Isaiah 22:17

Isa 22:17 Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.

Ver. 17. Behold, the Lord will carry thee away, &c.] Or, Is casting thee out with casting, O thou mighty man. Not, God will carry thee away as a cock is carried, so the Vulgate translator hath it; which caused a learned interpreter to say he wondered whence this cock flew into the text.

And will surely cover thee.] As they used to do to condemned persons unworthy any longer to see the light, they covered their faces, {as Job 9:24 Est 7:8} {See Trapp on "Job 9:24"} {See Trapp on "Est 7:8"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

carry . . . away with . . . captivity--rather, "will cast thee away with a mighty throw" [MAURER]. "Mighty," literally, "of a man" (so Job 38:3).

surely cover--namely, with shame, where thou art rearing a monument to perpetuate thy fame [VITRINGA]. "Rolling will roll thee," that is, will continually roll thee on, as a ball to be tossed away [MAURER]. Compare Isa 22:18.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 17. Cover thee] That is, thy face. This was the condition of mourners in general, and particularly of condemned persons. See Est 6:12; Est 7:8.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(17) The Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity.—Better, will hurl thee with the hurling of a mighty man—i.e., strongly and effectually. The words have, however, been rendered (Cheyne), “will hurl, will hurl thee, O mighty man.” The marginal rendering rests on no sufficient grounds.

Will surely cover thee.—Better, Will surely grasp thee, so that thou shalt not escape.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17. will carry thee away … captivity] Translate: will fling thee forth violently, O thou man. The A.V. preserves the sense but entirely misses the bold metaphor, which is carried on to the middle of Isa_22:18. The next words and will surely cover thee, when so rendered, hardly suit the context. The verb may be the equivalent of an Arabic verb, meaning “seize,” which gives an appropriate idea, although it is the solitary instance in the O.T. Render accordingly: and will seize thee firmly (lit. “with a seizing”).

17, 18. The doom of Shebna is set forth in language of extraordinary force and passion.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 (z), when he went from Jerusalem, upon the rumour of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia coming against him, carried away Shebna and his company, as with an inundation: or as a man is carried captive, whose captivity is harder, and more severe and cruel, than a woman's, as the Rabbins (a) observe; a woman finding more mercy in captivity usually than a man does. Some of the Jewish writers render the word "geber" a cock, as they do elsewhere; and gloss it, as a cock is carried away, and goes from place to place (b); and so the Vulgate Latin version,

"behold, the Lord shall cause thee to be carried away, as a cock is carried away;''

but it seems best, with Aben Ezra and Kimchi, to read the word "man" in the vocative case; the Lord will carry thee away, "O man", O mighty man (c); as mighty a man as thou art in office, in power, in riches, God shall carry thee away with the greatest ease imaginable:

and will surely cover thee: or, "in covering cover thee"; with confusion, as the Targum. Jarchi says the word has the signification of flying; and so interprets it, he shall cause thee to fly like a bird into captivity; that is, very speedily and swiftly. The Rabbins gather from hence that Shebna was struck with leprosy, because the leper was obliged to put a covering upon his upper lip; and this sense is embraced by Grotius; but the allusion seems to be to persons in disgrace, or condemned to die, whose faces used to be covered, Est 7:8.

(z) Seder Olam Rabba, c. 23. p. 64. (a) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 26. 2. (b) Jarchi in loc. Vajikra Rabba, sect. 5. fol. 150. 2. (c) "O vir poteus", Grotius; "O tu heros", Tigurine version.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Behold, the Lord will carry thee away - Of the historical fact here referred to we have no other information. To what place he was to be carried, we know not. It is probable, however, that it was to Assyria.

With a mighty captivity - Hebrew, גבר geber - ‘Of a man,’ or perhaps, ‘O man.’ If it means ‘the captivity of a man,’ the sense is, a strong, irresistible, mighty captivity where the word “man” is emphatic, and means such as a mighty man would make. Compare Job 38:3 : ‘Gird up now thy loins like a man.’ The margin reads this, he ‘who covered thee with an excellent covering, and clothed thee gorgeously, shall surely turn and toss thee.’ But the text conveys more nearly the idea of the Hebrew word, which denotes the action of “casting away, or throwing” from one as a man throws a stone. See the same use of the word טול ṭûl in 1Sa 18:2; 1Sa 20:33; Jer 17:13; Jer 22:26, Jer 22:28; Jon 1:5, Jon 1:12, Jon 1:16. “And will surely cover thee.” ‘Thy face,’ says Lowth, for this was the condition of mourners. The Chaldee is, ‘Shall cover thee with confusion.’ So Vitringa, who supposes that it means that although Shebna was endeavoring to rear a monument that should perpetuate his name and that of his family, God would cover them with ignominy, and reduce them to their primitive, obscure, and humble condition.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Cock. St. Jerome’s master assured him that the word which is usually rendered a warrior, has this meaning. (Haydock) --- The comparison agrees well with a proud man reduced to misery. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "With the captivity of a man, and he will cover thee." Septuagint, "he will cast out and bruise the man, and will take away thy comely robe, and throw thee into," &c. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

I will carry thee away with a mighty captivity; will cause thee to be carried into captivity by a strong hand, or by the hand of a mighty man, from which therefore thou shalt not be able to escape. Or, will cast thee away with the casting of a mighty man, i.e. with great force; or, in casting will cast thee away, O thou mighty man. Will surely cover thee, to wit, with confusion, as is here implied, and as this phrase is more fully expressed, Psa 89:40; 109:29. Or

covering may be put for obscuring his glory, which he designed to publish, and to that end erected stately monuments, &c. Or this may be an allusion to the ancient custom of covering the faces of condemned persons; of which see Est 7:8. Compare Job 9:24; Eze 12:6,12.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17-19. Behold — The doom of this faithless heathen officer, also a leader away of the people, now follows.

Carry thee… mighty captivity — The words of these verses are violent words, and indicate sharp, indignant, violent feeling and action in executing punishment upon this man. There is scarce power in any language to translate them.

Cover thee — Wrap thee up, (as by straps and thongs.)

Violently turn and toss thee — Some translate: “Bind thee with head band into a ball, then whirl thee round and round and cast thee away.”

Into a large country — Perhaps Assyria; there is nothing certain as to what country is meant. The Jewish comment is, that Shebna was tied, as a traitor, to horses’ tails in Assyria, and so died.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord win carry thee away with a mighty captivity; rather, the Lord will hurl thee away, O man, with a hurling; i.e. "will hurl thee away to a distance." It is not said that Shebna would be a captive. Will surely cover thee; literally, will cover thee with a covering; i.e. will make thee obscure" (Rosenm a fitting punishment for one who aimed at attracting attention and making himself famous (ver. 16).

HOMILIES BY W.M. STATHAM Ver. 17. Captivity, and yet safety.

"Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee." These threatenings of the Almighty had mercy at the heart of them. Captivity was a drastic remedy, but it once and again saved the health of Israel It was a time of home-longing and sickness of heart. It was a time when the old religious memories flooded the heart till they filled it with an aching sense of shame for sin, and supplication for mercy.

I GOD CARRIED THEM AWAY. The enemies of Israel were but instruments in the hands of Jehovah. He reigned over their interests as truly then as in their more prosperous day. "The day is thine, the night also is thine." And in the Captivity, God was disciplining the people as no other dispensation could. Their lofty looks were changed for penitential tears, and their proud hearts were brought low. God would, in due time "turn again the captivity of Israel;" and the Law would be read again, and not only be read, but be "lived.

II THE CAPTIVITY WAS A MIGHTY ONE. It occurred to a mighty multitude; it affected mighty interests; and it produced, mighty results. For this people God had formed for himself, to show forth his praise. We have to learn the lesson too. How tremendous are the powers of grief and loss, change and sickness, under which God often brings his children captive now! We are "prisoned" by pain and circumstance. In our hours of solitude and sorrow, God renews our will, separates the chaff from the wheat in our character, and meetens us for service here and for the inheritance of the saints in light hereafter.

III THE COVERING WAS SURE. They were not cast away; they were only cast down. The almighty wings were still over them. In strange lands, amid strange faces, and listening to strange voices, they could not sing the Lord"s song in a strange land. But the time of joy was to return. God was very near them still, and none could really harm them. What a covering!

Not the mere roof of the home; not the mere outward raiment; but the Lord himself" was there, spreading his shield over them, when they were away from the munitions of rocks and from the defenses of dear Jerusalem. Sure! That is what we want. He also is our Dwelling-place in all generations and under all skies. W.M.S.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Will carry - Will cause thee to be carried into captivity by a strong hand. Cover - This may be an allusion to the ancient custom of covering the faces of condemned persons.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

“Behold, Jehovah is casting thee a cast, oh man! and covering thee a covering.” The idea is that He is certainly about to cast and cover thee, or to do it completely and with violence.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Isaiah continues to speak God's message to Shebna.

He will surely wind you round and round, and toss you like a ball into a vast country

The enemy soldiers coming and taking Shebna as a captive to a foreign land is spoken of as if Yahweh were throwing him like a ball into another land. (See: Metaphor)

you will be the shame of your master's house

Here "house" represents the people who work in the king's palace. AT: "you will cause shame for all those in your master's palace" (See: Metonymy)

I will thrust you from your office and from your station. You will be pulled down

Yahweh causing Shebna to no longer work in the king's palace is spoken of as if Yahweh will throw him to the ground. (See: Metaphor)

You will be pulled down

This can be stated in active form. AT: "I will bring you down from your honored position" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

Yahweh

might

die

glory

chariot

shame

lord

house

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Shall cast you about with a mighty toss (גָבֶר) like a rooster that wanders from place to place (Lev. Rabbah ibid.) The Midrash explains גֶבֶר as a rooster. Our Rabbis, however, stated that the wandering of a man is more trying than that of a woman (San. 26a).

and cause you to fly. Heb. (וְעֹטְךָ עָטֹה). Comp. (I Sam. 25:14) “And he drove them away (וַיָּעַט),” an expression of עַיִּט, a bird. He will make you fly away like a bird, in exile. Our Rabbis, however, stated that ‘zaraath’ broke out upon him, as is stated: (Leviticus 13:45) “And on his upper lip he shall enwrap himself (יַעְטֶה).”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

מטלטלך Will carry thee away. Reduplication of טול to carry. Comp. ויטילו And they cast (Jon. 1:5).

גבר O man. Thou, who thinkest that thou art mighty. Comp. והיית לאיש and show thyself a man (1 Kgs. 2:2). גבר is here the vocative case. It can also mean as the carrying away of a man. I prefer the first explanation.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.