Isaiah 22:8

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

⁸He has uncovered the defenses of Judah. On that day you looked to the weapons in the House of the Forest.⁹You saw that there were many breaches in the walls of the City of David. You collected water from the lower pool. ¹⁰You counted the houses of Jerusalem and tore them down to strengthen the wall. ¹¹You built a reservoir between the walls for the waters of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or consider Him who planned it long ago. ¹²On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth. ¹³But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!" ¹⁴The LORD of Hosts has revealed in my hearing: "Until your dying day, this sin of yours will never be atoned for," says the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he discovered: Isaiah 36:1-3

the armour: 1 Kings 7:2, 1 Kings 10:17, 1 Kings 14:27, 1 Kings 14:28, Song of Solomon 4:4

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 11:5 - built 2 Chronicles 32:3 - to stop Hosea 8:14 - and Judah

Cross-References

Genesis 18:14
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you-in about a year-and Sarah will have a son."

Genesis 22:19
Abraham went back to his servants, and they got up and set out together for Beersheba. And Abraham settled in Beersheba.

Genesis 22:20
Some time later Abraham was told, "Milcah has also borne sons to your brother Nahor:

2 Chronicles 25:9
Amaziah asked the man of God, "What should I do about the hundred talents I have given to the army of Israel?" And the man of God replied, "The LORD is able to give you much more than this."

Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:36
When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

Revelation 5:6
Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Revelation 5:12
In a loud voice they said: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

Revelation 7:14
"Sir," I answered, "you know." So he replied, "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he discovered the covering of Judah,.... Either God himself, who uncloaked them of their hypocrisy, as Dr. Lightfoot; or took away his power and presence from them, and his protection of them, and discovered their weakness; or rather the enemy Sennacherib: and then by the covering is meant, not Jerusalem, nor the temple, as Jarchi and Kimchi, for neither of them came into his hands; but the fenced cities of Judah, which were the strength and protection of the country; these he took and dismantled, 2 Kings 18:13 and when this was done, it was high time for the Jews at Jerusalem to look about them, and provide for their defence and safety:

and thou, didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest; to see what store of armour they had, in what condition it was, and to take from hence, and furnish themselves and soldiers with it, to annoy the enemy, and defend themselves. This house of the forest is the same with the house of the forest of Lebanon; so called, not because built in it, for it was in Jerusalem, but because it was built of the wood of Lebanon; or because it was surrounded with trees, and had walks and groves belonging to it, resembling that forest. This was an armoury; here Solomon put his two hundred targets, and three hundred shields of beaten gold, 1 Kings 7:2 see also Song of Solomon 4:4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he discovered - Hebrew, ויגל vay^egal - ‘He made naked, or bare.’ The expression, ‘He discovered,’ means simply that it “was” uncovered, without designating the agent.

The covering of Judah - The word used here (מסך mâsak) denotes properly “a covering,” and is applied to the “curtain” or veil that was before the tabernacle Exodus 26:36; Exodus 39:38; and to the curtain that was before the gate of the court Exodus 35:17; Exodus 39:40. The Septuagint understands it of the “gates” of Judah, ‘They revealed the gates (τὰς πύλας tas pulas) of Judah.’ Many have understood it of the defenses, ramparts, or fortifications of Judah, meaning that they were laid open to public view, that is, were demolished. But the more probable meaning, perhaps, is, that the invading army exposed Judah to every kind of reproach; stripped off everything that was designed to be ornamental in the land; and thus, by the figure of exposing one to reproach and shame by stripping off all his clothes, exposed Judah in every part to reproach. Sennacherib actually came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them and dismantled them 2 Kings 18:13; Isaiah 36:1. The land was thus laid bare, and unprotected.

And thou didst look - Thou Judah; or the king of Judah. Thou didst cast thine eyes to that armory as the last resort, and as the only hope of defense.

To the armor - Or rather, perhaps, the “armory, the arsenal” (נשׁק nesheq). The Septuagint renders it, ‘To the choice houses of the city’ (compare Nehemiah 3:19).

Of the house of the forest - This was built within the city, and was called the house of the forest of Lebanon, probably from the great quantity of cedar from Lebanon which was employed in building it 1 Kings 7:2-8. In this house, Solomon laid up large quantities of munitions of war 1 Kings 10:16-17; and this vast storehouse was now the principal reliance of Hezekiah against the invading forces of Sennacherib.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 22:8. The armour - "The arsenal"] Built by Solomon within the city, and called the house of the forest of Lebanon; probably from the great quantity of cedar from Lebanon which was employed in the building. See 2 Kings 7:2-3.