Isaiah 22:20 kjv
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:
Isaiah 22:20 nkjv
'Then it shall be in that day, That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah;
Isaiah 22:20 niv
"In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah.
Isaiah 22:20 esv
In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
Isaiah 22:20 nlt
And then I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah to replace you.
Isaiah 22 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 22:17 | "he will violently roll you up like a ball" | Divine judgment on Shebna |
| Isa 22:18 | "he will whirl you like a tennis ball" | Removal from high office |
| 1 Sam 2:30 | "But the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I promised that your family... would honor me always. But now the Lord says, 'Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be cursed.'" | God honors those who honor Him |
| Ps 75:6-7 | "For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the judge: He puts down one, and exalts another." | God's sovereign power |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Consequence of pride |
| Luke 1:52 | "He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly." | God's impartial justice |
| Rom 11:22 | "Observe therefore the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but on you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off." | God's severity and goodness |
| 1 Cor 1:28-29 | "And God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are," | God's choice of the lowly |
| Job 12:16 | "With Him are strength and sound wisdom, The deceiver and the deceived are His." | God's ultimate control |
| Job 21:20 | "His eyes will see his destruction, And he will drink of the wrath of the Almighty." | Judgment on the wicked |
| Matt 23:12 | "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." | Humility and exaltation |
| Acts 5:38-39 | "And now I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them go; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”" | Human efforts vs. God's plan |
| Dan 2:21 | "And He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding." | God's sovereignty over rulers |
| 1 Pet 5:5-6 | "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" | God's resistance to the proud |
| Jer 52:31-34 | "And it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the Jehoiachin's captivity, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison... and he spoke kindly to him, and gave him a higher seat than the other kings who were with him in Babylon." | Divine intervention in kings' fortunes |
| Ezek 28:12-19 | Description of the king of Tyre's fall due to pride | Pride leading to downfall |
| Luke 12:48 | "but he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. And to whom much is given, from him much will be required, and of him who entrusts with the most, of him they will ask the more." | Accountability for responsibility |
| 1 Cor 10:11 | "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonishment, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." | Lessons from past events |
| Hab 2:6 | "Indeed, because he is crooked, he is greedy with his house to add wicked gain to his nest, That he may put it in a place of safety from the power of destruction?" | Greed and its consequences |
| Zeph 1:9 | "Also on that day I will punish all those who leap on the threshold, Those who fill their master's house with violence and deceit." | Punishment for injustice |
Isaiah 22 verses
Isaiah 22 20 Meaning
This verse speaks of a divine action where God will remove a trusted official from his position. The reason is God's judgment. The removal signifies a loss of authority and position, a public humiliation and dethronement.
Isaiah 22 20 Context
Isaiah chapter 22 deals with the prophetic oracle against the city of Jerusalem and specifically targets a prominent official named Shebna, who held the prestigious position of "treasurer of the house" or "overseer of all the house" (which is the exact phrase rendered as "overseer of my house" in Isa 22:15). This prophecy is set against a backdrop of impending Assyrian invasion, specifically Sennacherib's campaign against Judah around 701 BCE. Shebna, depicted as arrogant and self-aggrandizing, had arrogantly prepared a grand tomb for himself among the royal tombs. In contrast, God declares through Isaiah that Shebna will be overthrown and displaced. This oracle is directed not only at Shebna personally but also serves as a warning to the people of Jerusalem about misplaced trust and the consequences of pride and self-reliance over reliance on God. The chapter contrasts Shebna's presumption with Eliakim, who is presented as a faithful alternative.
Isaiah 22 20 Word Analysis
- And: (וְ, ve): A conjunctive particle, linking this action to previous declarations. It shows a sequential or consequential relationship.
- I: (אֲנִי, Ani): Emphatically points to God as the actor. God is the one initiating this forceful removal.
- will surely (הֵיטֵב, heitev, root י־ט־ב, y-t-v, meaning "good," here intensified): A strong assurance and certainty of the action. It's not a possibility but a definite pronouncement.
- hurl (גָּל, gal, root גּ־ו־ל, g-w-l or גָּלַל, galal, meaning "to roll"): Vivid imagery of being thrown or cast away. This conveys a violent and unceremonious dispossession. Similar to being rolled like a ball (Isa 22:18).
- you (אֹתְךָ, otcha): Directly addresses Shebna, emphasizing the personal nature of this judgment.
- away (כַּדּוּר, kadur, "like a ball" or "like a football/rubber ball"): This comparative strengthens the idea of being casually tossed or manipulated. It suggests being made an object of sport or derision, lacking control or dignity in the movement. The root means "to roll," so "rolled like a ball."
- into (אֶל־, el): Indicates the destination of this forceful expulsion.
- a vast place (אֶרֶץ רַחֲבַת־יָדַיִם, eretz rachavat-yadayim): Literally "a land wide of hands." This phrase signifies a spacious or extensive place, often associated with open territory. It could imply exile to a distant land or a place where he will have no influence or recognition, a place "far off" or expansive, implying no return or access. The imagery of "wide hands" can also suggest a place with no boundaries, vast and empty.
Grouped Analysis:
- "I will surely hurl you away like a ball": This combination vividly illustrates God's decisive and contemptuous removal of Shebna. The word "hur" suggests active force, and "like a ball" adds the element of being treated carelessly and without honor.
- "into a vast place": This describes the destination, implying a complete loss of his previous constricted but powerful sphere of influence, replaced by a large but empty and perhaps desolate expanse. It is a place of displacement and insignificance.
Isaiah 22 20 Bonus Section
The phrase "a land wide of hands" (אֶרֶץ רַחֲבַת־יָדַיִם, eretz rachavat-yadayim) is a rich idiom. While it can simply mean "a large place" or "open country," some interpretations suggest it implies a place where one's reach or influence is futile, where even with "wide hands" one can grasp nothing substantial. It also carries a sense of being exposed or unprotected, spread out without shelter. This stands in stark contrast to the confined but privileged space Shebna had occupied as the chief administrator. His previous position, though seemingly enclosed, was one of great power; his future state will be expansive but powerless and forgotten. This imagery reinforces the thoroughness of his dispossession by divine decree.
Isaiah 22 20 Commentary
God's judgment against Shebna is pronounced with absolute certainty. Shebna's ambition and pride, manifested in his desire for a prominent tomb, will be met with an equally public and ignominious removal. He will be violently cast out, not into a place of honor, but into a vast, expansive area signifying his total loss of status, authority, and belonging. This serves as a stark warning against human arrogance and the pursuit of self-glory, contrasting with God's ultimate sovereignty and His promise to uphold those who honor Him. His former prestige is replaced by a wide, uncontrolled emptiness.