Isaiah 22:12 kjv
And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
Isaiah 22:12 nkjv
And in that day the Lord GOD of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning, For baldness and for girding with sackcloth.
Isaiah 22:12 niv
The Lord, the LORD Almighty, called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth.
Isaiah 22:12 esv
In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth;
Isaiah 22:12 nlt
At that time the Lord, the LORD of Heaven's Armies,
called you to weep and mourn.
He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins
and to wear clothes of burlap to show your remorse.
Isaiah 22 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 22:12 | and in that day the Lord GOD of hosts called to weeping and to mourning, | Judgment and calling to repentance |
| Isa 22:12 | to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: | Signs of mourning and repentance |
| Isa 22:13 | and behold, joy and mirth, slaying oxen, killing sheep, eating flesh, drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink,” | Contrast to divine judgment, carefree attitude |
| Isa 22:14 | “for tomorrow we shall die.” | Fatalistic attitude, ignoring consequences |
| Jer 4:10 | Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you true peace in this place.’” | False prophets causing people to be complacent |
| Eze 33:11 | Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. | God’s desire for repentance, not destruction |
| Luke 13:3 | No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. | Jesus’ call to repentance due to impending judgment |
| 1 Cor 15:32 | If I only have hoped in Christ in this life, I am of all men most to be pitied. | Focus on worldly pleasures vs. eternal significance |
| James 4:9 | Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. | Call to grieve over sin |
| Rev 18:9 | And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived deliciously with her, will weep and beat their breasts over her when they see the smoke of her burning. | Mourning over destruction due to sin |
| Isa 3:8 | For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their words and their deeds are against the Lord, provoking his glorious eyes. | Reason for judgment |
| Jer 17:1 | “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved upon the tablet of their hearts, and upon the horns of their altars, | Depth of sin |
| Hos 7:14 | they do not cry to me in their earnest when they lie on their beds; for wheat and wine they collect themselves; they rebel against me. | Refusal to seek God in distress |
| Amos 6:7 | Therefore you shall now go captive at the head of the exiles, and the feast of the revelers shall be ended. | Consequence of revelry and defiance |
| Acts 17:30 | The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, | God’s command to repent |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. | God’s patience and desire for repentance |
| John 3:36 | Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. | Believing in the Son vs. disobedience |
| Rom 2:4 | Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? | God’s kindness leads to repentance |
| Isa 5:11 | Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may pursue strong drink, who tarry late into the night, till wine inflames them! | Judgment on revelers |
| Isa 28:7 | but these also have stumbled through wine and staggered through strong drink; the priest and the prophet have stumbled through strong drink, they are confused by wine, they stagger through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in giving judgment. | Priests and prophets succumbing to indulgence |
| 2 Kings 18:31 | Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me. And every one of you shall eat of his own vine, and everyone of his own fig tree, and everyone of you shall drink of the water of his own cistern, | Message to not be deceived by Assyria's promises |
Isaiah 22 verses
Isaiah 22 12 Meaning
The verse calls for people to weep and mourn because of impending disaster, specifically a divine judgment that will befall Jerusalem. It emphasizes not to celebrate or rejoice but to recognize the gravity of the situation and the coming consequences of sin.
Isaiah 22 12 Context
Isaiah chapter 22 discusses the impending siege and destruction of Jerusalem by Assyria, specifically focusing on the administrative and civic leadership in the city. In this context, Isaiah addresses the people, particularly the leadership, for their unrepentant hearts and their resort to revelry and feasting instead of repentance and mourning in the face of imminent divine judgment. The surrounding verses highlight the false security and misrule within Jerusalem, leading to their impending doom. The historical backdrop is the Assyrian threat during the reign of Hezekiah, though this particular prophecy might also have broader application to Jerusalem's persistent sin and subsequent Babylonian exile.
Isaiah 22 12 Word analysis
- "and": Conjunction linking actions.
- "in": Preposition indicating time or circumstance.
- "that": Demonstrative pronoun specifying a particular time.
- "day": Refers to a specific, significant time, likely of judgment.
- "the": Definite article.
- "Lord": Hebrew: Adonai. Master, Lord, ruling authority. Denotes God's sovereignty.
- "GOD": Hebrew: Yahweh Elohim. "Yahweh" (YHWH), the covenant God, emphasized with "Elohim" (God), underscoring His supreme power and Godhead. This compound name highlights His role as the Lord God of Hosts.
- "of": Preposition indicating possession or origin.
- "hosts": Hebrew: tsaba. Army, multitude, host. Refers to celestial armies or earthly armies, emphasizing God's command over all powers.
- "called": Hebrew: qara. To call out, summon, proclaim. God is actively summoning His people to a specific response.
- "to": Preposition indicating direction or purpose.
- "weeping": Hebrew: beki. Weeping, lamentation. A visceral expression of sorrow and grief.
- "and": Conjunction.
- "to": Preposition.
- "mourning": Hebrew: misped. Mourning, lamentation. Deeper expression of grief, often with public demonstrations.
- "to": Preposition.
- "baldness": Hebrew: qorach. Baldness, specifically shaving the head. A traditional sign of deep mourning and penitence in ancient Near East.
- "and": Conjunction.
- "to": Preposition.
- "girding": Hebrew: chagra. To gird, bind around. The action of wrapping something.
- "with": Preposition.
- "sackcloth": Hebrew: saq. Coarse cloth made from animal hair. A penitential garment worn during times of deep sorrow, repentance, or humility.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Lord GOD of hosts" (Adonai Yahweh Elohim tsaba'): This significant title emphasizes God's supreme authority as Master and Lord (Adonai) over His covenant people (Yahweh) and His omnipotence as God (Elohim) who commands all powers and armies (tsaba'). It underscores the divine source and the overwhelming authority behind the call to repentance.
- "called to weeping and to mourning, to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth": This phrase describes the specific and extreme measures of public grief and repentance expected. These are not mild expressions but profound outward signs of inward distress and a turning back to God.
Isaiah 22 12 Bonus section
The calling for "baldness" (shaving the head) and "girding with sackcloth" are not mere suggestions but ritualistic acts of deep national repentance. These were understood signs of acknowledging profound sin and vulnerability before God and man, often employed during times of severe national crisis or perceived divine displeasure. This emphasizes that the impending judgment is seen as a direct consequence of sin, requiring a public and overt demonstration of contrition by the entire community. The contrast between this call and the people's subsequent "eating, drinking, and merriment" (v. 13) starkly illustrates their spiritual blindness and defiance, a common theme in Isaiah’s prophecies against Judah.
Isaiah 22 12 Commentary
Isaiah 22:12 issues a solemn command from the Lord God of Hosts to His people. Instead of rejoicing or celebrating, they are called to a profound display of grief and repentance—weeping, mourning, shaving their heads bald, and donning sackcloth. This response is necessary due to an impending, severe divine judgment upon Jerusalem, caused by their sins and their inappropriate celebration in the face of disaster. The prophecy condemns a spirit of carelessness and defiance, particularly in leadership, contrasting it with the urgent need for humble confession and acknowledgment of their sinfulness. This prophetic instruction highlights that true security is found in repentance and submission to God, not in misplaced joy or denial. It calls for a deep understanding of spiritual consequences and a reorientation towards God's justice and mercy.