The Meaning of Isaiah 22:22 Explained

Isaiah 22:22

KJV: 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.

YLT: And I have placed the key Of the house of David on his shoulder, And he hath opened, and none is shutting, And hath shut, and none is opening.

Darby: And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; and he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

ASV: And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; and he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 22:22 Mean?

Study Notes

open
Here the prophecy looks forward to Christ. Revelation 3:7 .

Verse Meaning

Eliakim would bear authority to administer the affairs of David"s royal house, which the key on the shoulder symbolizes. His decisions would be binding, as when one unlocks or locks a door with a key (cf. Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18; Revelation 3:7).

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 22

1  The prophet laments the invasion of Jerusalem
8  He reproves their human wisdom and worldly joy
15  He prophesies Shebna's deprivation
20  And the substitution of Eliakim, prefiguring the kingdom of Christ

What do the individual words in Isaiah 22:22 mean?

And I will lay the key of the house of David on his shoulder so he shall open and no one shall shut and he shall shut shall open
וְנָתַתִּ֛י מַפְתֵּ֥חַ בֵּית־ דָּוִ֖ד עַל־ שִׁכְמ֑וֹ וּפָתַח֙ וְאֵ֣ין סֹגֵ֔ר וְסָגַ֖ר פֹּתֵֽחַ

וְנָתַתִּ֛י  And  I  will  lay 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מַפְתֵּ֥חַ  the  key 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַפְתֵּחַ  
Sense: key, opening instrument.
בֵּית־  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
דָּוִ֖ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
שִׁכְמ֑וֹ  his  shoulder 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שְׁכֶם  
Sense: shoulder, back.
וּפָתַח֙  so  he  shall  open 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
וְאֵ֣ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
סֹגֵ֔ר  shall  shut 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: סָגוּר 
Sense: to shut, close.
וְסָגַ֖ר  and  he  shall  shut 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָגוּר 
Sense: to shut, close.
פֹּתֵֽחַ  shall  open 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.