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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(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.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:1-7 Why is Jerusalem in such terror? Her slain men are not slain with the sword, but with famine; or, slain with fear, disheartened. Their rulers fled, but were overtaken. The servants of God, who foresee and warn sinners of coming miseries, are affected by the prospect. But all the horrors of a city taken by storm, faintly shadow forth the terrors of the day of wrath.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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' (קציניך qitsiynayik) denotes either the civil rulers of the city, or military leaders. It is most usually applied to the latter Joshua 10:24; Judges 11:6, Judges 11:11; Daniel 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, Σκληρῶς δεδεμένοι εἰσί sklērōs 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 הסרוּ hâserû instead of the present Hebrew text אסרוּ 'usrû, 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 אסרוּ 'usrû 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 אסר 'âsar commonly means to bind with cords, or to fetter; to imprison Genesis 42:24; Judges 16:5; 2 Kings 17:4 : to yoke 1 Samuel 6:7, 1 Samuel 6:10; and then to bind with a vow Numbers 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. rulers—rather, "generals" (Jos 10:24; Jud 11:6, 11).

bound—rather, "are taken."

by the archers—literally, "by the bow"; so Isa 21:17. Bowmen were the light troops, whose province it was to skirmish in front and (2Ki 6:22) pursue fugitives (2Ki 25:5); this verse applies better to the attack of Nebuchadnezzar than that of Sennacherib.

all … in thee—all found in the city (Isa 13:15), not merely the "rulers" or generals.

fled from far—those who had fled from distant parts to Jerusalem as a place of safety; rather, fled afar.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

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, 1 Samuel 15:23; and from seeing, Psalm 69:23, is rendered that they cannot see, Romans 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, Isaiah 21:17)

they are bound; which seems most plain and unforced, and suits best with the following words, as also with the prophet’s use of the same phrase, Isaiah 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, Jeremiah 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, Isaiah 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.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire 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, Jeremiah 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.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. thy rulers] thy chieftains,—the same word as in Isaiah 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.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - All thy rulers are fled together; rather, all thy chief men. We must make allowance for Oriental hyperbole. The meaning is that numbers of the principal men, regarding resistance as vain, had endeavored to make their escape from the doomed town, but had been captured and bound by the enemies' archers. All that are found in thee; rather, belonging to thee. The reference is to those who had made their escape and were fleeing far away. The archers seize them, and bind them all together. We often see a number of captives bound together by a single rope in the Egyptian bas-reliefs. Which have fled from far; rather, which were flying far away. Isaiah 22:3

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The prophet exposes the nature and worthlessness of their confidence in Isaiah 22:1-3 : "What aileth thee, then, that thou art wholly ascended upon the house-tops? O full of tumult, thou noisy city, shouting castle, thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor slaughtered in battle. All thy rulers departing together are fettered without bow; all thy captured ones are fettered together, fleeing far away." From the flat house-tops they all look out together at the approaching army of the foe, longing for battle, and sure of victory (cullâk is for cullēk, Isaiah 14:29, Isaiah 14:31). They have no suspicion of what is threatening them; therefore are they so sure, so contented, and so defiant. מלאה תּשׂאות is inverted, and stands for תּשׁאות מלאת, like מנדּח אפלה in Isaiah 8:22. עלּיזה is used to denote self-confident rejoicing, as in Zephaniah 2:15. How terribly they deceive themselves! Not even the honour of falling upon the battle-field is allowed them. Their rulers (kâtzin, a judge, and then any person of rank) depart one and all out of the city, and are fettered outside "without bow" (mikkesheth), i.e., without there being any necessity for the bow to be drawn (min, as in Job 21:9; 2 Samuel 1:22; cf., Ewald, 217, b). All, without exception, of those who are attacked in Jerusalem by the advancing foe (nimzâ'aik, thy captured ones, as in Isaiah 13:15), fall helplessly into captivity, as they are attempting to flee far away (see at Isaiah 17:13; the perf. de conatu answers to the classical praesens de conatu). Hence (what is here affirmed indirectly) the city is besieged, and in consequence of the long siege hunger and pestilence destroy the inhabitants, and every one who attempts to get away falls into the hands of the enemy, without venturing to defend himself, on account of his emaciation and exhaustion from hunger. Whilst the prophet thus pictures to himself the fate of Jerusalem and Judah, through their infatuation, he is seized with inconsolable anguish.