This chapter contains two prophecies, one concerning the invasion of Judah and Jerusalem, not by the Medes and Persians, but by the Assyrian army, under which they served; and the other of the removal of Shebna, an officer in Hezekiah’s court, and of the placing of Eliakim in his stead.

The burden of the valley of vision A prophecy concerning Jerusalem, so called, because it lay in a valley, encompassed about with mountains, and which was the habitation of the prophets or seers, and the seat of vision and prophecy; and perhaps there is an allusion to its name, which signifies the…

Thou art full of stirs Or, “wast full of stirs”; through the multitude of people walking about in it, and the vast hurry of business done in it; but now all hush and quiet, the streets clear of people, and the shops shut up, and all got up to the housetops for shelter; or, “full of noises” [[10]],…

All thy rulers are fled together Either the rulers of Jerusalem, civil and ecclesiastical, that should have been at the head of the people, and have encouraged them, fled together to the housetops, or to the temple and strongholds; or the generals and officers of their militia, one and all of them…

Therefore said I Not God to the ministering angels, as Jarchi; but the prophet to those that were about him, his relations, friends, and acquaintance: look away from me; turn away from me, look another way; cease from me, let me alone; leave me to myself, that I may weep in secret, take my fill of…

For it is a day of trouble To Hezekiah, and also Jerusalem, and all the inhabitants of the land: and of treading down; the people of it by Sennacherib’s army, like mire in the streets, when their cities were taken by him: and of perplexity by the Lord of hosts in the valley of vision; in Jerusalem,…

And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen Or the Elamites, as the Targum and Septuagint, that is, the Persians, who were at this time subject to the Assyrians, and served in Sennacherib’s army, which consisted of many nations; see these bore the quiver, a case for arrows, being…

And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys, &c.] The valleys that were near Jerusalem, that used to be covered with the choicest corn or vines, or with grass and flocks of sheep, and used to be exceeding delightful and pleasant: shall be full of chariots; where they can be more easily…

And he discovered the covering of Judah Either God himself, who uncloaked them of their hypocrisy, as Dr. Lightfoot; or took away his power and presence from them, and his protection of them, and discovered their weakness; or rather the enemy Sennacherib: and then by the covering is meant, not…

Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many Not Jerusalem in general, but that part of it which was called the stronghold of Zion, and in particular had the name of the city of David, the fortifications of which, in times of peace, had gone to decay; and which they had…

And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem To know what number of men were in them, and how many could be spared to do duty, either as watchmen or soldiers; or to know how to levy the tax, and what money they would be able to raise, to defray the charge of the defence of the city; or to see what…

Ye made also a ditch between the two walls The outward and the inward; for Hezekiah not only repaired the broken wall, but he built another without, and between these two he made a ditch, or receptacle for water; for rain water, as Kimchi says; that the inhabitants might not want water during the…

And in that day did the Lord God of hosts When it was a day of trouble, of treading down, and of perplexity; when Jerusalem was besieged by the Assyrian army; and when the people were so much concerned, and so careful for their defence and preservation; then did the Lord call to weeping and to…

And behold joy and gladness As if it was a time of rejoicing, rather than of weeping and mourning; and as if they were at a festival, and in the greatest prosperity and liberty, and not besieged by a powerful army: slaying oxen, and killing sheep: not for sacrifice, to make atonement for sin, as…

And it was revealed in my ears by the Lord of hosts Both what they said in the preceding verse , their profane, impious, and scoffing language; which perhaps was not expressed by words, but said in their hearts, and which God the searcher of hearts knew, and revealed it to the prophet; and also…

Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Go These words are spoken to the prophet, bidding him go to Shebna’s house; so the Arabic version, “go to the house”; or however, by some means or other, let him know that he should be displaced, and turned out of his office, and another put in his room: get thee…

What hast thou here? &c.] In the king’s house, or in Jerusalem; what business hast thou here? thou art unworthy of such an office, nor shalt thou long continue in it; what inheritance hast thou here? thou art an alien from the commonwealth of Israel and hast no estate or possession in the land: and…

Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity Or with the captivity of a man; so the Targum, of a mighty man, Sennacherib king of Assyria; who, as the Jews say [[24]], when he went from Jerusalem, upon the rumour of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia coming against him, carried away Shebna…

He will surely violently turn and toss thee Or, “wrapping he will wrap thee with a wrapping”; as anything is wrapped up close and round, either to be more commodiously carried, or more easily tossed: or, “rolling he will roll thee with a rolling” [[3]]; that is, roll thee over and over again, till…

And I will drive thee from thy station Or thou shalt be driven from it, according to my word; this is said by the prophet, and expresses his being degraded from his office by the king, according to the will of God: and from thy state shall he pull thee down; either the king his master, or the Lord,…

And it shall come to pass in that day At the same time that Shebna was deposed from his high station: that I will call my servant Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah; whom Kimchi thinks was the same with Azariah the son of Hilkiah, who might have two names, and was a ruler over the house of God in the…

And I will clothe him with thy robe The same he wore, or rather one like unto it, which was a badge and token of his office. If he was a priest, as the Jews say, this was his priestly robe, by which the high priest was distinguished from others; but he rather seems to be a civil officer, who wore a…

And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder In allusion either to magistrates carrying a key on their shoulder, hanging down from thence, having a hook at one end of it fit for that purpose; or having one embroidered on that part of their garment: or one carried before them by…

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place In a strong part of the wall or timber, where it shall not fail, or be removed, or cut down, and so let drop what is hung upon it: it denotes the stability and continuance of his government, and of the strength and support he should be of unto others;…

And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house Which shows the reason of his being compared to a nail; not to one that fastens pieces of timber together, or to a nail or stake drove in the ground, to which the cords of tents are fastened, but to a nail in a wall, on which things…

In that day, saith the Lord of hosts That Shebna is deposed, and Eliakim put in his place: shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; meaning, not Eliakim before spoken of, who really was a nail fastened in a sure place, and not to be removed; but…