Isaiah 22:3 kjv
All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.
Isaiah 22:3 nkjv
All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar.
Isaiah 22:3 niv
All your leaders have fled together; they have been captured without using the bow. All you who were caught were taken prisoner together, having fled while the enemy was still far away.
Isaiah 22:3 esv
All your leaders have fled together; without the bow they were captured. All of you who were found were captured, though they had fled far away.
Isaiah 22:3 nlt
All your leaders have fled.
They surrendered without resistance.
The people tried to slip away,
but they were captured, too.
Isaiah 22 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 22:3 | Your chosen men have fled from afar; all your warriors have been taken captive. | God's judgment on the rebellious |
| Jeremiah 34:17 | You proclaim freedom for yourselves by sword, by plague and famine; I will make you an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. | Consequence of broken covenants |
| Ezekiel 14:21 | For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How much harder still will my judgment fall on Jerusalem when I send against it my four devastating plagues—sword and famine and wild beasts and plagues—to destroy its people and their livestock! | Divine judgment through multiple plagues |
| Jeremiah 7:32-33 | Therefore I will give them into the hands of their enemies and those who seek their lives, and their dead bodies will become food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. | Judgment leading to exposure of the dead |
| Lamentations 4:19 | Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us on the roads, they lay in wait for us. | The swiftness of the pursuers |
| Hosea 7:12 | They will pursue them like a flock of birds, or like sheep scattered by a great noise. I will chastise them for their wicked deeds. | Birds of prey attacking scattered flocks |
| Revelation 6:8 | I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. | Rider of the pale horse and his companions |
| Joshua 7:4-5 | So about three thousand men went up there from the army and fled before the men of Ai. The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them. They scattered the Israelites, struck them down at the foot of the ascent to Geberim, and killed them there. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear before the LORD. | Israelites fleeing before their enemies |
| Judges 7:3-7 | The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men. Go and tell them: 'If anyone is afraid, he may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' So twenty-two thousand of them left and ten thousand remained... Then the LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give your enemies into your hands..." | God reducing Gideon's army to ensure victory |
| 1 Samuel 4:10 | The Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated. Every man fled to his own tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost forty thousand of their foot soldiers. | Israel's defeat and flight before the Philistines |
| 2 Chronicles 20:24 | When the people of Judah reached the watchtower in the desert, they looked toward the enemy camp, but all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. | Enemies killed by God's intervention |
| Isaiah 22:2 | O city, full of noise, turbulent with celebrations, gay with rejoicing— your slain are not slain by the sword, nor did they die in battle. | Contrast with the present state |
| Isaiah 5:30 | They will roar over it on that day like the roaring of the sea. If one looks toward the land, there will be darkness and distress; even the skies will be darkened by clouds. | Imagery of a darkened land due to distress |
| Jeremiah 15:3 | I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers," declares the LORD, "by sword and by wild beasts, by plague and by bloodshed; I will drive them to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem. | Divine appointment of destroyers |
| Ezekiel 5:12 | A third of your people will die of plague or be consumed by famine. A third will fall by the sword, and a third I will scatter to the winds. And I will pursue them with a drawn sword. | Proportionate destruction through various means |
| Amos 5:2-3 | The young women of Israel have fallen; they will not rise again. They lie forgotten on their land, with no one to help them up. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The city that marches out with a thousand should be left with only a hundred, and the one that marches out with a hundred should be left with only ten. | Depopulation of cities |
| Zechariah 11:3 | Hear the howl of the shepherds, and the wail of the noblest of the flock, because the Lord has laid waste their pastures. | The sorrow of shepherds over their lost sheep |
| Matthew 10:37 | Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. | Prioritizing God above all relationships |
| Luke 14:26 | "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even one’s own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. | Detachment from earthly ties for discipleship |
| Acts 2:40 | With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." | Plea for salvation from a doomed generation |
| 1 Corinthians 1:10 | I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. | Call for unity and agreement |
Isaiah 22 verses
Isaiah 22 3 Meaning
This verse describes a scene of utter desolation and destruction befalling the inhabitants of Jerusalem, specifically the valiant men who have fled from battle. The Lord God of Hosts has decreed this calamity upon them, indicating a divine judgment.
Isaiah 22 3 Context
This chapter describes a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the consequences for its people, particularly its leaders and soldiers. The specific context for Isaiah 22:3 is a pronouncement of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem for their unfaithfulness, idolatry, and pride, as outlined in the preceding verses. The "sons of the city" are presented as having been valorous and strong, yet they are routed and captured, signifying a complete military defeat and a reversal of fortune. This defeat is a direct result of their turning away from God, seeking alliances elsewhere, and relying on their own strength rather than divine protection. The chapter portrays a divine response to sin, where even those who should be protectors are overwhelmed and taken away, leading to devastation and mourning within the city. The imagery sets the stage for further pronouncements of judgment on specific individuals and the city itself, highlighting the severity of God's displeasure.
Isaiah 22 3 Word Analysis
- כֹּ֤ל (kol): "all" or "every." This emphasizes the totality of the defeat, signifying that every one of their valiant men, their choicest soldiers, had fled.
- מִבְּרִיחֵיכֶם (mib-be-ri-ḥei-ḵem): "from your fugitives" or "from your fleeing ones." The preposition "מִן" (min) indicates separation or source, meaning from among their own ranks, those who fled. The word "בְּרִיחֵי" (be-ri-ḥei) comes from the root "בָּרַח" (barach), meaning "to flee."
- נֶחְלְצוּ (nech-le-tzu): "were snatched away," "were captured," or "were taken captive." This is a passive form of the verb "חָלַץ" (chalatz), which can mean to gird oneself for battle, to deliver, or to strip off. In this context, it implies being stripped of their freedom and being seized as spoils of war.
- בְּלִי־גְמוּל (bli-ge-mul): "without recompense," "without ransom," or "without reward." This phrase carries a significant nuance. It could mean they were captured without any effort by the enemy to exchange them or gain something in return, highlighting their worthlessness in the eyes of their captors or God's abandonment of them. Alternatively, it could imply they received no "reward" or vindication for their stand, thus departing without recognition for their former might.
- עֵינֵיכֶם (e·i-neich): "your eyes." This directly addresses the people of Jerusalem, making them witnesses to the complete and ignominious defeat of their forces.
- נְאֻם־יהוה (ne·um-YHWH): "declares the LORD" or "the utterance of the LORD." This is a standard prophetic formula that lends authority and divine origin to the message.
Word Groups Analysis
- "all your warriors have been taken captive": This entire phrase signifies a total military collapse and defeat. The enemy did not just defeat them, but "took them captive" without any hint of them being "ransomed" or given back. It points to an overwhelming loss and utter subjugation. The context implies this loss is a consequence of their sin, indicating divine judgment.
Isaiah 22 3 Bonus Section
The specific detail of the soldiers being taken "without recompense" or "without ransom" carries theological weight. In ancient warfare, captives were often valuable commodities, taken to be exchanged for money or to be used as labor. To be taken without any expectation of such exchange suggests utter annihilation or such a complete rout that the captors have no interest in individual negotiation, only in possessing them as chattel or disposing of them. This emphasizes the completeness of the judgment, indicating that God’s hand is so heavy upon them that all their perceived value and strategic importance in human terms has vanished. The pronouncement by "the LORD God of Hosts" further elevates the statement, framing the defeat not as a mere military setback, but as a divine decree by the commander of heavenly armies, signifying an insurmountable power working against Jerusalem.
Isaiah 22 3 Commentary
The verse paints a grim picture of complete military disaster. The soldiers of Judah, once valiant, have become fugitives. They have not just fled, but have been captured. The phrase "without recompense" underscores the hopelessness of their situation. There is no ransom offered, no exchange, no hope of return for these soldiers. Their capture is absolute, a stark demonstration of God’s judgment upon a rebellious nation. This defeat is so comprehensive that even those meant to defend the city have been overcome and removed from the scene. The prophecy’s intent is to strip away any false confidence in military might, pointing instead to the need for reliance on God. The sight is intended for the people of Jerusalem to witness, causing them to confront the reality of their dire straits and the cause of their downfall – their departure from God.