Personal threats and promises

The doom of Sheba

15 Against Shebna, the Governor of the Palace.

Thus says the Lord God,

go, get you yonder perfect (and say),

16 ‘What right have you here, and what kin have you here,

that you hew you here a sepulchre –

that here on the height you do hew you a sepulchre,

carving a home for yourself on the rock?

17 Behold, the Lord will firmly enwrap you,

and wind you and wind you around and around:

18 he will hurl you and hurl you afar like a ball,

mighty man that you are, to a spacious land.

Thither your glorious chariots will follow,

and there you will die,

you disgrace of the house of your lord.

The exaltation of Eliakim

19 I will thrust you from your office,

and tear you down from your post.

20 That day will I summon my servant,

Eliakim, son of Hilkiah.

21 I will put your mantle upon him,

and give your authority into this hand.

And a father he will be

to the folk of Jerusalem and the household of

Judah.

22 I will lay upon his shoulder

they key of the house of David,

so that none may shut when he opens,

nor open when he shuts.

23 I will fasten him securely,

like a nail in a place that is firm.

Through him will his father’s house

be lifted to seats of honour.’

The downfall of Eliakim’s family

24 his family will hang upon him with all their weight – off-spring and off-scourings, all the meaner sort of vessels, be they bowls or be they pitchers. 25 In that day, says the Lord of Hosts, will the nail so firmly fastened be removed with a wrench, and down will come in ruin all that had hung upon it: for the Lord of Hosts has spoken it.