John Calvin on Isaiah 21:17

17. And the residue of the archers. He threatens that this slaughter will not be the end of their evils, because if there be any residue in Arabia, they will gradually decrease; as if he had said, “The Lord will not merely impoverish the Arabians by a single battle, but will pursue to the very utmost, till all hope of relief is taken away, and they are utterly exterminated.” Such is the vengeance which he executes against the ungodly, while he moderates the punishment which he inflicts on the godly, that they may not be entirely destroyed.

Of the mighty men. He means warlike men and those who were fit to carry arms, and says, that although they escaped that slaughter, still they will be cut off at their own time. He formerly threatened similar chastisements against the Jews, but always accompanied by a promise which was fitted to alleviate their grief or at least to guard them against despair. It frequently happens that the children of God are afflicted as severely as the reprobate, or even with greater severity; but the hope of favor which is held out distinguishes them from the whole world. Again, when we learn that God visits on the wicked deadly vengeance, this is no reason why we should be immoderately grieved even at the heaviest punishments; but, on the contrary, we ought to draw from it this consolation, that he chastises them gently, and “does not give them over to death.” (Psalm 118:18.)

The God of Israel hath spoken it. The Prophet shews, as we have frequently remarked on former occasions, that we ought not only to acknowledge that these things happened by divine appointment, but that they were appointed by that God whom Israel adores. All men are sometimes constrained to rise to the acknowledgment of God, though they are disposed to believe in chance, because the thought that there is a God in heaven comes into their minds, whether they will or not, and that both in prosperity and in adversity; but then they imagine a Deity according to their own fancy, either in heaven or on earth. Since therefore irreligious men idly and foolishly imagine a God according to their own pleasure, the Prophet directs the Jews to that God whom they adore, that they may know the distinguished privilege which they enjoy in being placed under his guardianship and protection. Nor is it enough that we adore some God as governor of the world, but we must acknowledge the true God, who revealed himself to the fathers, and hath manifested himself to us in Christ. And this ought to be earnestly maintained, in opposition to the profane thoughts of many persons who contrive some strange and confused notion of a Deity, because they dare not openly deny God.

CHAPTER 22

Isaiah Chapter 22:1-25

1. The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops?

1. Onus vallis visionis. Quid tibi hic, (vel, nunc?) quia tu universa conscendisti super tecta?

2. Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

2. Strepituum plena, urbs turbulenta, civitas exultans; interfecti tui non interfecti gladio, et non mortui in prælio.

3. 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.

3. Cuncti principes tui profugerunt parita ab arcu; vincti sunt. Omnes, inquam, in te reperti vincti sunt pariter, qui a longinquo fugerunt.

4. Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.

4. Propterea dixi, Desistite a me; amarus ero in fletu meo, ne contendatis me consolari super vastatione filiæ populi mei.

5. For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

5. Quoniam dies perturbationis, et conculcationis, et anxietatis Domino Iehovæ exercituum in valle visionis, diruenti urbem, et clamor ad montem.

6. And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.

6. Atqui Elam portans pharetram in curru hominis, equitum, inquam, et Ceir nudans clypeum.

7. And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

7. Et fuit ut electio vallium tuarum repleta sit curribus, et equites instruendo instruerent ad portam.

8. And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

8. Et transtulit operimentum Iuda; et respexisti in die illa ad armaturam domus saltus.

9. Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many; and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool:

9. Et interruptiones civitatis David vidistis, quæ multæ erant; et collegistis aquas piscinæ inferioris.

10. And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.

10. Et domos Ierusalem numerastis; et domos diruistis ad muniendum murum.

11. Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

11. Fossam quoque fecistis inter muros, aquis piscinæ veteris, et non respexistis ad fictorum ejus, et opificem ejus ab antiquo (vel, eminus) non vidistis.

12. And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

12. Porro vocavit Dominus Iehova exercituum in die isto ad fletum et lamentum, ad calvitium et cincturam sacci.

13. And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine: let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die.

13. Et ecce gaudium et lætitia, occidere bovem, mactare ovem, edere carnes, et bibere vinum, comedere, inquam, et bibere; quia cras moriemur.

14. And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts.

14. Id revelatum est auribus Iehovæ exercituum, Si remittetur vobis hæc iniquitas, donec moriamini, dicit Dominus Iehova exercituum.

15. Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,

15. Sic dicit Dominus Iehova exercituum, Vade, ingredere ad fautorem istum, ad Sabna præfectum domus.

16. What hast thou here, and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

16. Quid tibi hic? et quis tibi hic? quod tibi hic excideris sepulchrum, sicut qui in excelso excidit sepulchrum suum, aut qui in rupe sculpit habitaculum sibi.

17. Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.

17. Ecce Iehova traducet te traductione insigni, et operiendo operiet te.

18. He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.

18. Convolvendo volvet te convolutione, quasi globam in terram longinquam manibus; ibi morieris; et ibi currus gloriæ tuæ ignominia domus domini tui.

19. And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

19. Et propulsabo te de statione tua, et de sede tua te expellet.

20. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah;

20. Et erit in die illa: vocabo servum meum Eliakim, filium Helciæ.

21. 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.

21. Et induam eum vestibus tuis, et balteo tuo roborabo eum; et potestatem tuam tradam in manum ejus, et erit pater incolæ Ierusalem et domi Iuda.

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.

22. Et ponem clavem domus David super humerum ejus; aperiet, et nemo claudet; claudet, et nemo aperiet.

23. 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.

23. Et figam eum veluti clavum in loco fideli; eritque in solium gloriæ domui patris sui.

24. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

24. Et suspendent ab eo omnem gloriam domus patris sui, nepotes et pronepotes, omnia vasa minora, a vasis craterarum ad cuncta vasa melodiarum.

25. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it

25. In die illa, dicit Iehova exercituum, recedet clavus fixus in loco fideli, frangetur et cadet, et dissipabitur onus quod fuit super ipsum; quia Iehova loquutus est.