Isaiah 22:21 kjv
And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
Isaiah 22:21 nkjv
I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And to the house of Judah.
Isaiah 22:21 niv
I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah.
Isaiah 22:21 esv
and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
Isaiah 22:21 nlt
I will dress him in your royal robes and will give him your title and your authority. And he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah.
Isaiah 22 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 22:20 | "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:" | Prophecy of Eliakim's appointment |
| Isa 22:22 | "And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open." | Symbol of authority given to Eliakim |
| 2 Kings 18:18 | "And when they had called for the king, there came out unto them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder;" | Shebna's presence with Eliakim during a siege |
| 2 Kings 18:37 | "Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, with their clothes rent, and shewed it to Hezekiah." | Eliakim's role in the embassy of Isaiah |
| Isa 36:3 | "And there came unto him Eliakim Hilkiah's son, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah Asaph's son the recorder." | Parallel account in Hezekiah's reign |
| Isa 36:22 | "Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, rent their clothes, and told it to Hezekiah the king." | Eliakim's deputation to Assyrian messengers |
| Neh 3:16 | "After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Bethzur, unto the wall before David's sepulchres, and unto the pool that was made with much labour." | David's house and lineage referenced |
| Luke 1:32 | "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:" | Jesus as heir to David's throne |
| Rev 3:7 | "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;" | Christ possessing the key of David |
| Matt 16:19 | "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." | Keys symbolizing authority in spiritual realm |
| Ps 132:11 | "The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne;" | Promise of an enduring dynasty |
| Jer 22:30 | "Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man barren, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no. more of his seed shall prosper, that sat upon the throne of David, and ruled any more in Judah." | Negative example of royal failure |
| Ezek 21:27 | "I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." | Divine judgment and the coming King |
| Mal 4:1 | "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall not leave them neither root nor branch." | Judgment on the proud |
| Isa 14:13 | "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:" | Example of pride leading to downfall |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before the fall." | Principle of pride and downfall |
| Job 18:5 | "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the flame of his fire shall not shine." | Doom of the wicked |
| Ps 75:6 | "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south." | Divine control over positions of power |
| John 19:11 | "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." | Authority given from above |
| Rom 11:33 | "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" | Unfathomable nature of God's judgments |
| Acts 2:30 | "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;" | David's promise of Christ's reign |
Isaiah 22 verses
Isaiah 22 21 Meaning
The verse describes God's intention to remove a faithful servant named Shebna from his position of authority and replace him with Eliakim. This action signifies a change in leadership and a divine judgment upon Shebna's pride and improper handling of his office. It also introduces Eliakim as a symbol of faithful and responsible leadership, one who will bear the responsibility of David's house.
Isaiah 22 21 Context
Isaiah chapter 22 describes God's judgment upon the city of Jerusalem due to the people's faithlessness, arrogance, and celebratory rejoicing over a perceived victory, which is actually a time of national vulnerability and divine displeasure. The prophet Isaiah is commanded to confront Shebna, a high-ranking official in Hezekiah's court. Shebna is depicted as a proud and ambitious man who has improperly secured for himself a magnificent tomb. God declares his intention to remove Shebna from his office and replace him with Eliakim, a faithful servant. This prophecy occurred during the reign of King Hezekiah, a time when the Assyrian empire was a significant threat, particularly after Sennacherib's invasion. The chapter reflects God's disappointment with Judah's reliance on Egypt and their own superficial religious practices, juxtaposed with a judgment and promise of future restoration and faithful leadership.
Isaiah 22 21 Word Analysis
- I (אָנֹכִי - anokhi): First person singular pronoun. Refers to God Himself speaking.
- will clothe (לָבַשְׁתִּי - lavashti): Perfect tense verb. Signifies God's action of clothing or investing with authority. It's an action completed from God's perspective.
- thee (אֹתְךָ - o'thkha): Second person masculine singular pronoun. Refers to Shebna.
- with (בְּ־ - be-): Preposition. Indicates the means or manner.
- a garment (מְעִיל - me'il): Noun. A robe or long tunic, often a symbol of high office, authority, or royalty.
- and (וְ־ - ve-): Conjunction.
- bind (אָסַרְתִּי - asarti): Perfect tense verb. To tie, fasten, gird, or bind. Here it signifies investing with authority, like girding with a sash of office.
- on (עַל־ - al-): Preposition.
- thy (יָד־ - yad): Noun. Hand. Here used idiomatically to refer to possession or control.
- strength (יָד־ - yad): Literally "hand." Often conveys power, ability, or strength in idiom.
- and (וְ־ - ve-): Conjunction.
- I (אָנֹכִי - anokhi): God speaking again.
- will commit (שָׁלַחְתִּי — shalachti): Perfect tense verb. To send, to put into. Here signifies entrusting or placing something into someone's hand.
- thy (מְעִיל־ - me'il-): Noun. Possibly connected to the previous 'garment' or meaning "your authority". In some readings, this can relate to a girdle or belt, symbolizing authority.
- rule (שִׂמְלָה - simla): Noun. A cloak, mantle, or robe. Similar to 'me'il' but can sometimes denote an outer garment, also representing dignity and office.
- unto (אֶל־ - el-): Preposition.
- the inhabitants (יוֹשֵׁב — yosheb): Participle. Dweller, inhabitant.
- of (כָּל־ — kol): Noun. All.
- the land (הָאָרֶץ — ha'aretz): Noun. The land, the earth.
Group Analysis:
- "I will clothe thee with a garment" (לָבַשְׁתִּי אֹתְךָ בְּמְעִיל): This phrase symbolizes divine investiture. God is metaphorically dressing Shebna in the insignia of high office, yet the context indicates this is a prelude to removing that office. The 'garment' is not just cloth but the authority it represents.
- "and I will bind on thee my girdle" (אָסַרְתִּי עַל־ יָד־ שִׂמְלָה): The act of binding a girdle or sash was a common ancient custom for signifying authority or readiness for service, akin to conferring rank. It emphasizes the binding nature of the responsibility.
- "and I will commit thy rule into his hand" (וְשָׁלַחְתִּי שִׂמְלָתְךָ אֶל־ יוֹשֵׁב כָּל־ הָאָרֶץ): This phrase is critical. It means that Shebna's authority (represented by the garment/girdle) will be transferred. "His hand" refers to Eliakim (mentioned in verse 20). The phrase "rule unto all the inhabitants of the land" signifies the dominion or administrative power that was being taken from Shebna and given to Eliakim.
Isaiah 22 21 Bonus Section
The symbolic language of clothing and girding for office is ancient and widespread in biblical narrative and theology. It signifies empowerment, authority, and commissioning for a task. In contrast to Shebna's misplaced ambition and pride, Eliakim is presented as a reliable and faithful servant. The passage is a foreshadowing of the messianic promise concerning an enduringDavidic dynasty. The authority given to Eliakim, especially the "key of David," has significant theological weight, being applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. This indicates that while Shebna's earthly tenure was ending, a deeper, spiritual authority, rooted in God's covenant with David, was being prepared for fulfillment. The ultimate fulfillment of bearing the "key of David" and ruling in David's house points to Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 22 21 Commentary
Shebna, a prominent official, has shown arrogance and pride by preparing a grand burial place for himself, an action typically reserved for kings or those of royal lineage. In response, God declares He will strip him of his dignities and transfer his authority to Eliakim. The "garment" and "girdle" are symbolic of the authority and responsibility Shebna held as a high-ranking minister. God's action of "clothing" and "binding" is an act of investiture, but here it marks the divestment from Shebna and the investment in Eliakim. The promise to commit Shebna's "rule" (or government) into "his" (Eliakim's) hand highlights a divine reshuffling of leadership. This verse starkly illustrates God's judgment on pride and the elevation of faithfulness. Eliakim is then promised the "key of David," symbolizing his ultimate authority, a title that resonates with future kingship.