Isaiah 22 11

Isaiah 22:11 kjv

Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

Isaiah 22:11 nkjv

You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

Isaiah 22:11 niv

You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.

Isaiah 22:11 esv

You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago.

Isaiah 22:11 nlt

Between the city walls, you build a reservoir
for water from the old pool.
But you never ask for help from the One who did all this.
You never considered the One who planned this long ago.

Isaiah 22 verses

Isaiah 22 11 meaning

Isaiah 22:11 critiques the people of Jerusalem (Judah) for their actions during an impending crisis, likely the Assyrian siege under Sennacherib. It describes their industrious efforts to secure water within the city by constructing defensive measures, specifically building a ditch or basin between walls to capture water from the old pool. While this engineering feat was strategically sound and vital for survival, the verse profoundly rebukes them for failing to "look unto" or "have respect for" God, who is identified as the ultimate "Maker" and "Fashioner" of their city and indeed all creation, one who has orchestrated history from "long ago." The essence of the verse lies in this contrast: the people's intense focus on their own human endeavors and defenses, juxtaposed with their spiritual neglect and disregard for the divine Sovereign, on whom their true security depended.

Isaiah 22 11 Context

Isaiah chapter 22 is an "oracle concerning the Valley of Vision," a poetic designation for Jerusalem, signifying a place where divine revelations (visions) should be received. The chapter details a period of great alarm and military preparation in Jerusalem, specifically anticipating or during a siege. Historically, this aligns with the events surrounding King Hezekiah's reign and the Assyrian invasion under Sennacherib around 701 BC.

Verses 1-7 depict the city in turmoil, marked by lamentation and despair amidst the noise of battle preparations. Verses 8-11 specifically describe the practical defensive measures undertaken by the Judeans: identifying breaches in the city walls, dismantling houses for repairs, and a significant effort to secure the water supply. This refers to Hezekiah's engineering project (documented in 2 Kgs 20:20 and 2 Chr 32:3-4, 30), which involved redirecting the Gihon Spring's water through a tunnel into the Pool of Siloam within the city walls, cutting off the enemy's access. While these were prudent human actions for survival, the prophet Isaiah delivers a sharp rebuke in verse 11 (and continuing into verses 12-14). He condemns the spiritual blindness of the people who, in their desperate focus on physical security, utterly neglected to turn to and trust in God, the ultimate sovereign and creator. This disregard for their divine Maker becomes a central point of their judgment, contrasted with the very real and immediate danger they faced.

Isaiah 22 11 Word analysis

• You made (וַתַּעֲשׂוּ - vat·ta·'a·śû): Second person plural, past tense. Emphasizes the people's direct involvement and concerted effort. The act of "making" is neutral in itself but here contrasts sharply with the "Maker" whom they ignored.
• ditch / basin (מִקְוָה - miq·wāh): Lit. "a gathering of waters," "reservoir," or "collecting place." This denotes the man-made pool or basin created within the city walls to store the diverted water. It highlights the significant scale and practical nature of their engineering.
• between the two walls: Refers to a strategic location within the city's defenses, likely between an outer defensive wall and an inner one, or perhaps specifically for the water conduit. This detail emphasizes the fortification and protection of the water source, demonstrating a strong reliance on physical security.
• for the water of the old pool (לְמֵי הַבְּרֵכָה הַיְשָׁנָה - lə·mê hab·bərê·ḵāh hay·yə·šā·nāh): The "old pool" refers to a natural or existing water source outside the city walls, probably the Upper Pool of Gihon. This signifies the diversion and securing of an essential resource, preventing enemy access and ensuring the city's endurance during a siege.
• but ye have not looked (וְלֹא נִבַּטְתֶּם - wə·lō’ nib·baṭ·tem): Nibbaṭ (נבט) means "to gaze," "to look attentively," "to consider with spiritual understanding." The negation wəlō’ ("but not") makes this a crucial spiritual indictment. It signifies a profound failure of spiritual perception and acknowledgment, not merely a physical oversight.
• unto the maker thereof (אֶל עֹשֶׂיהָ - ’el ‘ōśîyāh): ‘Ōśêh is "the Maker," "the doer," "the Creator." This term unequivocally refers to God, drawing a direct parallel (and contrast) with the people's "making" of their defenses. This refers to God as the Creator of the city itself, its natural resources, and its destiny.
• neither had respect (וְיוֹצְרָהּ - wə·yō·ṣə·rāh): Yōṣərāh (יוצר) means "the Fashioner," "the Potter," "the Former." This term reinforces "the Maker," emphasizing God's intentional, deliberate, and intimate creation and shaping of all things, including His people and their land. "Had respect" implies due honor, regard, and reverence.
• unto him that fashioned it long ago (יָשׁן - yā·šān): The adverb yāšān means "from of old," "ancient times." This highlights God's eternal sovereignty and ongoing historical guidance, predating all human works and extending throughout history. It underscores the deep-seated spiritual negligence: forgetting a God who has always been at work.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "You made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool": This phrase details admirable human initiative, engineering skill, and practical action taken under duress. It paints a picture of intense human effort to ensure survival through physical means. The physical acts themselves demonstrate the Judahites' capabilities and understanding of siege warfare.
• "but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago": This is the spiritual crux of the verse. It reveals the tragic disconnect: immense human effort directed towards physical preservation, utterly divorced from spiritual dependence on God. The double reference to God as "Maker" and "Fashioner from long ago" elevates the spiritual neglect to an even greater level, implying that they disregarded the ultimate, eternal source of all being and security, who governs not just the immediate crisis but all of history.

Isaiah 22 11 Bonus section

• The absence of an explicit prayer or supplication to the LORD within this intensive preparation period, as recorded by Isaiah in this chapter, stands in stark contrast to Hezekiah's later fervent prayer when Sennacherib directly threatened Jerusalem (2 Kgs 19). This highlights a spiritual journey for Hezekiah and the nation, suggesting the criticism in Isaiah 22:11 might refer to an initial phase of preparation driven by human means alone.
• The elaborate Siloam Tunnel (Hezekiah's Tunnel), bringing water from the Gihon Spring inside the city, is one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the ancient world. Archaeological discoveries, including the Siloam Inscription, attest to its complexity and the detailed planning involved, lending a strong historical anchor to Isaiah's prophetic critique. This reinforces the sheer scale of the human effort, which in Isaiah's view overshadowed their reliance on the divine.

Isaiah 22 11 Commentary

Isaiah 22:11 serves as a profound theological indictment, cutting through the impressive practicalities of Judah's defense. The actions described – the extensive engineering work to secure Jerusalem's water supply – were entirely rational and vital for their physical survival during a siege. The city leaders displayed remarkable foresight and resourcefulness in their preparations. Yet, the prophet Isaiah pronounces a stern judgment, not on the act of preparation itself, but on the profound spiritual oversight accompanying it. In their frantic diligence, they became utterly self-reliant, investing all their trust and focus on their own created defenses and ingenuity. They failed to "look unto" God, the true "Maker" and "Fashioner" of their land, their people, and their history. This phrase goes beyond a mere intellectual acknowledgment; it implies a failure to seek God's guidance, depend on His protection, or honor His sovereign role in their destiny. This spiritual blindness highlights a dangerous human tendency to prioritize visible solutions and human strength, inadvertently sidelining or entirely forgetting the invisible Hand of the Creator and Sustainer. It underscores that true security lies not merely in physical fortifications, but in the reverent trust and unwavering reliance upon God.