The prophets

The Judgment on Shebna and the Exaltation of Eliakim

The Lord sends judgment against the steward Shebna, who had carved out a magnificent tomb for himself in the rock. He will be thrown out like a ball to a distant land and removed from his position. In his place, God calls His servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, giving him Shebna's robe, sash, and authority, and placing the key to the house of David on his shoulder. He will be secured like a peg in a firm place, but the prophecy ends with the peg eventually giving way and falling along with all the burden hanging from it.

Isaiah 22,15-25

15Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts: Go, present yourself to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the household:
כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָא֑וֹת לֶךְ־בֹּא֙ אֶל־הַסֹּכֵ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־שֶׁבְנָ֖א אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הַבָּֽיִת׃ ‬
16What are you doing here, and who gave you the right, that you have cut out a tomb for yourself here—carving your grave on the height, chiseling a resting place for yourself in the rock?
מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹה֙ וּמִ֣י לְךָ֣ פֹ֔ה כִּֽי־חָצַ֧בְתָּ לְּךָ֛ פֹּ֖ה קָ֑בֶר חֹצְבִ֤י מָרוֹם֙ קִבְר֔וֹ חֹקְקִ֥י בַסֶּ֖לַע מִשְׁכָּ֥ן לֽוֹ׃ ‬
17Look, the LORD is about to hurl you away violently, strong man; he will grip you tight,
הִנֵּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ מְטַלְטֶלְךָ֔ טַלְטֵלָ֖ה גָּ֑בֶר וְעֹטְךָ֖ עָטֹֽה׃ ‬
18wind you up like a ball and fling you into a vast land. There you will die, and there your splendid chariots will lie—you disgrace to your master's house!
צָנ֤וֹף יִצְנָפְךָ֙ צְנֵפָ֔ה כַּדּ֕וּר אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ רַחֲבַ֣ת יָדָ֑יִם שָׁ֣מָּה תָמ֗וּת וְשָׁ֙מָּה֙ מַרְכְּב֣וֹת כְּבוֹדֶ֔ךָ קְל֖וֹן בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנֶֽיךָ׃ ‬
19I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your post.
וַהֲדַפְתִּ֖יךָ מִמַּצָּבֶ֑ךָ וּמִמַּעֲמָֽדְךָ֖ יֶהֶרְסֶֽךָ׃ ‬
20On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.
וְהָיָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וְקָרָ֣אתִי לְעַבְדִּ֔י לְאֶלְיָקִ֖ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּֽהוּ׃ ‬
21I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him. I will hand your authority over to him, and he will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
וְהִלְבַּשְׁתִּ֣יו כֻּתָּנְתֶּ֗ךָ וְאַבְנֵֽטְךָ֙ אֲחַזְּקֶ֔נּוּ וּמֶֽמְשֶׁלְתְּךָ֖ אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּיָד֑וֹ וְהָיָ֥ה לְאָ֛ב לְיוֹשֵׁ֥ב יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וּלְבֵ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃ ‬
22I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; what he opens no one will shut, and what he shuts no one will open.
וְנָתַתִּ֛י מַפְתֵּ֥חַ בֵּית־דָּוִ֖ד עַל־שִׁכְמ֑וֹ וּפָתַח֙ וְאֵ֣ין סֹגֵ֔ר וְסָגַ֖ר וְאֵ֥ין פֹּתֵֽחַ׃ ‬
23I will drive him in like a peg in a firm place, and he will become a throne of honor for his father's house.
וּתְקַעְתִּ֥יו יָתֵ֖ד בְּמָק֣וֹם נֶאֱמָ֑ן וְהָיָ֛ה לְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד לְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיו׃ ‬
24On him they will hang all the glory of his father's house—the offspring and the offshoots, every small vessel, from the bowls to all the jars.
וְתָל֨וּ עָלָ֜יו כֹּ֣ל ׀ כְּב֣וֹד בֵּית־אָבִ֗יו הַצֶּֽאֱצָאִים֙ וְהַצְּפִע֔וֹת כֹּ֖ל כְּלֵ֣י הַקָּטָ֑ן מִכְּלֵי֙ הָֽאַגָּנ֔וֹת וְעַ֖ד כָּל־כְּלֵ֥י הַנְּבָלִֽים׃ ‬
25On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, the peg driven into the firm place will give way; it will be cut down and fall, and the load hanging on it will be destroyed. For the LORD has spoken.
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת תָּמוּשׁ֙ הַיָּתֵ֔ד הַתְּקוּעָ֖ה בְּמָק֣וֹם נֶאֱמָ֑ן וְנִגְדְּעָ֣ה וְנָפְלָ֗ה וְנִכְרַת֙ הַמַּשָּׂ֣א אֲשֶׁר־עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ ס ‬