
The phrase 'a nail in a sure place' is a reference to Jesus, the coming Messiah. It is found in Isaiah 22:23, and is used to describe Jesus as being firmly and unshakably anchored, so that people can hang all their hope and trust on him.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reference | Isaiah 22:23 |
| Meaning | A hidden reference to Jesus, the coming Messiah |
| Jesus is like a nail firmly secured in a wall, on which people can hang their hopes and trust |
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What You'll Learn

The phrase 'nail in a sure place' is a reference to Jesus, the coming Messiah
The phrase 'a nail in a sure place' is a reference to Jesus, the coming Messiah. In earlier times, people didn't have cupboards and closets, so they hung their clothing, pans, and other possessions on pegs or nails, which were firmly secured in the wall. Jesus is like such a nail. He is firmly, unshakably anchored, so that we can hang all our hope and trust on him.
The phrase is found in Isaiah 22:23, where God sends Isaiah to inform Shebna, the proud, self-serving treasurer under King Hezekiah, that he is about to be replaced by another man, Eliakim. Eliakim appears as a foreshadowing of the coming Messiah, Jesus. God says, 'And I will clothe him with your robe, and strengthen him with your sash [indicating official authority], and I will commit your government into his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah'.
The word 'nail' is used twice as a Messianic figure in the Bible. In Ezra 9:8 we read: 'to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place'. And Zechariah 10:4, 'Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail'.
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The phrase appears in Isaiah 22:23
The phrase 'a nail in a sure place' is a reference to Jesus, the coming Messiah. In Isaiah 22:23, God says that Eliakim will be a 'nail in a sure place', indicating that he will be firmly, unshakably anchored, so that people can hang all their hope and trust on him.
The backstory starts in Isaiah 22:15, where God sends Isaiah to inform Shebna, the proud, self-serving treasurer under King Hezekiah, that he is about to be replaced by another man, Eliakim. God says: 'And I will clothe him with your robe, and strengthen him with your sash [indicating official authority], and I will commit your government into his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah'.
The word 'nail' is used twice as a Messianic figure in the Bible: in Ezra 9:8, we read, 'to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place', and in Zechariah 10:4, 'Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail'.
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The phrase is also used in Ezra 9:8 and Zechariah 10:4
The phrase 'a nail in a sure place' is used to refer to Jesus, the coming Messiah. In earlier times, people would hang their possessions on nails that were firmly secured in the wall. Jesus is like such a nail: firmly and unshakably anchored, so that people can hang all their hope and trust on him.
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The nail is a metaphor for Jesus being firmly, unshakably anchored
The nail is used twice as a Messianic figure in the Bible. In Ezra 9:8, we read: "to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place". In Zechariah 10:4, we read: "Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail". The Targum is explicit about the Messianic meaning: "מְשִיחֵיה," or "their anointed one".
In these troubled times, we see institutions and ways of life we have always taken for granted becoming unsteady, crumbling, or even disappearing. Many of us may also be going through personal trials that threaten to shake us to our core. In the midst of it all, we can trust in Jesus, who is that "nail in a sure place". He will keep us steady. He is also the one with supreme authority to open doors of his choosing before us and to close doors that would only mean harm to us.
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The nail also represents Jesus' supreme authority
The nail in a sure place is a reference to Jesus, the coming Messiah. In earlier times, people hung their clothing, pans and other possessions on pegs or nails, which were firmly secured in the wall. Jesus is like such a nail. He is firmly, unshakably anchored, so that we can hang all our hope and trust on him. He will keep us steady.
Jesus is also the one with supreme authority to open doors of his choosing before us and to close doors which would only mean harm to us. He opened the door of the ark to Noah’s family, but closed it to the wicked when the time of repentance had passed. In Revelation 3:7, Jesus specifically applies the previous verse in Isaiah 22 to himself.
The word nail is used twice as a Messianic figure in the Bible. In Ezra 9:8 we read: “to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place.” And Zechariah 10:4, “Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail.”
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Frequently asked questions
It is a reference to Jesus, the coming Messiah. Jesus is like a nail firmly and unshakably anchored in the wall, so that we can hang all our hope and trust on him.
The phrase comes from Isaiah 22:23. It is also found in Ezra 9:8, Zechariah 10:4 and Revelation 3:7.
In earlier times, people didn’t have cupboards and closets. So they hung their clothing, pans, and other possessions on pegs or nails, which were firmly secured in the wall.











































