Isaiah 22:16

What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, [as] he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, [and] that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out {H2672} a sepulchre {H6913} here {H6311}, as he that heweth him out {H2672} a sepulchre {H6913} on high {H4791}, and that graveth {H2710} an habitation {H4908} for himself in a rock {H5553}?

'What do you own here, and who gave you the right to cut yourself a tomb here? Why do you get such an eminent tomb? Why are you carving a resting-place for yourself in the rock?'"

What are you doing here, and who authorized you to carve out a tomb for yourself here—to chisel your tomb in the height and cut your resting place in the rock?

What doest thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out here a sepulchre? hewing him out a sepulchre on high, graving a habitation for himself in the rock!

Isaiah 22:16 delivers a powerful prophetic rebuke, primarily directed at Shebna, who served as the steward or treasurer in the household of King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. This verse captures the divine indignation at Shebna's self-serving ambition and misplaced priorities during a time of national crisis.

Context

This verse is part of a larger oracle (Isaiah 22:15-25) in which the prophet Isaiah confronts Shebna for his arrogance and abuse of power. While the city of Jerusalem faced imminent threats, possibly from the Assyrian Empire, Shebna was more concerned with securing his own legacy and comfort. Instead of focusing on the nation's welfare, he was busy preparing an elaborate, high-profile tomb for himself, a practice typically reserved for royalty or highly esteemed figures. The surrounding verses detail God's intention to remove Shebna from his position and replace him with Eliakim, a more faithful servant. For more on Shebna's displacement, see Isaiah 22:20.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment on Pride: The core message is God's fierce opposition to human pride and self-exaltation, especially when it disregards the needs of others or God's purposes. Shebna's grand tomb symbolized his desire for earthly glory and permanence, which directly contrasted with his temporary position and God's ultimate sovereignty. This echoes the biblical principle that pride goes before destruction.
  • Misplaced Priorities: Shebna's focus on building a luxurious "sepulchre" (grave or tomb) for himself, "hewing... out a sepulchre on high," reveals a profound misallocation of resources and attention. During a time of national distress, his preoccupation with personal monuments highlights a dangerous self-absorption over service to God and community.
  • Vanity of Earthly Security: The elaborate tomb, meant to secure his name and resting place, ultimately proved futile against God's decree. This illustrates the vanity of human efforts to build lasting security or legacy apart from God's will.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "sepulchre" is qeber (קֶבֶר), referring to a grave or burial place. The phrase "hewed thee out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock" paints a vivid picture of an ostentatious tomb carved into a prominent rock face or cliff. This was a costly and labor-intensive undertaking, signifying great wealth and a desire for public recognition and an enduring memorial. It was not merely a grave but a grand "habitation" for the afterlife, reflecting Shebna's excessive pride and earthly focus.

Practical Application

Isaiah 22:16 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of ambition unchecked by humility and service. It challenges us to examine our own priorities: Are we building our own earthly kingdoms and legacies, or are we investing in what truly matters in God's eyes? This verse reminds us that true security and lasting significance come not from material possessions or human accolades, but from a life consecrated to God and His purposes. It calls believers to lay up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, where they are subject to decay and loss.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 27:60

    And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

  • 2 Chronicles 16:14

    And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds [of spices] prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

  • 2 Samuel 18:18

    Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which [is] in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

  • Job 3:14

    With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

  • Micah 2:10

    Arise ye, and depart; for this [is] not [your] rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy [you], even with a sore destruction.

  • Isaiah 52:5

    Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day [is] blasphemed.

  • Isaiah 14:18

    All the kings of the nations, [even] all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

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