Isaiah 22:25

“In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, &c.] 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 Shebna, who thought himself to be as a nail in a sure place, being put into it by the king, and supported by his authority, and courted by his friends and flatterers; for to him the whole preceding prophecy is directed, which is carried down to this verse; for all that is said of the glory and usefulness of his successor Eliakim was to be told to him, which would make it still the more grievous to…”

“nail . . . fastened--Shebna, who was supposed to be firmly fixed in his post. burden . . . upon it--All that were dependent on Shebna, all his emoluments and rank will fail, as when a peg is suddenly "cut down," the ornaments on it fall with it. Sin reaches in its effects even to the family of the guilty (Exo 20:5). MENANDER, the historian, notices a siege of Tyre by Shalmaneser, about the time of the siege of Samaria. Sidon, Acco, and Old Tyre, on the mainland, were soon reduced; but New Tyre, on an island half a mile from the shore, held out for five years. Sargon probably finished the siege. Sennacherib does not, however, mention it among the cities which the Assyrian kings conquered…”

“In that day shall the nail - Not Eliakim, but Shebna. Eliakim was to be fastened, that is, confirmed in office. But Shebna was to be removed. That is fastened in the sure place - Or, that was once fastened, or was supposed to be fastened - a phrase appropriate to an office which the incumbent supposed to be firm or secure. It here refers to Shebna. He was regarded as haying a permanent hold on the office, and was making provisions for ending his days in it. Be removed - To a distant land Isaiah 22:17-18, or simply taken down. And be cut down, and fall - As a spike, pin, or peg would be taken away from the wall of a house. And the burden that was upon it - All that it sustained - as the…”

“The nail - Shebna, who seemed to be so. The burden - All those wicked officers that were advanced and supported by his power. Next: Isaiah Chapter 23”

“22:25 I will pull out the nail: Even godly Eliakim would not be able to save Judah or David’s dynasty from God’s judgment. The people of Judah would go into exile more than a century later (39:6-7).”

“the nail: Isa 22:15, Isa 22:16 the burden: Est 9:5-14, Est 9:24, Est 9:25; Psa 52:5, Psa 146:3; Jer 17:5, Jer 17:6 for the: Isa 46:11, Isa 48:15; Jer 4:28; Eze 5:13, Eze 5:15, Eze 5:17; Mic 4:4 Next: Isaiah Chapter 23”

“We will refer to this again. But in the meantime the impression is an irresistible one; and the Targum, Jerome, Hitzig, and others, are therefore right in assuming that Eliakim is the peg which, however glorious its beginning may have been, comes at last to the shameful end described in Isa 22:25 : "In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will the peg that is fastened in a sure place be removed, and be cast down, and fall; and the burden that it bore falls to the ground: for Jehovah hath spoken." The prophet could not express in clearer terms the identity of the peg threatened here with Eliakim himself; for how is it conceivable that the prophet could turn all that he has predicated of Eliakim…”