Isaiah 22:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The multitude of their numbers is indicated by the filling of your selected wilderness with chariots, and the cavalry blocking your gates, depicting a vast crowd ready to assault. Once they invade, they will thoroughly investigate every grand house, unveiling the innermost sanctuaries of David’s stronghold, representing the riches of kings—since the kings belonged to the tribe of Judah, which blessed David also hailed from. However, concerning the moral lesson, it must be noted that when a person’s mind is besieged by an influx of unreasonable thoughts or worldly desires akin to soldiers, these invade like captors, ravaging its spiritual treasures while expelling piety and stripping away virtuous accomplishments. Therefore, sacred Scripture cautions: If the spirit of the oppressor rises against you, do not abandon your post, for patience can extinguish great transgressions (Ecclesiastes 10:4). Such passions, when kept at bay, lose their strength and disruptive influence, benefiting those who guard against them; but if allowed to run rampant, perpetually drawn towards vice, they devastate those who remain spiritually slumbering.

So that we may not presume this prophecy was merely verbal without actual fulfillment, Jeremiah further notes: “in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, the city was opened, and all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and encamped in the middle gate” (Jer 39:2). At that time, there was indeed a massive army surrounding Jerusalem, the holy of holies was laid bare, the armory in the grove lost its defenders to the enemy’s siege, and the adversaries breached the city’s walls and infiltrated every part.

And Elam seized the quiver, spotting the chariots of horsemen while the shields guarded the walls. Your finest valleys will overflow with chariots, and horsemen will camp around your gates. On that day, the covering of Judah will be unveiled, allowing you to see the arsenal in the woods, as well as the many breaches in the city of David. The LXX recounts that the Elamites took up quivers, horsemen, and the assembly of warriors. It will come to pass that your chosen valleys shall teem with chariots, and horsemen shall encamp around your gates, opening the gates of Judah to examine the esteemed houses of the city and exposing the concealed structures of David's castle, recognizing their vast number. The Elamites, whose name indicates their authority and are translated by the LXX as those who despise, took up a quiver to strike the faithful in the shadows. This tactic aims to leave Zion's walls and the fortifications of the Church unsheltered against the enemy's onslaught. The chosen valleys of Zion and its humble teachings will be filled with the chariots that the Lord submerged with Pharaoh, as horsemen and rulers establish their camps at your gates to keep out those besieged within. Then, the Almighty, through His Church, will unveil the mysteries of Judah and all the hidden truths of those who uphold their faith in confession. On that day, O valley of Zion, in the pure light of truth, you will behold the entirety of the apostolic armory and the houses of the woods, where the multitude of Gentiles resides, as expressed in the words of Psalm 131:6: “Behold, I have heard in Ephrath, I have found in the fields of the oak-tree.” When the covering of Judah and its hidden treasures are disclosed, revealing the arsenal of the Church, you will recognize the numerous schisms in the city of David that you have fostered, gathering to yourself the deceived nations. The Elamites, as indicated by the LXX, possess not just one quiver, but many, embodying the horsemen of the people upon whom they ride. A great multitude is prepared to engage in battle against the Church, flooding all its valleys, while compelling the Church’s herald to rise up against adversaries identified as Judas. When he presents the testimonies of Scripture and denounces falsehood, the heretics will glimpse the structures of David's city and comprehend that which was previously concealed, understanding that within David's fortress, who is Christ, lies the doctrine of truth. These realms are obscured not only historically but also allegorically. Therefore, those who dissent from our interpretation are invited to present their own, and we shall consider their explanation if it holds merit.