In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just list signs of grief; it reveals God's active summons to respond to crisis. "The Lord God of hosts called" signifies that this isn't merely a human reaction to disaster, but a divine mandate for introspection and repentance that demands outward expression.
In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth;
English Standard Version (ESV)
In the face of imminent invasion and a devastating Assyrian siege, the people of Jerusalem are facing dire circumstances, evident in their defensive preparations and the stripping of the city's resources. Instead of turning to God in repentance for their past complacency and sins, they are caught in a cycle of revelry and denial, believing their fortifications and worldly pleasures will save them. The prophet Isaiah declares that this willful ignorance and celebration in the face of God's judgment will not go unpunished.
It's easy to think of God as only calling us to joy. But what happens when His call is for something different?
The prophet Isaiah, in a time of national crisis for Jerusalem, records God's direct call to His people. This wasn't a call to arms or defiance, but a solemn summons to deep, outward expressions of grief and repentance. Notice the specific actions listed:
This wasn't just about feeling sad; it was about showing it. In their crisis, God wasn't looking for outward strength or denial, but for a nation to acknowledge their brokenness before Him. This call is a powerful reminder that true repentance often involves more than just an internal change; it seeks outward expression.
What happens when a people hear God's call for repentance but choose to party instead?
Isaiah doesn't just record God's call; he contrasts it with the people's response. While God called for weeping and mourning, the people responded with 'joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine' (Isaiah 22:13). Their desperate, carnal conclusion was, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!'
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This is the core of their sin: rejection of God's judgment and a defiant embrace of pleasure in the face of His warning. They saw the danger, but instead of turning to God in humility, they plunged into revelry, essentially saying 'there's no point in repenting.'
The commentary highlights this as 'impenitence, or carnal security.' It's a dangerous state where people rationalize their sin by focusing on their own immediate gratification, ignoring the eternal consequences and God's patient call to turn back. This isn't just a historical event; it's a timeless warning about the destructive power of willful blindness to God's truth.
Understand the original words
Tsebha'oth · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the God of Israel as the commander of the angelic armies of heaven. It emphasizes His sovereign power, majesty, and absolute authority over all created beings and historical events.
saq · Hebrew Noun
External signs of deep grief, repentance, or lamentation. Sackcloth was a rough, dark fabric made of goat's hair, and baldness was often induced as an act of mourning.
This verse speaks to a critical moment during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem (c. 701 BC). Instead of heeding God's call for repentance and mourning in the face of imminent destruction, the people and their leaders embraced revelry and defiance, leading to severe judgment.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire's Expansion
The Neo-Assyrian Empire under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and later Sennacherib exerted significant military and political pressure on the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
Assyrian King Sennacherib invaded Judah, conquering many fortified cities and besieging Jerusalem, causing widespread panic and crisis.
c. 701 BC
Jerusalem's Divine Deliverance
Despite the siege and devastation, Jerusalem was miraculously spared from destruction by an event attributed to divine intervention, likely a plague that decimated the Assyrian army.
Post-701 BC
Internal Corruption and Complacency
Following the deliverance, Jerusalem and its leadership, particularly officials like Shebna, fell into a state of complacency, pride, and self-serving corruption, ignoring God's warnings.
This passage also calls for repentance through outward signs like tearing clothes (similar to tearing hair for baldness) and wearing sackcloth, emphasizing that true repentance must come from the heart.
Amos 8:10This verse describes a similar divine call to mourning and distress, with the sun being darkened, mirroring the gravity of the 'day' called for in Isaiah.
Luke 13:1-5Jesus uses a similar context of disaster to call people to repentance, showing that times of trouble are divine invitations to turn back to God, not just unfortunate events.
Jeremiah 4:8This passage speaks of the coming destruction with the same sense of urgency and sorrow, describing the people's lamentation and the prophet's deep grief over the impending doom.
bensonIsaiah 22:12: "And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:"
Isaiah 22:12-14 . And in that day did, or will, the Lord call, &c. — Another fault, which the prophet imputes to the carnal Jews, is impenitence, or carnal security. He foretels that God would call them to weeping and mourning, and other instances and evidences of humiliation and godly sorrow; but that, instead thereof, he should find them given up to joy a…
cambridgeIsaiah 22:12: "And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:"
12 . in that day did the Lord … call ] not only by the silent march of events, but also by the voice of His prophet: see ch. Isaiah 32:11 . The call was to seriousness and humiliation, expressed by the customary signs of mourning. (Cf. Joel 2:12 ; Amos 8:10 ; Isaiah 3:24 ; Isaiah 20:2 , &c.) 12–14 . The ignoring of Jehovah’s presence in this crisis is an un…
The verse doesn't just list signs of grief; it reveals God's active summons to respond to crisis. "The Lord God of hosts called" signifies that this isn't merely a human reaction to disaster, but a divine mandate for introspection and repentance that demands outward expression.
In the face of imminent invasion and a devastating Assyrian siege, the people of Jerusalem are facing dire circumstances, evident in their defensive preparations and the stripping of the city's resources. Instead of turning to God in repentance for their past complacency and sins, they are caught in a cycle of revelry and denial, believing their fortifications and worldly pleasures will save them. The prophet Isaiah declares that this willful ignorance and celebration in the face of God's judgment will not go unpunished.
In the face of imminent invasion and a devastating Assyrian siege, the people of Jerusalem are facing dire circumstances, evident in their defensive preparations and the stripping of the city's resources. Instead of turning to God in repentance for their past complacency and sins, they are caught in a cycle of revelry and denial, believing their fortifications and worldly pleasures will save them. The prophet Isaiah declares that this willful ignorance and celebration in the face of God's judgment will not go unpunished.
"In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth;" — The verse doesn't just list signs of grief; it reveals God's active summons to respond to crisis. "The Lord God of hosts called" signifies that this isn't merely a human reaction to disaster, but a d…
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Last reviewed October 2026