The Meaning of Isaiah 22:25 Explained

Isaiah 22:25

KJV: 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.

YLT: In that day -- an affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, Moved is the nail that is fixed In a stedfast place, Yea, it hath been cut down, and hath fallen, And cut off hath been the burden that is on it, For Jehovah hath spoken!'

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

ASV: In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, shall the nail that was fastened in a sure place give way; and it shall be hewn down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off; for Jehovah hath spoken it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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]. 

What does Isaiah 22:25 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Unfortunately, Eliakim would not be able to carry all the weight of responsibility committed to him and would fail. Thus the people"s trust in another human being, even a very capable person, would prove misplaced. They could only safely trust in the Lord Almighty; He is the only one who would not fail them. One writer believed that Eliakim would not fail. [1]
This oracle reproved the people of Jerusalem for trusting in the arm of flesh to protect them from their enemies. Isaiah epitomized and condemned this attitude by citing Shebna"s self-confident behavior. He also showed that trusting in even the most capable of people, such as Eliakim, would prove disappointing. Rather their trust should be in their sovereign, almighty Lord.
Christians face temptations similar to the ones Isaiah identified here. We may fail to trust the Lord first and to pray for His guidance, resting rather on our own or another"s ability to solve problems. We may become so preoccupied with our own interests and reputations that we fail to serve the Lord and people. We may also put too much hope in our leaders and not enough in our God.

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 22:25 mean?

In day that says Yahweh of hosts will be removed the peg that is fastened in the place secure and be cut down and fall and will be cut off the burden that [was] on it for has spoken -
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת תָּמוּשׁ֙ הַיָּתֵ֔ד הַתְּקוּעָ֖ה בְּמָק֣וֹם נֶאֱמָ֑ן וְנִגְדְּעָ֣ה וְנָפְלָ֗ה וְנִכְרַת֙ הַמַּשָּׂ֣א אֲשֶׁר־ עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֥י דִּבֵּֽר ס

בַּיּ֣וֹם  In  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֗וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
נְאֻם֙  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
תָּמוּשׁ֙  will  be  removed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מוּשׁ  
Sense: to depart, remove.
הַיָּתֵ֔ד  the  peg 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָתֵד  
Sense: pin, stake, peg, nail.
הַתְּקוּעָ֖ה  that  is  fastened 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular
Root: תֹּוקְעִים 
Sense: to blow, clap, strike, sound, thrust, give a blow, blast.
בְּמָק֣וֹם  in  the  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
נֶאֱמָ֑ן  secure 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
וְנִגְדְּעָ֣ה  and  be  cut  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּדַע  
Sense: to cut, hew, chop, cut down, hew down, hew off, cut off, cut in two, shave off.
וְנָפְלָ֗ה  and  fall 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
וְנִכְרַת֙  and  will  be  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
הַמַּשָּׂ֣א  the  burden 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַשָּׂא 
Sense: load, bearing, tribute, burden, lifting.
אֲשֶׁר־  that  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָלֶ֔יהָ  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
דִּבֵּֽר  has  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation