Isaiah 36:22 kjv
Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
Isaiah 36:22 nkjv
Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.
Isaiah 36:22 niv
Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn, and told him what the field commander had said.
Isaiah 36:22 esv
Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.
Isaiah 36:22 nlt
Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian, went back to Hezekiah. They tore their clothes in despair, and they went in to see the king and told him what the Assyrian chief of staff had said.
Isaiah 36 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 36:22 | And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, rent their clothes, and came to Isaiah the prophet into Jerusalem. | Isa 22:15-23 (Eliakim's rise) |
| 2 Kings 18:37 | Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, with their clothes rent, and told Isaiah the prophet. | 2 Kings 19:1-7 (Isaiah's prophecy after taunts) |
| Isa 7:4 | Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fuller's field; | Isa 36:4 (Rabshakeh's boast) |
| 2 Kings 18:30 | Nor hearken to Hezekiah, that he saith, The LORD your God hath fought for Jerusalem, to deliver it out of the hand of the king of Assyria: | Isa 37:10, 23 (Hezekiah's trust) |
| Jer 42:2-3 | And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, I pray thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few, as thine eyes do behold us:) That the LORD thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do. | Lam 5:1-3 (national distress) |
| Psa 11:1 | In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? | Psa 62:8 (trust in God) |
| Psa 33:10 | The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. | Psa 33:12 (blessed nation) |
| Psa 39:1-3 | I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue. | Psa 77:4 (despair) |
| Isa 22:15, 21 | Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say, What hast thou to do in this place, and what hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre a grave unto himself in Rock, he that gathereth himself a tomb in the heart of the rock. | Isa 22:15-25 (Eliakim's appointment) |
| Isa 37:1 | And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. | Isa 37:1-2 (Hezekiah's response) |
| 2 Sam 15:27-28 | Then said the king unto Zadok, Return unto thy place in the city: and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and Abiathar his son, with your two sons; Ahimaaz son of Zadok, and Jonathan son of Abiathar. See, I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness, until further word come from you by post. Was not Zadok the one that carrieth the ark of God before David in his going forth? and was not Abiathar with him? there are the ark of God, and God is with them. | 1 Sam 4:3 (Ark of the Covenant) |
| 1 Cor 10:13 | There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye be able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. | Prov 3:5-6 (trust in God) |
| Jer 20:10 | For I heard the defaming of many: fear on every side. Report, say they, and let us report it: yea, all my familiar friends have watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. | Psa 42:3 (longing for God) |
| Psa 115:1-3 | Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. | Dan 4:17, 32 (God's dominion) |
| Luke 1:37 | For with God nothing shall be impossible. | Rom 4:21 (Abraham's faith) |
| Matt 28:18 | And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. | Phil 2:9-11 (Christ's exaltation) |
| Rom 8:31 | What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? | Rom 8:37 (more than conquerors) |
| Hab 1:5 | Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. | Isa 29:14 (God's wonderful work) |
| John 14:26 | But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. | John 16:13 (Spirit of truth) |
| Eph 6:11 | Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. | Eph 6:13 (stand firm) |
| Col 1:17 | And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. | Heb 1:3 (Christ sustains all) |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: | 1 Pet 5:6-7 (humble yourselves) |
Isaiah 36 verses
Isaiah 36 22 Meaning
This verse is spoken by Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah to Rabshakeh, the envoy of the Assyrian king. It expresses their deep-seated fear and recognition of God's sovereignty over even the most powerful earthly kingdoms and kings. They acknowledge that God's voice is behind the Assyrian advance and that they should not respond to Rabshakeh's taunts, implying their faith and trust in divine intervention.
Isaiah 36 22 Context
This verse occurs within the narrative of the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. Assyria, led by King Sennacherib, had already conquered many of Judah's fortified cities. Sennacherib dispatched his field commander, Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem to intimidate the inhabitants and King Hezekiah into surrender.
Rabshakeh stood before the city walls and, in a loud voice in the Judean dialect, taunted the people and their leaders, particularly mocking Hezekiah's trust in the LORD. He boasted of Assyria's power and its past victories over other nations, challenging the people not to listen to Hezekiah or the prophet Isaiah.
In response to Rabshakeh's defiant speech, the three officials—Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah—rent their clothes. This act was a traditional Jewish expression of deep sorrow, grief, repentance, or alarm. It signified the gravity of the situation and their distress over Rabshakeh's blasphemous words and the existential threat to Jerusalem. Their subsequent action was to go to the prophet Isaiah to relay the message and seek divine counsel. This underscores the leadership's reliance on prophetic guidance during national crises.
The broader context of Isaiah chapter 36 and 37 details the Assyrian threat, Hezekiah's faithful response by seeking Isaiah's counsel, Isaiah's prophecy of deliverance, and God's miraculous intervention that resulted in the decimation of the Assyrian army.
Isaiah 36 22 Word Analysis
And: Connects the previous action to the subsequent response.
Eliakim: Name means "My God shall arise." He was appointed to a position of authority in Hezekiah's household, replacing Shebna, who was found untrustworthy (Isaiah 22:15-23). His name signifies divine support and faithfulness.
the son: Indicates lineage and descent.
of Hilkiah: Father of Eliakim, showing his family background. Hilkiah means "My strength is the LORD."
who was over the household: Describes Eliakim's high-ranking administrative position, akin to a chief steward or prime minister. This role implied significant responsibility for the royal palace and affairs.
and Shebna: Name possibly means "resting" or "young." He was the scribe, a significant position, but depicted as proud and aspiring for greater status than he deserved (Isaiah 22:15-20). His presence here highlights the internal political dynamics and the eventual fall from grace he experienced.
the scribe: A person skilled in writing and record-keeping, often holding a position of importance in government.
and Joah: Name means "YAH is brother." A minister or recorder.
the son of Asaph: Father of Joah, belonging to the lineage of Asaph, a prominent temple musician and composer.
the recorder: An official responsible for maintaining historical records, decrees, and possibly the royal annals; also translated as "chancellor" or "chronographer." This role indicates involvement in official state affairs and documentation.
rent their clothes: A significant gesture in ancient Near Eastern cultures, expressing extreme distress, grief, mourning, humility, or outrage. It symbolized their profound disturbance by Rabshakeh's arrogant words and the perceived blasphemy against God and their king. The action signifies that Rabshakeh's words struck them deeply, impacting them personally and corporately.
Words Group Analysis:
- Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah: Represent the leadership of Judah, summoned to hear the Assyrian demands. Their inclusion showcases the united response of the officials to the crisis.
- rent their clothes: This physical manifestation of inward turmoil shows the severe impact of Rabshakeh's words, which were not only political threats but also religious insults. It immediately precedes their seeking of divine counsel through the prophet.
Isaiah 36 22 Bonus Section
The selection of these three specific individuals—Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah—is noteworthy. Eliakim, the newly appointed man of integrity and fidelity to God, stands in contrast to Shebna, who is depicted as self-serving and ultimately demoted. Joah's role as a recorder highlights the importance of accurate historical witness to divine acts. Their united act of tearing their clothes demonstrates that even amidst differing personal standings and prior judgments, the leadership could unite in distress and in seeking God's deliverance when faced with such a profound spiritual challenge. This passage, set within a historical event, serves as a timeless illustration of how people of faith should respond to opposition and sacrilege—by acknowledging God's sovereignty and seeking His Word and action.
Isaiah 36 22 Commentary
The act of rent clothes by these three officials underscores the gravity of Rabshakeh's blasphemous tirade against Yahweh and Hezekiah. It was not merely a political threat but a direct assault on their faith and national identity. Their subsequent move to consult the prophet Isaiah signals a crucial turning point: rather than engaging directly with the taunts or yielding to despair, they recognized that the ultimate battle was spiritual and sought divine intervention and wisdom. This emphasizes that even in the face of overwhelming military power, faith and reliance on God are the true sources of strength and hope. Their action sets the stage for Hezekiah's prayer and Isaiah's divine reassurance, illustrating the importance of turning to God during trials.