Isaiah Chapter 22

[Ken M. Penner]

• 22.1 Τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς φάραγγος Σειών.

122. The word of the ravine of Zion (22:1-7)
Τί ἐγένετό σοι, ὅτι νῦν ἀνέβητε πάντες εἰς δώματα μάταια; 2 ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ πόλις βοώντων· αἱ τραυματίαι σου οὐ τραυματίαι μαχαίρας, οὐδὲ οἱ νεκροί σου νεκροὶ πολέμου. 3 πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντές σου πεφεύγασιν, καὶ οἱ ἁλόντες σκληρῶς δεδεμένοι εἰσίν, καὶ οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἐν σοὶ πόρρω πεφεύγασιν. 4 διὰ τοῦτο εἶπα Ἄφετέ με, πικρῶς κλαύσομαι, καὶ μὴ κατισχύσητε παρακαλεῖν με ἐπὶ τὸ σύντριμμα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ γένους μου. 5 ὅτι ἡμέρα ταραχοὺς καὶ ἀπωλείας καὶ καταπατήματος παρὰ Κυρίου Σαβαώθ ἐν φάραγγι Σιὼν· πλανῶνται ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου, πλανῶνται ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη. 6 οἱ δὲ Ἐλαμῖται ἔλαβον φαρέτρας, ἀναβάται ἄνθρωποι ἐφʼ ἵππους καὶ συναγωγὴ παρατάξεως. 7 καὶ ἔσονται ἐκλεκταὶ φάραγγές σου πλησθήσονται ἁρμάτων, οἱ δὲ ἱππεῖς ἐμφράξωσι τὰς πύλας σου.
123. Lack of repentance in the city of David (22:8-14)
8 καὶ ἀνακαλύψουσιν τὰς πύλας Ἰούδα καὶ ἐμβλέψονται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ εἰς τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς οἴκους τῆς πόλεως 9 καὶ ἀνακαλύψουσιν τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν οἴκων τῆς ἄκρας Δαυίδ. καὶ εἴδοσαν ὅτι πλείους εἰσίν, καὶ ὅτι ἀπέστρεψαν τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς ἀρχαίας κολυμβήθρας εἰς τὴν πόλιν 10 καὶ ὅτι καθείλοσαν τοὺς οἴκους Ἰερουσαλὴμ εἰς ὀχύρωμα τοῦ τείχους τῇ πόλει. 11 καὶ ἐποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς ὕδωρ ἀνὰ μέσον δύο τειχέων ἐσώτερον τῆς κολυμβήθρας τῆς ἀρχαίας καὶ οὐκ ἐνεβλέψατε εἰς τὸν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ποιήσαντα αὐτὴν καὶ τὸν κτίσαντα αὐτὴν οὐκ εἴδετε. 12 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ κλαυθμὸν καὶ κοπετὸν καὶ ξύρησιν καὶ ζῶσιν σάκκων, 13 αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐποιήσαντο εὐφροσύνην καὶ ἀγαλλίαμα σφάζοντες μόσχους καὶ θύοντες πρόβατα ὥστε φαγεῖν κρέα καὶ πιεῖν οἶνον λέγοντες Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν. 14 καὶ ἀνακεκαλυμμένα ταῦτά ἐστιν ὠσὶν Κυρίου Σαβαώθ, ὅτι οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν αὕτη ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνητε.

124. The tomb of Somnas (22:15-16)
15 Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Σαβαώθ Πορεύου εἰς τὸ παστοφόριον πρὸς Σόμναν τὸν ταμίαν καὶ εἰπὸν αὐτῷ 16 Τί ὧδε σὺ καὶ τί σοί ἐστιν ὧδε, ὅτι ἐλατόμησας σεαυτῷ ὧδε μνημεῖον καὶ ἐποίησας καὶ ἔγραψας σεαυτῷ ἐν πέτρᾳ σκηνήν;

125. Lord Sabaoth will depose Somnas (22:17-19)
17 Ἰδοὺ δὴ Κύριος Σαβαώθ ἐκβάλλει καὶ ἐκτρίψει ἄνδρα καὶ ἀφελεῖ τὴν στολήν σου 18 καὶ τὸν στέφανόν σου τὸν ἔνδοξον καὶ ῥίψει σε εἰς χώραν μεγάλην καὶ ἀμέτρητον, καὶ ἐκεῖ ἀποθανῇ· καὶ θήσει τὸ ἅρμα σου τὸ καλὸν εἰς ἀτιμίαν καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἄρχοντός εἰς καταπάτημα, 19 καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσῃ ἐκ τῆς οἰκονομίας σου καὶ ἐκ τῆς στάσεώς σου.

126. Eliakim will take Somnas’ place (22:20–25)
20 Καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καλέσω τὸν παῖδά μου Ἐλιακὶμ τὸν τοῦ Χελκίου 21 καὶ ἐνδύσω αὐτὸν τὴν στολήν σου καὶ τὸν στέφανόν σου δώσω αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ κράτος καὶ τὴν οἰκονομίαν σου δώσω εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσται ὡς πατὴρ τοῖς ἐνοικοῦσιν ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ τοῖς ἐνοικοῦσιν ἐν Ἰούδᾳ. 22 καὶ δώσω καὶ αὐτῷ τὴν κλείδα οἴκου Δαυιδ ἐπὶ τῷ ὤμῳ αὐτοῦ , καὶ ἀνοίξει, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀντικλίνων, καὶ κλείσει, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀντιλέγων. 23 καὶ στήσω αὐτοῖς ἄρχοντα ἐν τόπῳ πιστῷ, καὶ ἔσται εἰς θρόνον δόξης τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. 24 καὶ ἔσται πεποιθὼς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν πᾶς ἔνδοξος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσται πεποιθὼς ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν πᾶς ἔνδοξος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου καὶ ἔσονται ἐπικρεμάμενοι αὐτῷ 25 ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.
τάδε λέγει Κύριος Σαβαώθ – κινηθήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἐστηριγμένος ἐν τῷ πιστῷ καὶ πεσεῖται, καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἡ δόξα ἡ ἐπʼ αὐτόν, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησεν.

[Ken M. Penner]

122. The word of the gully of Zion (22:1-7)

Τί ἐγένετό σοι, ὅτι νῦν ἀνέβητε πάντες εἰς δώματα μάταια; 2 ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ πόλις βοώντων· αἱ τραυματίαι σου οὐ τραυματίαι μαχαίρας, οὐδὲ οἱ νεκροί σου νεκροὶ πολέμου. 3 πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντές σου πεφεύγασιν, καὶ οἱ ἁλόντες σκληρῶς δεδεμένοι εἰσίν, καὶ οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἐν σοὶ πόρρω πεφεύγασιν. 4 διὰ τοῦτο εἶπα Ἄφετέ με, πικρῶς κλαύσομαι, καὶ μὴ κατισχύσητε παρακαλεῖν με ἐπὶ τὸ σύντριμμα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ γένους μου. 5 ὅτι ἡμέρα ταραχοὺς καὶ ἀπωλείας καὶ καταπατήματος παρὰ Κυρίου Σαβαώθ ἐν φάραγγι Σιὼν· πλανῶνται ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου, πλανῶνται ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη. 6 οἱ δὲ Ἐλαμῖται ἔλαβον φαρέτρας, ἀναβάται ἄνθρωποι ἐφʼ ἵππους καὶ συναγωγὴ παρατάξεως. 7 καὶ ἔσονται ἐκλεκταὶ φάραγγές σου πλησθήσονται ἁρμάτων, οἱ δὲ ἱππεῖς ἐμφράξωσι τὰς πύλας σου.

ὅτι νῦν] with B; (Rahlfs, Ziegler) νῦν ὅτι
μάταια] Rahlfs divides the verses before this word; Swete and Ziegler after. The context and punctuation in S both agree with Swete and Ziegler.
2
βοώντων] people crying out
αἱ] changed by ca to οἱ, with B (Rahlfs, Ziegler). Τραυματίας is normally a masculine noun.
μαχαίρας] with Rahlfs, Ziegler; B has ἐν μαχαίραις. The genitive indicates the source or cause of the wounded.
πολέμου] with Rahlfs, Ziegler; B has πολέμῳ
3
οἱ] lacking in B
ἁλόντες] corrected by scribe B himself from λαλωνταις
πεφεύγασιν] correction by ca from πεφευασιν
πόρρω] adverb of relatively great distance
4
κλαύσομαι] future; the Hebrew has a prepositional phrase בבכי “in my weeping”
καὶ] lacking in B (Rahlfs, Ziegler)
κατισχύσητε] κατισχύω normally involves being victorious by strength; the transitive use can mean “strengthen,” and this meaning is attested in the LXX (Deut 1:38).
παρακαλεῖν] correction by ca from παραλειν. The infinitive seems a bit out of place; it is unclear whether the με is the object of this infinitive, of κατισχύσητε, or both. Κατισχύσητε does not normally take an infinitive object, but neither is it usually transitive, for that matter.
μου] correction by ca from μο
σύντριμμα] the verb συντρίβω connotes breaking into pieces.
γένους] γένος normally means a genetically related person or group. “Race” might be another adequate gloss.
5
ταραχοὺς] from τάραχος; changed by ca to ταραχῆς, with B (Rahlfs, Ziegler), but the two are synonyms.
Καταπατήματος] B has καταπάτημα καὶ πλάνησις; Changed by ca to καταπατήματος καὶ πλανήσεως, and by d to καταπατήματος καὶ πλάνησις, with Rahlfs and Ziegler.
Σιὼν] with Rahlfs, Ziegler, changed by scribe B himself from ὧν; Swete spells it Σειὼν.
ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου
μικροῦ] corrected by ca from μικοῦ
6
φαρέτρας] A φαρέτρα holds arrows.
ἀναβάται ἄνθρωποι] the nominative refers to the Elamites.
ἵππους] accusative, with B; Rahlfs, Ziegler have the dative ἵπποις
παρατάξεως] παράταξις is a military formation of soldiers.
7
ἐκλεκταὶ] B (Rahlfs, Ziegler) has αἱ ἐκλεκταὶ
ἔσονται αἱ ἐκλεκταὶ φάραγγές σου] If these words belong together, a nominative seems to be missing; the meaning might be “Your select gullies will be,” or “Your gullies will be the elect,” or “The elect will be your gullies.” It might be possible to split this phrase in two, so that ἔσονται αἱ ἐκλεκταὶ is one sentence, and φάραγγές σου are the subject of the next sentence, despite the lack of article with φάραγγές σου. But in that case, the “elect” would be inexplicably feminine, whereas the Elamites are masculine. Silva simply ignores the ἔσονται. Ottley explains that the singular ἔσται would be expected as a translation of ויהן, but the plural was used because of the plural nominative immediately following.
ἐμφράξωσι] aorist subjunctive; B (Rahlfs, Ziegler) has the future ἐμφράξουσι, which means to impair passage by filling the opening.

Reception
Chrysostom (Theod. laps. 1.3) quoted 22:4 as the words “of the prophet,” which he would use if someone tried to dissuade him from mourning. He attributes these words to Jeremiah, in Homily 16 on Romans 8:27, but to Isaiah, in Homily 12 on Colossians 4:18 (that tears are blessed).
Gregory of Nyssa (Funeral Oration on Meletius) quotes it when refusing to be consoled.
Basil, Letter 44.2 and 46.1 quotes 22:2, weeping for souls.

[Ken M. Penner]

123. Lack of repentance in the city of David (22:8-14)

8 καὶ ἀνακαλύψουσιν τὰς πύλας Ἰούδα καὶ ἐμβλέψονται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ εἰς τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς οἴκους τῆς πόλεως 9 καὶ ἀνακαλύψουσιν τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν οἴκων τῆς ἄκρας Δαυίδ. καὶ εἴδοσαν ὅτι πλείους εἰσίν, καὶ ὅτι ἀπέστρεψαν τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς ἀρχαίας κολυμβήθρας εἰς τὴν πόλιν 10 καὶ ὅτι καθείλοσαν τοὺς οἴκους Ἰερουσαλὴμ εἰς ὀχύρωμα τοῦ τείχους τῇ πόλει. 11 καὶ ἐποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς ὕδωρ ἀνὰ μέσον δύο τειχέων ἐσώτερον τῆς κολυμβήθρας τῆς ἀρχαίας καὶ οὐκ ἐνεβλέψατε εἰς τὸν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ποιήσαντα αὐτὴν καὶ τὸν κτίσαντα αὐτὴν οὐκ εἴδετε. 12 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ κλαυθμὸν καὶ κοπετὸν καὶ ξύρησιν καὶ ζῶσιν σάκκων, 13 αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐποιήσαντο εὐφροσύνην καὶ ἀγαλλίαμα σφάζοντες μόσχους καὶ θύοντες πρόβατα ὥστε φαγεῖν κρέα καὶ πιεῖν οἶνον λέγοντες Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν. 14 καὶ ἀνακεκαλυμμένα ταῦτά ἐστιν ὠσὶν Κυρίου Σαβαώθ, ὅτι οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν αὕτη ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνητε.

8
ἀνακαλύψουσιν] future of ἀνακαλύπτω, uncover.
ἐκλεκτοὺς] recalls 22:7
9
ἄκρας] ἄκρα normally means the peak or extreme point, but in a military contexts is used for a citadel at that high point of a town.
εἴδοσαν] aorist active indicative of ὁράω / εἶδον.
ἀπέστρεψαν] plural, with Rahlfs, Ziegler; B has the singular ἀπέστρεψεν
κολυμβήθρας] κολυμβήθρα is a reservoir or swimming pool.
10
καθείλοσαν] third person plural aorist of καθαιρέω, bring down.
εἰς ὀχύρωμα τοῦ τείχους τῇ πόλει] the result is indicated by the prepositional phrase εἰς ὀχύρωμα, which normally indicates a fortress. The beneficiary is indicated by the dative τῇ πόλει. The function of the genitive τοῦ τείχους is slightly harder to determine, but is probably the object that was turned into the fortress, as Silva translates: “to fortify the wall of the city.”
ὀχύρωμα τοῦ] with Rahlfs, Ziegler; B has ὀχυρώματα
11
ἐποιήσατε] in verses 5-10, the verbs were all third person plural. In this verse, the person changes to second person (still plural).
δύο] τῶν δύο
τειχέων] B has τειχῶν
ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν δύο τειχέων] normally, ἀνὰ μέσον means “between” rather than “inside” or “within,” especially when used with δύο.
ἐσώτερος] can function as a preposition with the genitive, but “inside the old reservoir” would not make much sense.
αὐτὴν] the feminine referent most likely is the ancient reservoir.
12
κοπετὸν] mourning
ξύρησιν] ξύρησις normally means “shaving,” as a typical treatment of captives
13
αὐτοὶ] the verbs become third person plural again.
σφάζοντες] participle of σφάζω, slaughter
λέγοντες] with Rahlfs, Ziegler; lacking in B
14
ἀνακεκαλυμμένα] recalls 22:8
ὠσὶν] ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν
ἀφεθήσεται] future of ἀφίημι
ὑμῖν … ἀποθάνητε] return to second person

Reception
1 Cor 15:32 quotes 22:13 as Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν
Clement of Alexandria (Paed. 2.1) condemns indulgent eating with the words, “For those that are absorbed in pots, and exquisitely prepared niceties of condiments, are they not plainly abject, earth-born, leading an ephemeral kind of life, as if they were not to live [hereafter]? Those the Holy Spirit, by Isaiah, denounces as wretched,” and quotes “But they made mirth, killing calves, and sacrificing sheep, saying, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” in condemning indulgent eating. He says, “your sin shall not be forgiven you till you die.”
Tertullian (8.17) asks the Psychics why they do not preach “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die,” since they are concerned mainly with food and drink.
Cyprian (Ad Quirinium 3.60) quotes the same passage to make his point that “too great lust of food is not to be desired.”
The Apostolic Constitutions 3.1.7 quote this verse to condemn widows “who prefer eating and drinking before all virtue.”
The Apocalypse of Paul
Augustine, Sermon 24.3
Chrysostom (Homily 40) noted that 1 Cor 15:32 uses Isaiah 22:13-14, who when “discoursing of certain insensible and reprobate persons made use of these words.” He calls them “certain foolish ones” in Homily 72.5 on John.
Athanasius (Festal Letter 2.7) quotes it support of his point, “those who are borne in the opposite direction have nothing better than to eat, and think their end is that they shall cease to be.” Those who love pleasures kill the soul with lusts (Festal Letter 7.2).
Jerome noted that God calls people to repentance, quoting 22:13-14 in Ep. 122.1 and 147.3
John of Damascus quotes it in De Fide Orth. 4.27

[Ken M. Penner]

124. The tomb of Somnas (22:15-16)

15 Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Σαβαώθ Πορεύου εἰς τὸ παστοφόριον πρὸς Σόμναν τὸν ταμίαν καὶ εἰπὸν αὐτῷ 16 Τί ὧδε σὺ καὶ τί σοί ἐστιν ὧδε, ὅτι ἐλατόμησας σεαυτῷ ὧδε μνημεῖον καὶ ἐποίησας καὶ ἔγραψας σεαυτῷ ἐν πέτρᾳ σκηνήν;

15
λέγει] the command is clearly addressed to the prophet, since it includes a command to go to the person for whom the prophecy is intended, so a past tense would be expected here.
παστοφόριον] the place for παστοφόροι, those who bring the παστός, which normally has something to do with brides, but sometimes powder; this place in the temple is mentioned by Josephus in B.J. 4.582 as τῶν παστοφορίων. It appears also in Esd A 9:1 and Jer 42:4. Eusebius provides the interpretations of “the Hebrew”, Symmachus, and Aquila (Commentay on Isaiah 1.82).
ταμίαν] ταμίας is a treasurer
εἰπὸν] see the entry in BDAG regarding accentuation of this imperative form; Ziegler has εἶπον.
16
τί σοί] the expression appears to mean “what business do you have?”
ὧδε σὺ] σὺ ὧδε
ἐλατόμησας] λατομέω means to cut into stone
μνημεῖον] in older Greek, this could be anything by which something or someone is remembered; by the time of Christianity, it commonly referred to a tomb.
ἐποίησας] B (Rahlfs, Ziegler) has ἐποίησας σεαυτῷ ἐν ὑψηλῷ μνημεῖον
ἔγραψας σεαυτῷ ἐν πέτρᾳ σκηνήν] σκηνήν as object of ἔγραψας is unexpected. The reader might understand that Somnas had carved a drawing of a tent in the rock.
Silva translates, “What do you have here, that you have cut out a tomb here for yourself and made for yourself a tomb on the height and inscribed a tent for yourself in a rock?”

Reception
Eusebius interprets the story historically (Commentary on Isaiah 148.6-20 / Ziegler 1.82), but in a way that implicitly parallels Jesus with Eliakim on the basis of his gentleness.
Cyril of Alexandria says “Eliakim” means “resurrection of God” (Commentary on Isaiah 22.10-14).

[Ken M. Penner]

125. Lord Sabaoth will depose Somnas (22:17-19)

17 Ἰδοὺ δὴ Κύριος Σαβαώθ ἐκβάλλει καὶ ἐκτρίψει ἄνδρα καὶ ἀφελεῖ τὴν στολήν σου καὶ τὸν στέφανόν σου τὸν ἔνδοξον 18 καὶ ῥίψει σε εἰς χώραν μεγάλην καὶ ἀμέτρητον, καὶ ἐκεῖ ἀποθανῇ· καὶ θήσει τὸ ἅρμα σου τὸ καλὸν εἰς ἀτιμίαν καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἄρχοντός εἰς καταπάτημα, 19 καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσῃ ἐκ τῆς οἰκονομίας σου καὶ ἐκ τῆς στάσεώς σου.

17
δὴ] Three of the six instances of this particle in G are with Ἰδοὺ (3:1; 22:17; 33:7).
ἐκβάλλει] present tense, with B; Rahlfs, Ziegler have the future ἐκβαλεῖ
ἐκτρίψει] ἐκτρίβω means “rub out”
ἄνδρα] the man to which this refers is left implicit here, but the σου makes it clear that Somnas is intended.
καὶ τὸν στέφανόν σου τὸν ἔνδοξον] Swete, Ziegler divide the verse after these words; Rahlfs before. This phrase fits better with the preceding sentence, so I follow Swete and Ziegler. The crown and robe are both objects of ἀφελεῖ.
ἔνδοξον] held in high repute, esteemed
18
ῥίψει] future of ῥίπτω, throw.
ἀμέτρητον] immeasurable
ἀποθανῇ] second person singular future (middle) of ἀποθνῄσκω
ἅρμα] chariot
εἰς καταπάτημα] B has σου; Rahlfs, Ziegler have σου εἰς καταπάτημα. Recalls 5:5 (the vineyard); 7:23-25, and anticipates paragraph 164 (verse 18).
19
ἀφαιρεθήσῃ] second person singular future passive, with Rahlfs, Ziegler; B has ἀφαιρεθήσει
οἰκονομίας] managerial office
στάσεώς] in this context (with οἰκονομίας), the meaning is “position.”

[Ken M. Penner]

126. Eliakim will take Somnas’ place (22:20–25)

20 Καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καλέσω τὸν παῖδά μου Ἐλιακὶμ τὸν τοῦ Χελκίου 21 καὶ ἐνδύσω αὐτὸν τὴν στολήν σου καὶ τὸν στέφανόν σου δώσω αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ κράτος καὶ τὴν οἰκονομίαν σου δώσω εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσται ὡς πατὴρ τοῖς ἐνοικοῦσιν ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ τοῖς ἐνοικοῦσιν ἐν Ἰούδᾳ. 22 καὶ δώσω καὶ αὐτῷ τὴν κλείδα οἴκου Δαυιδ ἐπὶ τῷ ὤμῳ αὐτοῦ , καὶ ἀνοίξει, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀντικλίνων, καὶ κλείσει, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀντιλέγων. 23 καὶ στήσω αὐτοῖς ἄρχοντα ἐν τόπῳ πιστῷ, καὶ ἔσται εἰς θρόνον δόξης τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. 24 καὶ ἔσται πεποιθὼς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν πᾶς ἔνδοξος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσται πεποιθὼς ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν πᾶς ἔνδοξος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου καὶ ἔσονται ἐπικρεμάμενοι αὐτῷ 25 ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.
τάδε λέγει Κύριος Σαβαώθ – κινηθήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἐστηριγμένος ἐν τῷ πιστῷ καὶ πεσεῖται, καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἡ δόξα ἡ ἐπʼ αὐτόν, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησεν.

20
καλέσω] with Rahlfs, Ziegler; B has καὶ καλέσω
Ἐλιακὶμ] Swete spells it Ἐλιακεὶμ. Mentioned in 36:3, 11, 22; 37:2, and also in 4 Kingdoms 18:18, 26, 37; 19:2.
21
This verse indentifies the recipient of the things taken in 22:17, 19.
καὶ τὸ] with Rahlfs, Ziegler; B has κατὰ
22
καὶ αὐτῷ τὴν κλείδα οἴκου Δαυιδ ἐπὶ τῷ ὤμῳ αὐτοῦ] B (Rahlfs, Ziegler) has τὴν δόξαν Δαυεὶδ αὐτῷ. Compare the S text to Rev 3:7: ὁ ἔχων τὴν κλεῖν Δαυείδ, ὁ ἀνοίγων καὶ οὐδεὶς κλείσει, καὶ κλείων καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀνοίξει. It is not clear how a physical key would be upon one’s shoulder, but the expression recalls 9:6-7, where the government is on someone’s shoulder.
ἀνοίξει] ἄρξει
καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀντικλίνων, καὶ κλείσει, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀντιλέγων] B has καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀντιλέγων, καὶ κλείσει καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἀνοίγων; Rahlfs, Ziegler have only καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀντιλέγων. ἀντικλίνω is defined by LSJ as “turn or bend again.”
23
στήσω αὐτοῖς] B has στηλῶ αὐτὸν; Rahlfs, Ziegler στήσω αὐτὸν
τόπῳ πιστῷ]
ἔσται εἰς] usually in G means “will become,” but it makes no sense for a leader to “become” a throne.
πατρὸς] the father imagery continues from 22:21
24
Second καὶ ἔσται πεποιθὼς ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν πᾶς ἔνδοξος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ] deleted by ca, with B (Rahlfs, Ziegler). καὶ ἔσται πεποιθὼς appeats to translate ותלו at the beginning of this verse, but the upcoming ἐπικρεμάμενοι (from ἐπικρεμαννύω) fits its meaning (“hang”) better.
25
κινηθήσεται] κινέω can mean simply “move” but is often used specifically with the sense of “remove.”
ἐστηριγμένος] στηρίζω (typically “strengthen”) in the context of changing positions of authority corresponds to English “establish.”
τῷ] B (Rahlfs, Ziegler) has τόπῳ, matching 22:23.
καὶ πεσεῖται, καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσεται] with Rahlfs, Ziegler; B has καὶ ἀφαιρεθήσεται καὶ πεσεῖται, καὶ ἐξολεθρευθήσεται

Reception
Eusebius interprets the story historically (Commentary on Isaiah 148.6-20 / Ziegler 1.82), but in a way that implicitly parallels Jesus with Eliakim on the basis of his gentleness.
Cyril of Alexandria says “Eliakim” means “resurrection of God” (Commentary on Isaiah 22.10-14).
Gregory Thaumaturgus to Origen 15 says the gift of prophecy is needed when hearing the prophecy as well: “He who shutteth openeth, and no other one whatever; and what is shut is opened when the word of inspiration explains mysteries.”
Origen’s Commentary on John 5.4 interprets Isaiah 22:22 in light of the parallel Revelation 3:7; 5:1-5: no one should question the interpretation the Logos brings.

[Ken M. Penner]

• 22.1 The word of the gully of Sion:

122. The word of the gully of Sion (22:1-7)
What happened to you, that now you all went up into useless households? 2 The city was filled with those crying out. Your wounded women were not wounded by the sword, nor your dead dead from war. 3 All your leaders have fled, and those who were captured are harshly bound, and the powerful among you have fled far. 4 Because of this, I said, Leave me; I will weep bitterly. And do not try to comfort me over the shattering of the daughter of my family. 5 Because it is a day of troubles and destruction and trampling from Lord Sabaoth, in the ravine of Sion they wander, from small to great; they wander on the mountains. 6 And the Elamites took quivers, riding men on horses and a gathering of battle lines. 7 And they will be; your select gullies will be filled with chariots; and may the horsemen block your gates.
123. Lack of repentance in the city of David (22:8-14)
8 And they will uncover the gates of Ioudas and look on that day into the choicest houses of the city. 9 And they will uncover the secrets of the houses of the citadel of David. And they saw that they were many and that they had returned the water of the old reservoir into the city 10 and that they tore down the houses of Jerusalem for a fortress of the wall for the city. 11 And you made for yourselves water between the two walls, in farther than the old reservoir. And you did not look to the one who made it from the beginning, and you did not see the one who created it. 12 And on that day Lord Sabaoth called for weeping and lamentation and shaving and girding of sackcloth. 13 But they acted with happiness and rejoicing, slaughtering calves and sacrificing sheep in order to eat meat and drink wine, saying, Let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 14 And these things are revealed in the ears of Lord Sabaoth, because this sin will not be forgiven you until you die.

124. The tomb of Somnas (22:15-16)
15 Thus says Lord Sabaoth, Go into the priest’s chamber, to Somnas the treasurer, and say to him, 16 Why are you here? And what is yours here, that you have cut out for yourself a tomb here, and you made for yourself a tomb in a high place, and you wrote a tent for yourself on rock?

125. Lord Sabaoth will depose Somnas (22:17-19)
17 Look now, Lord Sabaoth is casting out and will rub out a man, and he will take away your robe and your esteemed crown. 18 And he will throw you into a great and immeasurable country, and there you will die. And he will turn your fine chariot into a disgrace and the leader's house into a trampled ruin. 19 And you will be removed from your stewardship and from your position.

126. Eliakim will take Somnas’ place (22:20–25)
20 And it will be on that day, I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Chelkias, 21 and I will clothe him with your robe and I will give him your crown, and I will give your power and stewardship into his hands, and he will be like a father to those who live in Jerusalem, and to those who live in Ioudas. 22 And I will give also to him the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, and he will open, and there will be no-one who turns against him, and he will close, and there will be no one who opposes him. 23 And I will set a leader for them in a secure place, and he will become a throne of glory of the house of his father. 24 And every esteemed person in the house of his father will trust upon him, from small to great, and they will be hanging over him, 25 on that day.
Thus says Lord Sabaoth: The person who has been firmly set in the secure place will be removed and will fall, and the glory that was upon him will be taken away, for Lord has spoken.

[Ken M. Penner]

The textual evidence in Isaiah 22:22 is mixed in the major uncial manuscripts. Here is a comparison chart.

Isaiah 22.22 manuscripts.jpg (39.03 KiB) Viewed 23209 times