Isaiah 22

This is not easy. I have to remember what I have been doing since 2006 based on the conference on theology and Biblical Studies at the University of St Andrews. The language is strange, and stranger still in Isaiah, but I am looking for the character of God, the mind of Yahweh, in the Scriptures that emerged over a long period of time and found their place in the turn of the era in Jerusalem - where they were read by Jesus and his disciples and apostles and other followers.

I have not forgotten that my introduction to this body of writing is through Christ Jesus, a man whose character is attested by the writers of the New Testament. It was through my baptism into his death that I (eventually) discovered the power that would deliver me פלני אלמוני 'from whatever and to whatever' (1 Samuel 21:3). At that time, I recalled that this knowledge must have a foundation, and that I could not accept the demolition of that foundation by a shallow understanding of the so called Old Testament by paint-by-numbers New Testament thinking. Such attempts at control of the text seemed doomed to failure. And they did doom those who have loved Torah to much misery. Yes, one could discover what other people had thought, but if one has little foundation, one has few places to put that discovery. Nor can one judge the truth of a theological statement without a close reading of the text of the experience of the ancient witnesses.

The theology is also hard and I am not prepared on my own for this as if I were alone - yet I largely work alone. There are few in my local churches who have much interest in the ancient texts in Hebrew. I have a friend who will answer any question, but I do not pester him much. (Though I did today for verse 18.)

I don't know what all this struggle will lead to, apart from the fact that I enjoy the technical, historical, geographical, and linguistic challenges - and they are plentiful in Isaiah. It is slow going, not at all like Kings and Chronicles that often 'translate' each other. Not at all like the poetry books for they are cryptic to an extreme that Isaiah does not imitate. Not like Torah. I did not feel Torah was my story, but it is now. I was sure I would not like Kings or Chronicles, but they are really fun because of their many overlapping sections. I don't much like Joshua or Judges, but I am sure I will change my mind here perhaps for a reason I don't yet know. I feared the major prophets with good reason, it turns out.

This is the summary status by major section. We are closing in. It will occupy the rest of the year and then some, I expect. I will intersperse a chapter a week of the Psalms (if I keep up what I am doing). Whether I will keep up the pace of a chapter a day I do not know.

Books	Chapters (totals)	Verses	by vs	Chapters  'Done'	% 'done'  by chapter	to do
1 Torah	187	5853	25%	149	79.7%	38
2 Former Prophets	147	4317	19%	82	55.8%	65
3 Later Prophets	166	3928	17%	112	68.7%	52
4 The 12	67	1050	5%	67	100.0%	0
5 Books of Truth	223	4512	19%	223	100.0%	0
6 The 5 Scrolls	39	745	3%	39	100.0%	0
7 Other	100	2792	12%	51	51.0%	49
Totals	929	23197	100%	723	78.0%	204

I will attempt to shave off a bit at a time from the remaining chapters, to allow them all to be completed 'together'. I continue to correct my readings as I discover words and phrases that I must see differently based on new information in each chapter I read.

If you are reading with me, please feel free to suggest or question. I know if you are professionally trained, you may not be able to decide where to start with suggesting corrections! But if you notice a verse I have neglected to format, please let me know. (I always do a final review, but there are many interruptions and I sometimes miss something.)

I am limiting a number of issues, particularly textual criticism. I just don't have time to explore manuscript differences (except occasionally when I look at the Aleppo codex for accents or I discover a missing verse from DSS or LXX like the missing nun in Psalm 145).

Isaiah 22:22 is a source for Messianic imagery for the O antiphons. My glosses for פתח do not include key. In deference to the majority opinion, I have used door-key. But the backside is capable of carrying the door (open or latched). When Isaiah is furious, as he exhibits with the turban imagery in verse 18, he can mix metaphors. In that verse I have used ידים as a phrase, tossed by hand. Translations seem to skip this word. Perhaps it is referring to dikes in the far away land?

Another unknown word in verse 24, והצפעות derived from צפע is used as patties for cooking in Ezekiel. So I have let it be excrement. (It can also be anaconda.) Perhaps the vessels are all unclean at this point. Or perhaps this stuff is just the generic detritus of a forced move.

Isaiah 22		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
מַשָּׂ֖א גֵּ֣יא חִזָּי֑וֹן מַה־לָּ֣ךְ אֵפ֔וֹא כִּֽי־עָלִ֥ית כֻּלָּ֖ךְ לַגַּגּֽוֹת	1		A load about the gorge of vision. What is it to you here that you went up, all of you, to the housetops?	3e	4B	6 11
תְּשֻׁא֣וֹת ׀ מְלֵאָ֗ה עִ֚יר הֽוֹמִיָּ֔ה קִרְיָ֖ה עַלִּיזָ֑ה חֲלָלַ֙יִךְ֙ לֹ֣א חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹ֖א מֵתֵ֥י מִלְחָמָֽה	2		The murmuring city is full of ruin, the town exultant? Your profaned are not profaned by sword nor dead in war.	3e	4C	15 15
כָּל־קְצִינַ֥יִךְ נָֽדְדוּ־יַ֖חַד מִקֶּ֣שֶׁת אֻסָּ֑רוּ כָּל־נִמְצָאַ֙יִךְ֙ אֻסְּר֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו מֵרָח֖וֹק בָּרָֽחוּ	3		All your magistrates are sequestered together. From the bow they are bound. All found in you are bound as one. From afar they have run away.	3e	4B	14 15
עַל־כֵּ֥ן אָמַ֛רְתִּי שְׁע֥וּ מִנִּ֖י אֲמָרֵ֣ר בַּבֶּ֑כִי אַל־תָּאִ֣יצוּ לְנַֽחֲמֵ֔נִי עַל־שֹׁ֖ד בַּת־עַמִּֽי	4		Therefore I said, Look away from me. I am bitter, weeping. Do not command that I be comforted over the devastation of the daughter of my people.	3d	4B	15 14
כִּ֣י יוֹם֩ מְהוּמָ֨ה וּמְבוּסָ֜ה וּמְבוּכָ֗ה לַֽאדֹנָ֧י יְהוִ֛ה צְבָא֖וֹת בְּגֵ֣יא חִזָּי֑וֹן מְקַרְקַ֥ר קִ֖ר וְשׁ֥וֹעַ אֶל־הָהָֽר	5	B	For a day, of discomfort, and of treading down, and of perplexity, is for my lord Yahweh of hosts in the gorge of vision, and a sidewall is collapsed and there is crying for help on the hill.	3c	4B	24 10
וְעֵילָם֙ נָשָׂ֣א אַשְׁפָּ֔ה בְּרֶ֥כֶב אָדָ֖ם פָּֽרָשִׁ֑ים וְקִ֥יר עֵרָ֖ה מָגֵֽן	6		Elam bears his quiver in the ruddy chariot of cavaliers, and Qyr exposes a shield.	3e	4B	15 6
וַיְהִ֥י מִבְחַר־עֲמָקַ֖יִךְ מָ֣לְאוּ רָ֑כֶב וְהַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים שֹׁ֖ת שָׁ֥תוּ הַשָּֽׁעְרָה	7		And it will be that your choice valleys will be full of chariot, and the cavaliers will impose, setting themselves toward the gate.	3e	4B	12 11
וַיְגַ֕ל אֵ֖ת מָסַ֣ךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַתַּבֵּט֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אֶל־נֶ֖שֶׁק בֵּ֥ית הַיָּֽעַר	8		And he uncovered the screen of Judah, and you took note in that day to the equipment of the house of the forest.	3e	4B	8 14
וְאֵ֨ת בְּקִיעֵ֧י עִיר־דָּוִ֛ד רְאִיתֶ֖ם כִּי־רָ֑בּוּ וַֽתְּקַבְּצ֔וּ אֶת־מֵ֥י הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָֽה	9		And the splits of the city of David you have seen, that they are multiplied, and you collected the waters of the lower blessing pool.	3c	4A	13 12
וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם סְפַרְתֶּ֑ם וַתִּתְֿצוּ֙ הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים לְבַצֵּ֖ר הַחוֹמָֽה	10		And the houses of Jerusalem you have counted, and you have broken down the houses to enclose the wall.	3e	4B	11 13
וּמִקְוָ֣ה ׀ עֲשִׂיתֶ֗ם בֵּ֚ין הַחֹ֣מֹתַ֔יִם לְמֵ֖י הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הַיְשָׁנָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א הִבַּטְתֶּם֙ אֶל־עֹשֶׂ֔יהָ וְיֹצְרָ֥הּ מֵֽרָח֖וֹק לֹ֥א רְאִיתֶֽם	11		And a reservoir you have made between the walls, to the waters of the blessing pool, the old store, but you did not take note of its maker, and its potter from afar you did not see.	3e	4C	19 19
וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֲדֹנָ֧י יְהוִ֛ה צְבָא֖וֹת בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא לִבְכִי֙ וּלְמִסְפֵּ֔ד וּלְקָרְחָ֖ה וְלַחֲגֹ֥ר שָֽׂק	12		And my Lord Yahweh of hosts called in that day, for weeping and for wailing and for baldness and for wearing sackcloth.	3c	4B	15 13
וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ שָׂשׂ֣וֹן וְשִׂמְחָ֗ה הָרֹ֤ג ׀ בָּקָר֙ וְשָׁחֹ֣ט צֹ֔אן אָכֹ֥ל בָּשָׂ֖ר וְשָׁת֣וֹת יָ֑יִן אָכ֣וֹל וְשָׁת֔וֹ כִּ֥י מָחָ֖ר נָמֽוּת	13		And behold, joy, and mirth, slaying of oxen, and butchering of sheep, eating flesh and imbibing wine. Eat and imbibe, for tomorrow we die.	3e	4C	25 10
וְנִגְלָ֥ה בְאָזְנָ֖י יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת אִם־יְ֠כֻפַּר הֶעָוֺ֨ן הַזֶּ֤ה לָכֶם֙ עַד־תְּמֻת֔וּן אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָאֽוֹת	14		And it was disclosed in my ears by Yahweh of hosts, This iniquity will not be covered for you until you die, says my Lord Yahweh of hosts.	3d	4C	11 25
כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָא֑וֹת לֶךְ־בֹּא֙ אֶל־הַסֹּכֵ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־שֶׁבְנָ֖א אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הַבָּֽיִת	15	f	Thus says my Lord Yahweh of hosts, Go. Enter into this destitute, to Shebna, who is over the house.	3d	4B	11 17
מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹה֙ וּמִ֣י לְךָ֣ פֹ֔ה כִּֽי־חָצַ֧בְתָּ לְּךָ֛ פֹּ֖ה קָ֑בֶר חֹצְבִ֤י מָרוֹם֙ קִבְר֔וֹ חֹקְקִ֥י בַסֶּ֖לַע מִשְׁכָּ֥ן לֽוֹ	16		Why are you here? And who is yours here? For you did hew for yourself here a tomb, as one hews on high his tomb and engraves on the cliff a dwelling-place for himself.	3c	4C	17 14
הִנֵּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ מְטַלְטֶלְךָ֔ טַלְטֵלָ֖ה גָּ֑בֶר וְעֹטְךָ֖ עָטֹֽה	17		Behold Yahweh will hurl you down, hurl down valour, and will wrap you up.	3e	4C	13 5
צָנ֤וֹף יִצְנָפְךָ֙ צְנֵפָ֔ה כַּדּ֕וּר אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ רַחֲבַ֣ת יָדָ֑יִם שָׁ֣מָּה תָמ֗וּת וְשָׁ֙מָּה֙ מַרְכְּב֣וֹת כְּבוֹדֶ֔ךָ קְל֖וֹן בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנֶֽיךָ	18		To twirl, I will twirl you into a turban, tossed like a ball to a broad land, by hand. There you will die, and there the chariots of your glory will be the disgrace of the house of your lord.	3e	4C	19 21
וַהֲדַפְתִּ֖יךָ מִמַּצָּבֶ֑ךָ וּמִמַּעֲמָֽדְךָ֖ יֶהֶרְסֶֽךָ	19		And I will evict you from your post, and from your standing I will overthrow you.	3e	4A	10 10
וְהָיָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וְקָרָ֣אתִי לְעַבְדִּ֔י לְאֶלְיָקִ֖ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּֽהוּ	20		And it will happen in that day, that I will call my servant Elyaqim, child of Hilqiah.	3e	4B	7 16
וְהִלְבַּשְׁתִּ֣יו כֻּתָּנְתֶּ֗ךָ וְאַבְנֵֽטְךָ֙ אֲחַזְּקֶ֔נּוּ וּמֶֽמְשֶׁלְתְּךָ֖ אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּיָד֑וֹ וְהָיָ֥ה לְאָ֛ב לְיוֹשֵׁ֥ב יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה	21		And I will clothe him with your coat, and with your waistband I will encourage him, and your government I will give into his hand. And he will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.	3d	4B	26 17
וְנָתַתִּ֛י מַפְתֵּ֥חַ בֵּית־דָּוִ֖ד עַל־שִׁכְמ֑וֹ וּפָתַח֙ וְאֵ֣ין סֹגֵ֔ר וְסָגַ֖ר וְאֵ֥ין פֹּתֵֽחַ	22		And I will give the door-key of the house of David onto his backside, and he will open and none will lock, and he will lock and none will open.	3d	4B	13 15
וּתְקַעְתִּ֥יו יָתֵ֖ד בְּמָק֣וֹם נֶאֱמָ֑ן וְהָיָ֛ה לְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד לְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיו	23		And I will stick him by a tent peg into a faithful place, and it will be for a throne of glory for the house of his father.	3d	4B	11 12
וְתָל֨וּ עָלָ֜יו כֹּ֣ל ׀ כְּב֣וֹד בֵּית־אָבִ֗יו הַצֶּֽאֱצָאִים֙ וְהַצְּפִע֔וֹת כֹּ֖ל כְּלֵ֣י הַקָּטָ֑ן מִכְּלֵי֙ הָֽאַגָּנ֔וֹת וְעַ֖ד כָּל־כְּלֵ֥י הַנְּבָלִֽים	24		And they will hang on him all the glory of the house of his father, the offspring and the excrement, all the lesser vessels, from the vessels of goblets and to all the vessels of skin-bottles.	3e	4B	26 14
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת תָּמוּשׁ֙ הַיָּתֵ֔ד הַתְּקוּעָ֖ה בְּמָק֣וֹם נֶאֱמָ֑ן וְנִגְדְּעָ֣ה וְנָפְלָ֗ה וְנִכְרַת֙ הַמַּשָּׂ֣א אֲשֶׁר־עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר	25		On that day, an oracle of Yahweh of hosts, the tent peg stuck into a faithful place will deviate, and will be chopped down and will fall, and the load which was on it will be cut off, for Yahweh has spoken.	3e	4B	25 23