Isaiah 22:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Behold, the LORD will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you

NIV: Beware, the LORD is about to take firm hold of you and hurl you away, you mighty man.

NASB: Behold, the Lord is about to hurl you violently, you strong man. And He is about to grasp you firmly

CSB: Look, you strong man! The Lord is about to shake you violently. He will take hold of you,

NLT: For the Lord is about to hurl you away, mighty man. He is going to grab you,

KJV: Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.

NKJV: Indeed, the Lord will throw you away violently, O mighty man, And will surely seize you.

The prophet Isaiah hands down a verdict. This is the consequence facing a high-ranking official in the court of the king of Judah. Faced with what seems like impending death due to a siege, Shebna (Isaiah 22:15–16) put his efforts into carving out an impressive tomb for himself. Instead of turning to the Lord for help, he has accepted that he will die. Instead of mourning and crying out to the Lord he is focused on leaving behind a legacy as an important man (Isaiah 22:15–16).

The Lord appears to hate this response to the invasion as much as he hates the mindless partying of those who have decided to have a good time because death is coming (Isaiah 22:12–13). Isaiah declares that God will dramatically reject Shebna. In what seems to be sarcasm, he calls Shebna a strong man. God is perhaps mocking this man's cowardice in accepting death so easily and looking to make himself important instead of repenting to the Lord.

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).

Accessed 4/30/2024 8:43:45 AM