The Lord win carry thee away with a mighty captivity ; rather, the Lord will hurl thee away , O man , with a hurling ; i.e. "will hurl thee away to a distance." It is not said that Shebna would be a captive. Will surely cover thee ; literally, will cover thee with a covering ; i.e. " will make thee obscure" (Rosenmüller)—a fitting punishment for one who aimed at attracting attention and making himself famous ( Isaiah 22:16 ). read more
Captivity, and yet safety. "Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee." These threatenings of the Almighty had mercy at the heart of them. Captivity was a drastic remedy, but it once and again saved the health of Israel It was a time of home-longing and sickness of heart. It was a time when the old religious memories flooded the heart till they filled it with an aching sense of shame for sin, and supplication for mercy. I. GOD CARRIED ... read more
He will surely violently turn and toss thee , etc.; literally, rolling he will roll thee with rolling like a ball , etc. Into a large country . Assyria, or perhaps Egypt. If Shebna was disgraced on account of his recommending the Egyptian alliance, he may not improbably have taken refuge with Tirhakah. There the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house ; rather, there shall be the chariots of thy glory , O thou shame of thy lord ' s house . His chariots, in... read more
God's violent providences. Margin Revised Version, "He will surely wind thee round and round like a ball and toss thee." Generally the figure is assumed to be that of a ball flung violently on a smooth, even plain, where it bounds on and on with nothing to stay its progress. But a gentleman was in the island of Mitylene during a great storm of wind in winter, and observed a peculiar plant, not unlike wormwood, which grows into a compact, globular form, with very stiff stalks and branches. In... read more
I will drive thee from thy station ; rather, from thy post , or office . Shall he pull thee down . Jehovah scorns to be meant in both clauses (comp. Isaiah 34:16 ). The full accomplishment of this prophecy is nowhere declared to us. We merely find that, by the time of Rabshakeh's arrival at Jerusalem as Sennacherib's envoy ( Isaiah 36:2-4 ), Shebna had lost his post as prefect of the palace, and filled the lower position of scribe or secretary. He may, however, have been... read more
In that day . In the day of Shebna's deposition from his office of prefect of the palace. My servant Eliakim . On the dignity of this title, when given by God himself, see the comment on Isaiah 20:3 . read more
The influence of an individual on public policy. Governments always drift into the control of the most energetic, or most gifted, man. They go astray unless ruled by some master-spirit. It is said, with as much truth as satire, that "committees are always committees of one." They are the comfortable agencies by means of which some strong-willed man gets his own way. And it may be urged that at least as much good as evil attends the arrangement. Eliakim is raised up as a master-spirit, in a... read more
Installment of Eliakim. I. A SERVANT OF JEHOVAH . So he is characterized. The title may be of personal, spiritual, import, or of official; or both may be blended, as in the case of Isaiah himself ( Isaiah 20:3 ); or there may be a separation of the two. Unhappy for a nation or for a Church if the true servants of the Eternal, the true devotees of right and truth, are excluded from the places of honor and influence; or if the "ministers and stewards" of Divine mysteries are so only... read more
Authority and influence. On the deposition of Shebna, Eliakim was appointed prefect, clothed with the robe and invested with the keys of office; henceforth he should shut and open, should appoint and depose according to his good pleasure. We look at— I. THE EXCELLENCE OF HUMAN AUTHORITY . 1. It satisfies a craving which is both broad and deep. Doubtless his succession to the high office vacated by Shebna brought great gratification to the heart of Elialdm. Men covet... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 22:16-17
Man's plans for himself frustrated by God's plan for him. The answering New Testament case to this is our Lord's account of the prosperous farmer, who had no room to bestow his fruits and his goods. He said to himself, "I will pull down my barns and build greater." But God said, "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee." In the passage before us, Shebna, in the full 'assurance that he will die quietly, and be buried honorably in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, proposes to... read more