The Meaning of Isaiah 22:5 Explained

Isaiah 22:5

KJV: For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

YLT: For a day of noise, and of treading down, And of perplexity, is to the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, In the valley of vision, digging down a wall, And crying unto the mountain.

Darby: For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity, from the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, in the valley of vision; a day of breaking down the wall, and of crying to the mountain:

ASV: For it is a day of discomfiture, and of treading down, and of perplexity, from the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, in the valley of vision; a breaking down of the walls, and a crying to the mountains.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For [it is] a day  of trouble,  and of treading down,  and of perplexity  by the Lord  GOD  of hosts  in the valley  of vision,  breaking  down the walls,  and of crying  to the mountains. 

What does Isaiah 22:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord Himself would bring this fate on Jerusalem. The residents would then panic, be subjugated and confused, and cry to the surrounding mountains for help as the city walls broke down.

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 22:5 mean?

For [it is] a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the Valley of Vision Breaking down the walls and of crying to the mountain
כִּ֣י יוֹם֩ מְהוּמָ֨ה וּמְבוּסָ֜ה וּמְבוּכָ֗ה לַֽאדֹנָ֧י יְהוִ֛ה צְבָא֖וֹת בְּגֵ֣יא חִזָּי֑וֹן מְקַרְקַ֥ר קִ֖ר וְשׁ֥וֹעַ אֶל־ הָהָֽר

יוֹם֩  [it  is]  a  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
מְהוּמָ֨ה  of  trouble 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְהוּמָה  
Sense: tumult, confusion, disquietude, discomfiture, destruction, trouble, vexed, vexation.
וּמְבוּסָ֜ה  and  treading  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְבוּסָה  
Sense: downtreading, subjugation.
וּמְבוּכָ֗ה  and  perplexity 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְבוּכָה  
Sense: confusion, perplexity, confounding.
לַֽאדֹנָ֧י  by  the  Lord 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
יְהוִ֛ה  GOD 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
בְּגֵ֣יא  in  the  Valley 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct
Root: גַּיְא  
Sense: valley, a steep valley, narrow gorge.
חִזָּי֑וֹן  of  Vision 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִזָּיׄון  
Sense: vision.
מְקַרְקַ֥ר  Breaking  down 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: קוּר 
Sense: (Qal) to bore, dig, dig for water.
קִ֖ר  the  walls 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קִיר  
Sense: wall, side.
וְשׁ֥וֹעַ  and  of  crying 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁועַ  
Sense: independent, noble, free, rich, generous.
הָהָֽר  the  mountain 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.