Isaiah 22:20-25

22:20 “At that time ¹  I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah. 22:21 I will put your robe on him, tie your belt around him, and transfer your authority to him. ²  He will become a protector of ³  the residents of Jerusalem and of the people ⁴  of Judah. 22:22 I will place the key ⁵  to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it. 22:23 I will fasten him like a peg into a solid place; ⁶  he will bring honor and respect to his father’s family. ⁷  22:24 His father’s family will gain increasing prominence because of him, ⁸  including the offspring and the offshoots. ⁹  All the small containers, including the bowls and all the jars will hang from this peg.’ ¹⁰ 

22:25 “At that time,” ¹¹  says the Lord who commands armies, “the peg fastened into a solid place will come loose. It will be cut off and fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut off.” ¹²  Indeed, ¹³  the Lord has spoken.

[22:20]  ¹ tn Or “in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[22:21]  ² tn Heb “and your dominion I will place in his hand.”

[22:21]  ³ tn Heb “a father to.” The Hebrew term אָב (’av, “father”) is here used metaphorically of one who protects and supports those under his care and authority, like a father does his family. For another example of this metaphorical use of the word, see Job 29:16.

[22:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “house.”

[22:22]  ⁵ sn This may refer to a literal insignia worn by the chief administrator. Even so, it would still symbolize the administrator’s authority to grant or exclude access to the king. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:422.

[22:23]  ⁶ sn The metaphor depicts how secure his position will be.

[22:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “and he will become a glorious throne for the house of his father.”

[22:24]  ⁸ tn Heb “and all the glory of the house of his father they will hang on him.” The Lord returns to the peg metaphor of v. 23a. Eliakim’s secure position of honor will bring benefits and jobs to many others in the family.

[22:24]  ⁹ tn The precise meaning and derivation of this word are uncertain. Cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV “the issue”; CEV “relatives.”

[22:24]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “all the small vessels, from the vessels that are bowls to all the vessels that are jars.” The picture is that of a single peg holding the weight of all kinds of containers hung from it.

[22:25]  ¹¹ tn Or “In that day” (KJV).

[22:25]  ¹² sn Eliakim’s authority, though seemingly secure, will eventually be removed, and with it his family’s prominence.

[22:25]  ¹³ tn Or “for” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).