Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 22:3
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. thy rulers ] thy chieftains, the same word as in Isa 1:10, there in its civil, here in its military sense.
they are bound by the archers ] Better: without bow (which they had thrown away) they were taken prisoners.
all that are found in thee ] all of thine that were found. which have fled from far ] Rather as R.V. they fled afar off. The text of the verse is possibly in some disorder.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
All thy rulers are fled together – The general idea in this verse is plain. It is designed to describe the consternation which would take place on the approach of the invader, and especially the timidity and flight of those on whom the city relied for protection and defense. Hence, instead of entering calmly and firmly on the work of defense, no inconsiderable part of the rulers of the city are represented as fleeing from the city, and refusing to remain to protect the capital. The word rendered thy rulers ( qitsiynayik) denotes either the civil rulers of the city, or military leaders. It is most usually applied to the latter Jos 10:24; Jdg 11:6, Jdg 11:11; Dan 11:18, and probably refers here to military commanders.
They are bound by the archers – Hebrew as in the margin, Of the bow. There has been a great variety in the interpretation of this passage. The Septuagint reads it, skleros dedemenoi eisi – And the captives are bound with severity. The Chaldee, And the captives migrate from before the extending of the bow. Jarchi renders it, Who from the fear of arrows were bound so that they shut themselves up in the city. Houbigant and Lowth render it, They are fled from the bow, reading it haseru instead of the present Hebrew text ‘usru, but without the slightest authority. Vitringa renders it, They were bound from treading, that is, extending, or using the bow; or They were bound by those who tread, that is, use the bow; indicating that they were so bound that they could not use the bow in defense of the city. I think that the connection here requires that the word ‘usru should be used in the sense of being bound or influenced by fear – they were so intimidated, so much under the influence of terror, so entirely unmanned and disabled by alarm, that they could not use the bow; or this was caused by the bow, that is, by the bowmen or archers who came to attack the city. It is true that no other instance occurs in which the word is used in precisely this sense, but instances in abundance occur where strong passion is represented as having a controlling or disabling influence over the mind and body; where it takes away the energy of the soul, and makes one timid, feeble, helpless, as if bound with cords, or made captive. The word ‘asar commonly means to bind with cords, or to fetter; to imprison Gen 42:24; Jdg 16:5; 2Ki 17:4 : to yoke 1Sa 6:7, 1Sa 6:10; and then to bind with a vow Num 30:3. Hence, it may mean to bind with fear or consternation.
Which have fled from far – That is, either they have fled far away; or they had fled from far in order to reach Jerusalem as a place of safety. Probably the latter is the sense.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. All thy rulers – are bound by the archers – “All thy leaders – are fled from the bow”] There seems to be somewhat of an inconsistency in the sense according to the present reading. If the leaders were bound, usseru, how could they flee away? for their being bound, according to the obvious construction and course of the sentence, is a circumstance prior to their flight. I therefore follow Houbigant, who reads huseru, remoti sunt, “they are gone off.” galu, transmigraverunt, Chaldee; which seems to confirm this emendation.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thy rulers; Zedekiah and his chief commanders, whose flight he foretells.
They are bound by the archers, Heb. from the bow, i.e. so as they were disenabled from using the bow; which is a usual Hebraism; as from a king is put for from being a king, 1Sa 15:23; and from seeing, Psa 69:23, is rendered that they cannot see, Rom 11:10. But this word is by some, and may very well be, joined to the foregoing clause; for the words in the Hebrew lie thus, All thy rulers are fled together from the bow, (or, bow-men, as this word is rendered, Isa 21:17)
they are bound; which seems most plain and unforced, and suits best with the following words, as also with the prophets use of the same phrase, Isa 21:15, they fled from the bent bow, &c. All that are found in thee; that remained there with Zedekiah in the siege; for those who had fled to the Chaldeans saved their lives and liberties. Are bound together in fetters, Jer 52:11.
Which have fled from far; which fled to Jerusalem from the remotest parts of the land. But he rather speaks of those who fled from Jerusalem, and from their enemies, whereof some had fled away, but were pursued and overtaken by their enemies, and bound, as others had been. And the words seem to be well rendered, they fled far away, as this very word is used, Isa 23:7; which may be understood either of the same persons who fled, but were taken in their flight, as was now said; or of others, who fled away, when others abode, there and were bound.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. rulersrather, “generals”(Jos 10:24; Jdg 11:6;Jdg 11:11).
boundrather, “aretaken.”
by the archersliterally,”by the bow”; so Isa21:17. Bowmen were the light troops, whose province it was toskirmish in front and (2Ki 6:22)pursue fugitives (2Ki 25:5);this verse applies better to the attack of Nebuchadnezzar than thatof Sennacherib.
all . . . in theeallfound in the city (Isa 13:15),not merely the “rulers” or generals.
fled from farthose whohad fled from distant parts to Jerusalem as a place of safety;rather, fled afar.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
All thy rulers are fled together,…. Either the rulers of Jerusalem, civil and ecclesiastical, that should have been at the head of the people, and have encouraged them, fled together to the housetops, or to the temple and strongholds; or the generals and officers of their militia, one and all of them fled, as if they had done it by joint consultation and consent; or the rulers of the several cities of Judea, which, when invaded by Sennacherib, stayed not to defend them, but left them and fled:
they are bound by the archers; or, “from the bow” m; from using it; were in such a consternation, and under such a panic, that they had no strength nor heart to draw the bow, but were as if they were bound, and held from it: or for fear of the bow, or the archers in the Assyrian army, and therefore fled from them, as the Tigurine version renders it, joining it to the preceding clause, “they fled from the bow, they are bound”; or, as Ben Melech, for fear of the bow, they delivered themselves up, and were bound; so Aben Ezra:
all that are found in thee are bound together; that is, from the bow, as before; not only the princes, but the common people. These clauses have led many interpreters to conclude that this must be understood of the taking of the city by Nebuchadnezzar, when Zedekiah was bound in chains, and carried to Babylon, Jer 52:11:
[which] have fled from far; from the furthest part of the land of Judea to Jerusalem, for shelter and safety.
m “ab arcu”, Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. All thy rulers are fled together. This verse has been interpreted in various ways. The fact is abundantly plain, but there is some difficulty about the words. As מ ( mem) signifies before and more than, some explain מרחוק ( mĕrāchōk) (77) to mean, “They fled before others, though they were situated in the most distant parts of the country, and were in greater danger.” Others render it, “Although they were at a great distance from Jerusalem, still they did not cease to flee like men who are seized with terror, and never stop in their flight, because they continually think that the enemy is at their heels.”
But a more natural interpretation appears to me to be. They have fled from afar; that is, “they who have resorted to Jerusalem as a safe retreat will be seized by enemies and vanquished;” for Jerusalem might be regarded as the general protection of the whole of Judea, and therefore, when a war broke out, the inhabitants rushed to it from every quarter. While they looked upon their habitation in Jerusalem as safe, they were taken prisoners. Others suppose it to refer to the siege of Sennacherib. (2Kg 18:13; 2Ch 32:1.) But I cannot be persuaded to expound the passage in this manner, for he speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem. When it was besieged by Sennacherib, the Lord immediately delivered it; none were taken or made prisoners, and there was no slaughter of men. These events therefore happened long after the death of the Prophet, and sacred history relates them, and informs us that in that destruction even the rulers betook themselves to flight; but they derived no advantage from their flight, nor did Jerusalem afford them any defense, for they fell into the hands of their enemies.
When he expressly mentions the rulers, this shews more strongly the shamefulness of the transaction, for they ought to have been the first to expose their persons for the safety of the people. They might be viewed as the shields which ought to have guarded and defended the common people. So long as Jerusalem kept its ground and was in a prosperous condition, these statements might be thought incredible, for it was a very strong and powerfully fortified city. But they chiefly boasted of the protection of God, for they thought that in some way God was bound to his “Temple;” and their pride swelled them with the confident hope that, though all should be leagued against it, no power and no armies could bring it down. (Jer 7:4.) This prophecy might therefore be thought very strange, that they would have no courage, that they would betake themselves to flight, and that even in that manner they could not escape.
(77) Rendered in the English version, “from afar.”
FT335 “I will weep bitterly. (Heb. I will be bitter in weeping.)” — Eng. Ver.
FT336 “My soul is wearied because of murderers.” — Eng. Ver. See our Author’s view of that passage in his Commentary on Jeremiah, vol. 1 p. 249
FT337 “To the mountains.” — Eng. Ver.
FT338 “ La plaine du Jordain;” — “The plain of the Jordan.”
FT339 “And Kir uncovered (Heb. made naked) the shield.” — Eng. Ver.
FT340 “Kir is now agreed to be identical with Κύρος, the name of a river rising in the Caucasus, and emptying into the Caspian Sea, from which Georgia (Girgistan) is supposed to derive its name. Kir was subject to Assyria in the time of Isaiah, as appears from the fact that it was one of the regions to which the exiles of the ten tribes were transported. It may here be put for Media, as Elam is for Persia.” — Alexander
FT341 “Thy choicest valleys, (Heb. the choice of thy valleys.)” — Eng. Ver.
FT342 “The name of ‘the house of the forest’ was given to it, because it was constructed of ‘cedars’ taken from the forest of Lebanon, and because it rested on four rows of fifteen large pillars of cedar. When the inhabitants of Jerusalem heard of the invasion by the Assyrian army, they looked to this armory to draw from it arms for defending the city.” — Rosenmüller. “It was built by Solomon within the city as a cool retreat; and here he laid up his choicest armory. 1Kg 7:2. See Neh 3:19.” — Stock
FT343 “ Le sac et l’arrachement des cheveux;” — “Sackcloth and pulling out the hair.”
FT344 “ En sac ou cendre;” — “In sackcloth or ashes.”
FT345 Rosenmüller, who is followed in this instance by Stock and Alexander, renders this clause, “Jehovah was revealed in my ears,” remarking that נגלה ( niglah) must here be taken for a reflective verb, and quoting as parallel passages, 1Sa 2:27, in the former of which instead of the literal rendering, “Revealing was I revealed?” our translators say, “Did I plainly appear?” while in the latter they make נגלה ( niglah) a reflective verb, “The Lord revealed himself.” — Ed
FT346 “ C’est à dire, des enfans de Dieu;” — “That is, of the children of God.”
FT347 “ Tellement qu’ils n’ont pas mesme un pied de terre pour estre interrez;” — “So that they have not even a foot of earth for a grave.”
FT348 “He will surely violently turn.” — Eng. Ver.
FT349 “As the robe and the baldric, mentioned in the preceding verse, were the ensigns of power and authority, so likewise was the key the mark of office, either sacred or civil.” — Lowth
FT350 “To comprehend how the key could be borne on the shoulder, it will be necessary to say somewhat of the form of it; but, without entering into a long disquisition, and a great deal of obscure learning, concerning the locks and keys of the ancients, it will be sufficient to observe, that one sort of keys, and that probably the most ancient, was of considerable magnitude, and, as to the shape, very much bent and crooked. Homer, Odyss. 21:6, describes the key of Ulysses’s store-house as εὐκαμπὴς, of a large curvature; which Eustathius explains by saying it was δρεπανοειδὴς, in shape like a reap-hook. The curve part was introduced into the key-hole, and, being properly directed by the handle, took hold of the bolts within, and moved them from their places. We may easily collect from this account, that such a key would lie very well upon the shoulder; that it must be of some considerable size and weight, and could hardly be commodiously carried otherwise. Ulysses’s key was of brass, and the handle of ivory; but this was a royal key; the more common ones were probably of wood.” — Lowth
FT351 “ Ce mot est deduit de verité, laquelle est tousjours accompagnee de fermeté et asseurance;” — “This word is derived from truth, which is always accompanied by firmness and certainty.”
FT352 “In ancient times, and in the eastern countries, as the way of life, so the houses were much more simple than ours at present. They had not that quantity and variety of furniture, nor those accommodations of all sorts with which we abound. It was convenient and even necessary for them, and it made an essential part in the building of a house, to furnish the inside of the several apartments with sets of spikes, nails, or large pegs, upon which to dispose of, and hang up, the several moveables and utensils in common use, and proper to the apartment. These spikes they worked into the walls at the first erection of them — the walls being of such materials that they could not bear their being driven in afterwards; and they were contrived so as to strengthen the walls, by binding the parts together, as well as to serve for convenience. Sir John Chardin’s account of this matter is this, ‘They do not drive with a hammer the nails that are put into the eastern walls; the walls are too hard, being of brick; or if they are of clay, too mouldering; but they fix them in the brick-work as they are building. They are large nails with square heads like dice, well-made, the ends being so bent as to make them cramp-irons. They commonly place them at the windows and doors, in order to hang upon them, when they like, veils and curtains.’ (Harmer, Obser. 1 p. 191.) And we may add, that they were put in other places too, in order to hang up other things of various kinds; as it appears from this place of Isaiah, and from Eze 15:3, who speaks of a pin, or nail, to hang any vessel thereon.” — Lowth
FT353 “The offspring and the issue.” — Eng. Ver.
FT354 “ Mais s’estendra jusqu’ a ceux qui viendront long temps apres;” “But will extend to those who shall live long afterwards.”
FT355 “Here follow the names of utensils hung up in an eastern house, concerning which we must needs be uncertain. The meaning of the whole figure is, Eliakim shall be the support of all ranks in the state, of the meanest people as well as the highest.” — Stock
FT356 “Even to all the vessels of flagons, (or, instruments of violins.)” — Eng. Ver.
FT357 “The old interpretation of נבלים ( nĕbūlīm) as denoting musical instruments,” says Professor Alexander, “though justified by usage, is forbidden by the context.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) They are bound by the archers.Better, fettered without the bow. The taunting charge of cowardice is carried farther. The rulers had ventured on a sortie, and had been captured without a struggle, not even drawing their bows in their defence.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Thy rulers are fled This verse describes conquest and captivity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 22:3 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.
Ver. 3. All thy rulers are fled together. ] Vagantur, As not knowing what to do, or whither to turn themselves.
All that are found in thee are bound together.
Which have fled from far.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
from far = afar, or far away.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thy rulers: Isa 3:1-8, 2Ki 25:4-7, 2Ki 25:18-21, Jer 39:4-7, Jer 52:24-27
by the archers: Heb. of the bow
Reciprocal: Psa 18:35 – gentleness Jer 4:9 – that the heart
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
22:3 All thy rulers have fled together, they are {e} bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, [who] have fled from {f} far.
(e) And led into captivity.
(f) Who have fled from other places to Jerusalem for comfort.