Isaiah 22:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

NIV: I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah.

NASB: And I will clothe him with your tunic And tie your sash securely around him. I will hand your authority over to him, And he will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

CSB: I will clothe him with your robe and tie your sash around him. I will hand your authority over to him, and he will be like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

NLT: I will dress him in your royal robes and will give him your title and your authority. And he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah.

KJV: And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

NKJV: I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And to the house of Judah.

This segment of Isaiah's prophecy began as a punishment for the careless hubris of one steward of the king's court, It has quickly changed to the story of his replacement's success. The Lord has driven Shebna from his position. This failed steward was primarily concerned about tending to his elaborate tomb in response to the invading Assyrians. He focused on securing what he thought was his legacy instead of looking to the Lord for help for the nation (Isaiah 22:15–19.)

Shebna's replacement is Eliakim, son of Hilkiah (Isaiah 22:20). This new leader turns out to be exactly what Jerusalem and Judah need in their troubled times. Eliakim is given Shebna's robe and sash and all the authority of his office. The steward may have operated under the king as a kind of second-in-command. He carried the power to wield great influence over the king and through that influence, the entire nation.

Eliakim turns out to be the perfect man for the job. The Lord has described him as "my servant." Now the report is that he becomes a "father-figure" to the people of Jerusalem. This title extends as well as to the "house," or court, of Judah. Eliakim is the god-fearing, sure-handed leader that Judah has been desperately needing. The king quickly sees how responsible his new steward is and gives him even more authority over the kingdom.

Chapter 22:15–25 concludes Isaiah's oracle against Jerusalem with a focus on two men. Shebna is the steward of the king's household. The Lord condemns him for carving his elaborate tomb, with the enemy at the gates, instead of seeking the Lord or serving the king. The Lord gives this steward's authority and position to Eliakim. Eliakim serves with such strength, faithfulness, and integrity that he becomes a father figure to the people. However, he also falls away eventually.

Isaiah presents a prophecy against the city of Jerusalem: "the valley of vision." The prophet condemns the people for partying, perhaps following an astonishing deliverance from the Lord. Instead, they should remember all who died. They should be sobered to realize how helpless they had been. When destruction seemed certain, they should have mourned and cried out to the Lord to save them. Instead, they reveled like nothing mattered. The Lord condemns the steward of the king's house for carving out his tomb instead of trusting God. He puts a man named Eliakim in that position. Eliakim serves with great integrity, faithfulness, and excellence. Yet, he, too, falls away.

Isaiah has recorded several prophecies in preceding chapters. These spoke of nations such as Egypt as well as various tribes. Chapter 22 is an oracle against the city of Jerusalem. Isaiah condemns the people for celebrating instead of mourning and seeking the Lord's help. This could be either before or after a great siege of the city. The prophet weeps for the lost and calls the people to repent. The Lord condemns the king's steward for faithlessness. His replacement, Eliakim, serves with strength and integrity. The next oracles concern Tyre and Sydon, before addressing the entire world.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).