the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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English Standard Version
Isaiah 22:1
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This is a message about the Valley of Vision: Jerusalem, what is wrong? Why has everyone gone up to hide in their upper rooms?
This message came to me concerning Jerusalem—the Valley of Vision: What is happening? Why is everyone running to the rooftops?
The burden of the valley of vision. What ails you now, that you are wholly gone up to the housetops?
This is a message about the Valley of Vision: What is wrong with you people? Why are you on your roofs?
Here is a message about the Valley of Vision: What is the reason that all of you go up to the rooftops?
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou hast wholly gone up to the house-tops?
The burden of the valley of vision. What ails you now, that you are wholly gone up to the housetops?
The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning the Valley of Vision: What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops,
The birthun of the valei of visioun. What also is to thee, for and al thou stiedist in to roouys,
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
This is an oracle concerning the Valley of Vision: What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the rooftops,
This is a message about Vision Valley: Why are you celebrating on the flat roofs of your houses?
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
The word about the valley of vision. Why have all your people gone up to the house-tops?
A prophecy about the Valley of Vision: Tell me what is wrong with you, that you have all gone up on the roofs.
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
The burden concerning the Valley of Vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops,
The burden of the valley of vision. What ayleth thee now, that thou art wholly gone vp to the house toppes?
The special word about the Valley of Visions: What is wrong, that you have all gone up to the house tops,
The oracle concerning the valley of vision. What do you mean that you have gone up, all of you, to the housetops,
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee nowe that thou art wholy gone vp vnto the house toppes?
THE prophecy concerning the valley of vision. What do you see here, that you are all gone up to the housetops?
The oracle on the valley of vision, - What aileth thee, then, That thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops?
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee also, that thou too art wholly gone up to the housetops?
The oracle concerning the valley of vision. What do you mean that you have gone up, all of you, to the housetops,
The burthen of the valley of vision. What hast thou to do here, that thou clymbest to the house toppes?
THE WORD OF THE VALLEY OF SION.
This is a message about the Valley of Vision. What is happening? Why are all the people of the city celebrating on the roofs of the houses?
A pronouncement concerning the Valley of Vision:
The burden of the valley of vision. What ails you now, that you are wholly gone up to the housetops?
The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
The oracle of the valley of vision: What business do you have going up, all of you, to the roofs,
The burden of the valley of vision: What ails you now, that you have gone up to the housetops?
The burden of the Valley of Vision. What -- to thee, now, that thou hast gone up, All of thee -- to the roofs?
The heuy burthen, apon the valley of Visions. What hast thou there to do, that thou clymnest vp in to the house toppe,
A Message concerning the Valley of Vision: What's going on here anyway? All this partying and noisemaking, Shouting and cheering in the streets, the city noisy with celebrations! You have no brave soldiers to honor, no combat heroes to be proud of. Your leaders were all cowards, captured without even lifting a sword, A country of cowards captured escaping the battle.
The pronouncement concerning the valley of vision: What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops?
The burden against the Valley of Vision. What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops,
The oracle concerning the valley of vision. What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops?
The oracle concerning the valley of vision.What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
am cir, 3292, bc cir, 712
the valley: Jerusalem being situated in the midst of surrounding hills, and the seat of Divine revelation, is here termed "the valley of vision." This prophecy foretells the invasion of Jerusalem by the Assyrians under Sennacherib; and probably also, by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. Psalms 125:2, Jeremiah 21:13
of vision: 1 Samuel 3:1, Psalms 147:19, Psalms 147:20, Proverbs 29:18, Micah 3:6, Romans 3:2, Romans 9:4, Romans 9:5
What: Genesis 21:17, Judges 18:23, 1 Samuel 11:5, 2 Samuel 14:5, 2 Kings 6:28, Psalms 114:5
that thou: The eastern houses are built with a court within, into which chiefly the windows open; those that open to the street being so obstructed with lattice work, that no one can see through them. Whenever, therefore, anything is to be seen or heard in the streets, any public spectacle, or any alarm, everyone immediately goes up to the house-top to satisfy his curiosity. Hence all the people running to the top of their houses, gives a lively image of a sudden general alarm. Isaiah 15:3, Deuteronomy 22:8, Jeremiah 48:38
Reciprocal: Isaiah 8:8 - he shall pass Isaiah 13:1 - burden Isaiah 13:4 - noise Jeremiah 18:22 - a cry Jeremiah 47:2 - then the Hosea 10:14 - shall a Nahum 1:1 - burden Habakkuk 1:1 - General
Cross-References
And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."
When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.
you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
The burden of the valley of vision,.... A prophecy concerning Jerusalem, so called, because it lay in a valley, encompassed about with mountains, and which was the habitation of the prophets or seers, and the seat of vision and prophecy; and perhaps there is an allusion to its name, which signifies the vision of peace, or they shall see peace. The Septuagint version calls it, "the word of the valley of Sion"; and the Arabic version,
"a prophecy concerning the inhabitants of the valley of Sion, to wit, the fields which are about Jerusalem.''
The Targum is,
"the burden of the prophecy concerning the city which dwells in the valley, of which the prophets prophesied;''
by all which it appears, that not the whole land of Judea is thought to be meant, only the city of Jerusalem, so called, not from its low estate into which it would fall, through the wickedness of the people, and so rather to be called a valley than a mountain, as Kimchi; but from its situation, it being, as Josephus h says, fortified with three walls, except on that side at which it was encircled with inaccessible valleys; and hence it may be, that one of its gates is called the valley gate, Nehemiah 2:13 and besides, there was a valley in it, between the mountains of Zion and Acra, which divided the upper and lower city, as he also elsewhere says i. The burden of it is a heavy prophecy of calamities that should come upon it, or at least of a fright it should be put into, not in the times of Nebuchadnezzar, when it was taken and destroyed, as Jarchi and Kimchi, and another Jew Jerom makes mention of; nor in the times of Titus Vespasian, according to Eusebius, as the said Jerom relates; but in the times of Hezekiah, when Judea was invaded, and Jerusalem besieged by Sennacherib:
what aileth thee now? or, "what to thee now?" k what is come to thee? what is the matter with thee now? how comes this strange and sudden change?
that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? not to burn incense to the queen of heaven, which was sometimes done, and is the sense of some mentioned by Aben Ezra; but either for safety, to secure themselves from their enemies; or to take a view of them, and observe their motions, and cast from thence their arrows and darts at them; or to look out for help, or to mourn over their distresses, and implore help of the Lord; see Isaiah 15:2 and this was the case, not only of some, but of them all; so that there was scarce a man to be seen in the streets, or in the lower parts of their houses, but were all gone up to the tops of them, which were built with flat roofs and battlements about them, Deuteronomy 22:8.
h De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 1. i Ib. l. 6. c. 6. k מה לך "quid tibi accidit?" Vatablus; "quid tibi nunc est?" Piscator.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The burden - (see the note at Isaiah 13:1). “The valley” גיא gay'. Septuagint, Φάραγγος Pharangos - ‘Valley.’ Chaldee, ‘The burden of the prophecy respecting the city which dwells (that is, is built) in the valley, which the prophets have prophesied concerning it.’ There can be no doubt that Jerusalem is intended (see Isaiah 22:9-10). It is not usual to call it “a valley,” but it may be so called, either
(1) because there were several valleys “within” the city and adjacent to it, as the vale between mount Zion and Moriah; the vale between mount Moriah and mount Ophel; between these and mount Bezetha; and the valley of Jehoshaphat, without the walls of the city; or
(2) more probably it was called “a valley” in reference to its being “encompassed with hills,” rising to a considerable elevation above the city.
Thus mount Olivet was on the east, and overlooked the city. Jerusalem is also called a “valley,” and a “plain,” in Jeremiah 21:13 : ‘Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the Lord.’ Thus it is described in Reland’s “Palestine:” - ‘The city was in the mountain region of Judea, in an elevated place, yet so that in respect to the mountains by which it was surrounded, it seemed to be situated in a humble place, because mount Olivet, and other mountains surrounding it, were more elevated.’ So Phocas says, ‘The holy city is placed in the midst of various valleys and hills, and this is wonderful (Θαυμαστόν Thaumaston) in it, that at the same time the city seems to be elevated and depressed, for it is elevated in respect to the region of Judea, and depressed in respect to the hills around it.’ (Reland’s “Palestine,” iii. 802, in Ugolini’s “Thesaurus,” vi.) It was common with Isaiah and the other prophets to designate Jerusalem and other places, not by their proper names, but by some appellation that would be descriptive (see Isaiah 21:1; Isaiah 29:1).
Of vision - (see the note at Isaiah 1:1). The word here means that Jerusalem was eminently the place where God made known his will to the prophets, and manifested himself to his people by “visions.”
What aileth thee now? - What is the cause of the commotion and tumult that exists in the city? The prophets throws himself at once into the midst of the excitement; sees the agitation and tumult, and the preparations for defense which were made, and asks the “cause” of all this confusion.
That thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops - That all classes of the people had fled to the house-tops, so much that it might be said that all the city had gone up. Houses in the East were built in a uniform manner in ancient times, and are so to this day. (See a description of the mode of building in the notes at Matthew 9:1 ff.) The roofs were always flat, and were made either of earth that was trodden hard, or with large flat stones. This roof was surrounded with a balustrade Deuteronomy 22:8, and furnished a convenient place for walking, or even for eating and sleeping. Whenever, therefore, anything was to be seen in the street, or at a distance; or when there was any cause of alarm, they would naturally resort to the roof of the house. When there was a tower in the city, the inhabitants fled to that, and took refuge on its top (see Judges 9:50-53). The image here is, therefore, one of consternation and alarm, as if on the sudden approach of an enemy.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER XXII
Prophecy concerning Jerusalem, 1-14.
Sentence against Shebna, who was over the household, 15-19.
Prophecy concerning Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, 20, 21.
From Eliakim, Isaiah, (agreeably to the mode universally
adopted in the prophetical writings, of making the things then
present, or which were shortly to be accomplished, types or
representations of things to be fulfilled upon a larger scale
in distant futurity,) makes a transition to the Messiah, of
whom Eliakim was a type, to whom the words will best apply,
and to whom some passages in the prophecy must be solely
restrained, 20-24.
The sentence against Shebna again confirmed, 25.
This prophecy, ending with the fourteenth verse of this chapter, is entitled, "The oracle concerning the valley of vision," by which is meant Jerusalem, because, says Sal. ben Melech, it was the place of prophecy. Jerusalem, according to Josephus, was built upon two opposite hills Sion and Acra, separated by a valley in the midst. He speaks of another broad valley between Acra and Moriah, Bell. Jud. v. 13; vi. 6. It was the seat of Divine revelation; the place where chiefly prophetic vision was given, and where God manifested himself visibly in the holy place. The prophecy foretells the invasion of Jerusalem by the Assyrians under Sennacherib; or by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. Vitringa is of opinion that the prophet has both in view: that of the Chaldeans in the first part, Isaiah 22:1-5, which he thinks relates to the flight of Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25:4-5; and that of the Assyrians in the latter part, which agrees with the circumstances of that time, and particularly describes the preparations made by Hezekiah for the defence of the city, Isaiah 22:8-11. Compare 2Ch Isaiah 32:2-5. - L.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXII
Verse Isaiah 22:1. Art - gone up to the house-tops - "Are gone up to the house-tops"] The houses in the east were in ancient times, as they are still, generally, built in one and the same uniform manner. The roof or top of the house is always flat, covered with broad stones, or a strong plaster of terrace, and guarded on every side with a low parapet wall; see Deuteronomy 22:8. The terrace is frequented as much as any part of the house. On this, as the season favours, they walk, they eat, they sleep, they transact business, (1 Samuel 9:25, see also the Septuagint in that place,) they perform their devotions Acts 10:9. The house is built with a court within, into which chiefly the windows open: those that open to the street are so obstructed with lattice-work that no one either without or within can see through them. Whenever, therefore, any thing is to be seen or heard in the streets, any public spectacle, any alarm of a public nature, every one immediately goes up to the house-top to satisfy his curiosity. In the same manner, when any one has occasion to make any thing public, the readiest and most effectual way of doing it is to proclaim it from the house-tops to the people in the streets. "What ye hear in the ear, that publish ye on the house-top," saith our Saviour, Matthew 10:27. The people running all to the tops of their houses gives a lively image of a sudden general alarm. Sir John Chardin's MS. note on this place is as follows: "Dans les festes pour voir passer quelque chose, et dans les maladies pour les annoncer aux voisins en allumant des lumieres, le peuple monte sur les terrasses." "In festivals, in order to see what is going forward, and in times of sickness, in order to indicate them to neighbours by lighting of candles, the people go up to the house-tops."
