this context, it denotes an unrestrained, copious outpouring of tears, emphasizing the profound depth and continuous nature of the prophet's sorrow. It is not merely a transient sadness but a deep, overwhelming lament that consumes him.
A primitive root meaning "to be (causatively, make) bitter." While it can refer to literal bitterness, it is predominantly used figuratively to describe intense emotional pain, grief, vexation, or anguish. When paired with "weep" (forming a cognate accusative construction, "weep a bitter weeping"), it powerfully intensifies the action, indicating a sorrow that is sharp, agonizing, and utterly devoid of comfort or alleviation.
From the root shûd (to devastate or to lay waste), this noun refers to "violence," "ravage," "desolation," "destruction," "oppression," or "robbery." It paints a vivid and grim picture of the total ruin, plunder, and violent devastation that will befall the city, emphasizing the destructive and inescapable nature of the impending divine judgment.
From bânâh (to build), this term is widely used to denote a female offspring, but also, as here, a collective or personified entity, such as a city or nation. "Daughter of my people" is a tender, affectionate, and vulnerable designation for Jerusalem or Judah, highlighting the prophet's deep personal connection and profound sorrow for his nation's impending and tragic fate.
Verse Breakdown
"Therefore said I, Look away from me;"
The prophet, overwhelmed by the prophetic vision of Jerusalem's impending destruction, expresses a desperate and urgent need for solitude in his profound grief. The command "Look away from me" (from Hebrew shâʻâh, "to gaze at or about," "to inspect," "to regard," or "to turn away") is a plea for privacy, indicating that his sorrow is too immense and personal for public display or casual observation. He desires to be unburdened by the presence of others as he processes the catastrophic future awaiting his people.
"I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me,"
This clause intensifies the prophet's resolute determination to grieve without interruption or alleviation. "Weep bitterly" conveys a sorrow that is agonizing, inconsolable, and deeply piercing. His instruction "labour not to comfort me" (from Hebrew ʼûwts, "to press," "to hurry," "to labor"; and nâcham, "to sigh," "to pity," "to console") is not a rejection of kindness or empathy. Rather, it is a profound acknowledgment that the depth and nature of this particular sorrow cannot be assuaged by human consolation. The pain is too immense, the judgment too certain and severe, for any superficial or conventional comfort to be effective or appropriate.
"because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people."
This final clause reveals the profound and heart-wrenching cause of the prophet's inconsolable grief: the imminent and violent destruction ("spoiling") of Jerusalem, personified as "the daughter of my people." This tender, familial language underscores his deep love, unwavering loyalty, and intense identification with his nation, making their impending suffering his own. The "spoiling" is presented not merely as a distant threat but as a perceived certainty, a devastating and unavoidable reality that utterly breaks the prophet's heart and drives his bitter lament.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 22:4 is profoundly rich in Pathos, masterfully evoking deep emotion and sympathy for the prophet's overwhelming sorrow. The prophet's desperate plea, "Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me," is a powerful expression of Hyperbole, emphasizing the utterly overwhelming and inconsolable nature of his grief. It is not that comfort is literally impossible, but that the sheer magnitude and certainty of the coming destruction render conventional human solace entirely inadequate and futile. The tender phrase "daughter of my people" is a poignant example of both Personification and Metonymy, where Jerusalem or Judah is affectionately and vulnerably referred to as a female child, making the impending "spoiling" (destruction) all the more tragic, personal, and heartbreaking. Furthermore, the use of the cognate accusative "weep bitterly" (literally "weep a bitter weeping") is a powerful form of Intensification, amplifying the verb's meaning and underscoring the extreme severity and depth of the prophet's anguish. This verse, therefore, skillfully employs powerful emotional and rhetorical techniques to convey the gravity of the divine judgment and the profound depth of the prophet's identification with his suffering nation.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah's deep and inconsolable lament in this verse stands as a powerful theological statement concerning the devastating consequences of national sin and the profound burden of authentic prophetic ministry. It reveals that God's judgment, while righteous, just, and inevitable, is not without immense sorrow, even for His faithful messengers. The prophet's inconsolable grief mirrors, in a deeply human way, the divine sorrow over humanity's persistent rebellion and the pain caused by turning away from God's covenant. This passage highlights the sobering reality that unrepentant sin has devastating and far-reaching consequences, not only for individuals but for entire communities and nations, inevitably leading to "spoiling" and desolation. This passage challenges believers today to consider the gravity of unrepentant sin and to cultivate a heart that truly grieves over spiritual indifference, moral decay, and its inevitable destructive outcomes, rather than remaining complacent or detached.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah's raw, unvarnished grief in this verse offers a profound and challenging model for authentic spiritual lament. In a world that often encourages the suppression of sorrow, the pursuit of superficial comfort, or quick fixes for deep pain, the prophet's insistence on "weeping bitterly" and refusing easy consolation reminds us that true spiritual healing and genuine repentance often require fully acknowledging and experiencing the depth of our pain. This is especially true when that pain stems from the consequences of sin, spiritual brokenness, or the impending judgment that unfaithfulness brings. This passage calls us to cultivate a deeply compassionate heart, not only for our own struggles but, more importantly, for the spiritual condition of our communities, our nations, and the world at large. Do we truly grieve over the "spoiling" of lives and societies that stubbornly reject God's truth and grace? Do we allow ourselves to feel the weighty burden of spiritual apathy, moral compromise, and their destructive outcomes, or do we remain detached and unburdened? Isaiah's lament compels us to move beyond a mere intellectual understanding of sin's consequences to a heartfelt burden for those who are lost, suffering, and spiritually blind, prompting us to intercede fervently and act with genuine, self-sacrificial love.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Isaiah refuse comfort in this verse?
Isaiah's refusal of comfort is not a rejection of human kindness or empathy but a profound expression of the overwhelming and inconsolable nature of his grief. The "spoiling of the daughter of my people" refers to the certain and devastating judgment awaiting Jerusalem, a consequence of their persistent sin and rebellion. This impending destruction is so dire and so deeply felt by the prophet that he perceives any human comfort as utterly inadequate or even inappropriate in the face of such profound sorrow. His lament is a recognition that some pains are too deep, some judgments too certain, to be easily assuaged by superficial consolation. It underscores the gravity of the situation and the prophet's deep identification with his people's suffering, mirroring God's own sorrow over their unfaithfulness and impending doom. Isaiah chooses to fully embrace the bitter reality of the judgment, understanding that true comfort can only come after a period of unhindered grief and, ultimately, from God Himself.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah's inconsolable weeping over the "spoiling of the daughter of my people" finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest resonance in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Isaiah wept for a nation facing physical and spiritual desolation due to their covenant unfaithfulness, Jesus, the Son of God, also wept over Jerusalem, foreseeing its destruction because it "did not recognize the time of your visitation" (Luke 19:41-44). Isaiah's sorrow was that of a faithful servant burdened by God's message; Christ's sorrow was that of the divine King, who came to gather His people as a hen gathers her chicks, but was tragically rejected (Matthew 23:37). Furthermore, the very "spoiling" that Isaiah lamented—the full weight of sin's consequences and divine judgment—is precisely what Christ bore on the cross. He became the "spoiled" one, enduring the ultimate desolation, curse, and separation from God, so that "the daughter of His people," the church, might be eternally redeemed from the curse of sin and death (Galatians 3:13). Through His bitter suffering and agonizing death, Jesus absorbed the full weight of the "spoiling" that humanity deserved, offering true comfort and eternal hope where all human consolation utterly failed (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). He is the one who ultimately wipes away every tear, transforming the bitter weeping of judgment into the joyous tears of salvation and eternal life (Revelation 21:4).