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God’s Message to Shebna

15 This is what the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:

“Go to this ·servant [steward; administrator] Shebna [36:3, 11, 22; 37:2; 2 Kin. 18:37; 19:2],
    ·the manager of the palace [L who is over the house].
16 Say to him, ‘What ·are you doing here [or right do you have to be here]?
    Who said you could ·cut out [carve; hew] a tomb for yourself here?
Why are you ·preparing [carving; hewing] your tomb in a high place?
    Why are you ·carving out [cutting; inscribing] a ·tomb [L dwelling place] from the rock?
17 Look, ·mighty one [or mere man; L man]! The Lord ·will throw you away [L hurling will hurl you].
    ·He will take firm hold of [L Seizing he will seize] you
18 and roll you tightly into a ball
    and throw you into another country.
There you will die,
    and there your ·fine [glorious; splendid] chariots will remain.
    You ·are a disgrace [bring shame] to your master’s house.
19 I will force you out of your ·important job [office],
    and you will be thrown down from your ·important place [position].’

20 “·At that time [L In that day] I will call for my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah [36:3, 11, 22; 37:2; 2 Kin. 18:18, 26, 37]. 21 I will take your robe and put it on him and ·give him [tie around him; or strengthen him with] your ·belt [sash]. I will hand over to him ·the important job you have [your authority], and he will be like a father to the ·people [inhabitants] of Jerusalem and the ·family [L house] of Judah. 22 I will put the key to the house of David [C a sign of authority, indicating access to the king; Rev. 3:7] around his neck. If he opens a door, no one will be able to close it; if he closes a door, no one will be able to open it. 23 I will make him like a peg that is hammered into a strong board [C a symbol of strength]. He will be like an ·honored chair in [or throne of honor for] his father’s house. 24 All the ·honored and important things of his family [L glory of the house of his father] will ·depend on him [or be given to him; L hang on him; C continuing the “peg” imagery in v. 23, meaning either honor or responsibility]; ·all the adults and little children will depend on him [L its offspring and offshoots]. ·They will be like bowls and jars hanging on him [L …all the small utensils, from the bowls to the jars].

25 “·At that time [L In that day],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], “the peg hammered into the strong board will weaken. It will ·break [or be cut off] and fall, and everything hanging on it will be destroyed [C Eliakim’s authority would also eventually be taken away].” The Lord says this.

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15 This is what the Lord [a]God of armies says:

“Come, go to this steward,
To (A)Shebna who is in charge of the royal household,
16 ‘What right do you have here,
And whom do you have here,
That you have (B)cut out a tomb for yourself here,
You who cut out a tomb on the height,
You who carve a resting place for [b]yourself in the rock?
17 Behold, the Lord is about to hurl you violently, you strong man.
And He is about to grasp you firmly
18 And wrap you up tightly like a ball,
To be (C)driven into a vast country;
There you will die,
And there your splendid chariots will be,
You shame of your master’s house!’
19 I will (D)depose you from your office,
And [c]I will pull you down from your position.
20 Then it will come about on that day,
That I will summon My servant (E)Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
21 And I will clothe him with your tunic
And tie your sash securely around him.
I will hand your [d]authority over to him,
And he will become a (F)father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
22 Then I will put (G)the key of the (H)house of David on his shoulder;
When he opens, no one will shut,
When he shuts, no one will (I)open.
23 I will drive him like a (J)peg in a firm place,
And he will become a (K)throne of glory to his father’s house.

24 So they will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the [e]descendants, all the least of vessels, from bowls to all the jars. 25 On that day,” declares the Lord of armies, “the (L)peg driven into a firm place will give way; it will even (M)break off and fall, and the load that is hanging on it will be cut off, for the (N)Lord has spoken.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 22:15 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  2. Isaiah 22:16 Lit himself
  3. Isaiah 22:19 As in many ancient versions; MT He
  4. Isaiah 22:21 Lit dominion
  5. Isaiah 22:24 Or perhaps, leaf