Isaiah 22:23 kjv
And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.
Isaiah 22:23 nkjv
I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, And he will become a glorious throne to his father's house.
Isaiah 22:23 niv
I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will become a seat of honor for the house of his father.
Isaiah 22:23 esv
And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house.
Isaiah 22:23 nlt
He will bring honor to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a nail in the wall.
Isaiah 22 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 22:23 | "I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; he shall shut, and none shall open." | Isaiah 9:6 (Son's government), Rev 3:7 (Jesus holds key), Matt 16:19 (Peter's authority) |
| Matthew 16:19 | "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." | Fulfils authority principle |
| Revelation 3:7 | "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one will open.'" | Explicit fulfillment, Christ's authority |
| Luke 11:52 | "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering." | Misuse of authority and keys |
| John 1:1 | "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." | Christ as ultimate authority |
| John 10:7 | "So Jesus again said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.'" | Christ as access |
| John 10:9 | "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." | Christ grants access |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”" | God's empowered servants |
| 1 Corinthians 15:47 | "The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from the Lord, from heaven." | Contrasts earthly vs. heavenly rule |
| Philippians 2:9 | "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name," | Christ's supreme authority |
| Revelation 1:18 | "and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." | Christ's authority over death |
| Revelation 4:1 | "After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I heard was like a trumpet talking to me, saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.'" | God's open invitation |
| Isaiah 9:7 | "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this." | Prophecy of eternal kingdom |
| 1 Samuel 2:8 | "He raises the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world." | God's sovereign elevation of individuals |
| Job 12:14 | "What he opens, none can shut; what he shuts, none can open." | Parallel to divine power |
| Proverbs 18:13 | "To answer before he listens is folly and shame." | Importance of proper authority/listening |
| Romans 13:1 | "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." | God's authority over human rulers |
| Ephesians 4:11-12 | "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, by building up the body of Christ," | God's appointment of leaders |
| Revelation 1:5 | "and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood..." | Christ's rule over earthly kings |
| Song of Solomon 5:5 | "I rose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock." | Symbolic opening for the beloved |
Isaiah 22 verses
Isaiah 22 23 Meaning
This verse prophesies a powerful display of God's authority through His servant Eliakim. God will establish him in a position of immense authority, like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah. He will be responsible for the house of David, symbolizing the continuity of God's covenant. His authority will be so complete that whatever he opens will remain open, and whatever he closes will remain closed, signifying unhindered access or complete restriction based on his decisions, ultimately under God's sovereign will.
Isaiah 22 23 Context
This verse is part of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the judgment on Jerusalem and the impending invasion by the Assyrians (or Babylonians, depending on scholarly dating). Specifically, chapter 22 addresses the folly of the people in preparing for siege by digging numerous water tunnels rather than repenting or relying on God, while also condemning Shebna, the corrupt official, and promoting Eliakim. Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, is elevated to the high office of treasurer or chief administrator, replacing Shebna. The key given to Eliakim signifies his God-ordained authority to manage the affairs of the royal household and, by extension, the kingdom under divine direction. This temporary transfer of authority contrasts with the permanent, ultimate authority vested in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as highlighted in later prophetic and New Testament passages.
Isaiah 22 23 Word Analysis
- וְנָתַתִּ֤י (və·nā·taṯ·tî): "And I will give." This is the first-person singular imperfect of the verb nā·ṯaṯ, meaning to give, put, or place. It indicates a future action by God Himself.
- עַל־ (ʿal): "upon." A common preposition signifying position or placement.
- שִׁכְמוֹ (šik·mōw): "his shoulder." The Hebrew word for shoulder, šē·ḵem. This is a common metaphor for bearing responsibility or authority. Think of how burdens or important items are carried on the shoulder.
- אֶת־ (’eṯ): Direct object marker.
- מַפְתֵּ֣חַ (maf·tê·aḥ): "the key." The singular noun for key, maf·tê·aḥ. A key signifies access, authority, and stewardship. It's the tool to open or close.
- בֵּית־ (bêṯ): "house of." The construct form of bā·yiṯ, house. This refers to the royal palace or the dynasty.
- דָוִד (dā·wiḏ): "David." The royal dynasty established by King David.
- וְפָתַח֙ (wə·p̄ā·taḥ): "and he shall open." The third-person masculine singular perfect of the verb pā·ṯaḥ, to open. It's used here with a consecutive sense, indicating action following the grant of authority.
- וְסָגַר֙ (wə·sā·ḡar): "and he shall shut." The third-person masculine singular perfect of the verb sā·ḡar, to shut, close.
- וְשָֹׁמֵם֙ (wə·šā·mêm): "and none shall shut." This construction with a negated verb śā·mēm (which can mean desolate or amazed, but here used with the affirmative for "none") signifies impossibility of being countermanded. The waw here has a continuous or permissive sense. It implies absolute authority – no one else has the power to interfere with his actions.
- אִ֔ישׁ (’îš): "one," "a man."
- וְסָגַר֙ (wə·sā·ḡar): "and he shall shut."
- וּפָתַח֙ (ū·p̄ā·taḥ): "and none shall open." Again, a parallel construction implying absolute closure; the waw (u) connects this action with the previous, and the negated pā·ṯaḥ means "none shall open."
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David.": This phrase consolidates God's sovereign action (I will place) with the symbol of delegated authority (key) tied to the Davidic covenant (house of David) and its responsibilities (on his shoulder). Eliakim is chosen and empowered by God to administer the Davidic legacy.
- "He shall open, and none shall shut; he shall shut, and none shall open.": This powerful chiasm (A-B-B-A structure conceptually, or a strong parallel) emphasizes the absolute nature of the authority granted. It signifies complete control over access, provision, and disposition, under God's ultimate sovereignty. This isn't about arbitrary power but divinely sanctioned stewardship where decisions are final because they align with God's decree.
Isaiah 22 23 Bonus Section
The transfer of authority from the corrupt Shebna to the faithful Eliakim (described in earlier verses as "clothed with your robe" and "fastened with your sash") signifies a period of restored order and godly governance. Eliakim's tenure is portrayed as a stark contrast to Shebna's arrogance and disregard for the house of God. This narrative serves as a microcosm of a larger truth: God establishes and removes leaders according to His will, and those who serve faithfully with divine authority will reflect His purposes. The ultimate fulfillment of this imagery is found in Jesus Christ, the King of kings, who holds the true key of David, opening doors that no one can shut and shutting those that no one can open, including the ultimate gates of eternal life. This verse, therefore, functions not only as a historical oracle but also as a typological prophecy pointing towards Christ's ultimate, unbreakable authority and access-granting power.
Isaiah 22 23 Commentary
Eliakim’s appointment as depicted here is a powerful illustration of God’s sovereign hand in elevating and empowering His servants to carry out His purposes. The "key of David" symbolizes access to and control over the royal treasury and the administration of the Davidic kingdom. This is not absolute power independent of God, but rather a delegated authority that reflects God's own governance. Eliakim's decisions to open or shut were meant to be authoritative and final, mirroring God’s own unhindered control. This imagery is further magnified in the New Testament, where Christ is identified as the one holding the key of David (Rev. 3:7), granting access to the kingdom and ultimately possessing authority over all things. The responsibility placed on Eliakim also highlights the serious nature of leadership within God’s people; such authority demands wisdom and faithfulness to the One who bestowed it.
- Practical Application: True spiritual leadership involves being entrusted with authority by God and exercising it wisely, ensuring access to truth and grace is maintained while boundaries set by God are respected.