Глава 22

“What will happen to you, since now everyone is going to the church?” (Isa.22:1). The prophet addresses Jerusalem and its inhabitants, who, out of fear, climbed onto the roofs of their houses. “The mighty city is filled with cries,” the inhabitants of Jerusalem were dismayed and horrified when they heard about the approach of their enemies, “your wounds were not wounded by swords” (Is. 22:2), because they were struck by an Angel, or died from hunger and other disasters. The words: “What happened to you, as you are now near the land?” may also have the meaning that the inhabitants of Jerusalem, after the approach of enemies, ascended to elevated places to see their number. “All your princes fled together, and they did not find the way, because fear seized them, those who remained were bound with bows, that is, they were overthrown by the arrows of their enemies and bound by the bonds of slavery, and the strongmen... fled far away” (Is. 22:3). Others decided to flee far and sought salvation in resettlement. “Leave me alone, so that the highlander may weep for Jerusalem.” This dates back to the time when the enemies of the Assyrians violated Jerusalem, and soon after that they were miraculously killed by an Angel. “Do not console me for the sorrow of the daughter of my family” (Is. 22:4), because the disaster that befell the inhabitants of Jerusalem is great. The Assyrian army “looks around the walls.” “Hezekiah and his people cry out on the mountains” (Is. 22:5). “The Elamites took the tulys,” that is, the enemies who came to throw arrows at them, and the human horsemen on horses prepared to attack the city from all sides, and the wall was exposed by the shield” (Is. 22:6), that is, there were no more soldiers standing in rows around the wall. “On that day you will look at... the weapons of the house and the oak groves” (Is. 22:8, 1 Kings 10:17), that is, the weapons that were taken by the Assyrians. “And they will open the secrets of the houses of the land of David, and they will see that they are many.” It will be seen that the walls of the cities of Judah are destroyed by enemies. “And they turned away the water of the lower font, and filled the houses of Jerusalem with it” (Is. 22:9). The inhabitants of Jerusalem, assuming that the siege of the city would be as long as the siege of Samaria, built new reservoirs to collect and conserve water. “And they built houses to strengthen the wall of the city” (Is. 22:10), that is, they built small huts, or dug caves, in which vigilant guards were usually placed to protect the city from attacks by robbers and thieves. “And make for yourself water between the two walls,” that is, they made ditches, such as are usually dug outside the city wall, so that they would be filled with a large amount of water, and, surrounding the wall, they would prevent the soldiers from approaching the city or, at least, slow down the attack. “And you have not looked upon him who created it from the beginning, and you have not seen him who lived with you” (Is. 22:11), while this invasion of the Assyrians had been predicted long before. “And the Lord, the Lord of hosts, called... weeping and mourning” (Is. 22:12), that is, he called for repentance and contrition for sins committed before. “I created joy and gladness,” that is, what, according to the Lord’s intention, should have disposed them to repentance, produced despair in them. “He says: let us drink and drink, for in the morning we will die” (Is. 22:13). “For your sin will not be forgiven you until you die” (Is. 22:14). This means either that your sins will not last longer than punishment, or that you will not die in despair, but with heartfelt contrition and repentance you will be consoled by the expectation of the best. “Go to the bush to Somnan the builder of the house and say to him: Why are you here?” ( Isa. 22:15–16 ). Give way to someone who is better than you. And you will yield, because you will go into captivity and slavery. “For you hewed out your own grave here, and made for yourself a grave on high, and wrote a tabernacle for yourself on the rock” (Is. 22:16). You are preparing a coffin for yourself here and you think that just as you were glorious during life, so you will be glorious in death; but it is true that your thought deceives you. “Behold, now the Lord of hosts will cast you out of this land into another land, and will forget you” (Is. 22:17). “He will cast you away like a ball” (Is. 22:18), because He is the ruler of kingdoms, and according to His will and judgment, governs kingdoms and distributes them. By this righteous judgment, Somnan, the son of Sohan, was deposed, and Eliakim (Joachim), ruler of the faithful who were not taken to foreign countries, was elected. The prophet compares Somnan with a ball, because just as children throw a ball from one place to another, so he will be expelled and, as it were, thrown from one place to another. “There you will be humiliated, cast out and shattered... from your rank,... there you will die, you will be cast down from the chariots of your glory, and I will gird it with your belt” (Is. 22:18-19), that is, I will transfer your power to Eliakim, the son of Josiah. “And in your stead he will be like a father living in Jerusalem... And he will be on the throne of glory to his father’s house” (Is. 22:21, 23), that is, through him the whole house of his father will be glorified. “On him will depend all the glory of his father’s house... all the instruments of music, even the harp” (Is. 22:24). By this the prophet makes it clear that according to the word of his mouth, the psalmody instituted by David and other sacred services will be performed. “On that day... the nail driven into the hard place will be destroyed” (Is. 22:25), that is, Somnan will turn into nothing when Eliakim takes his place. You might be interested in: