Isaiah 22:16

Isaiah 22:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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?
• New International Version (NIV)What are you doing here and who gave you permission to cut out a grave for yourself here, hewing your grave on the height and chiseling your resting place in the rock?
• English Standard Version (ESV)What have you to do here, and whom have you here, that you have cut out here a tomb for yourself, you who cut out a tomb on the height and carve a dwelling for yourself in the rock?
• New King James Version (NKJV)‘What have you here, and whom have you here, That you have hewn a sepulcher here, As he who hews himself a sepulcher on high, Who carves a tomb for himself in a rock?

Context of Isaiah 22:16

14The Lord of Armies revealed this to me: “Certainly, this wrong will not be forgiven even when you die,” says the Almighty Lord of Armies. 15This is what the Almighty Lord of Armies says: Go to Shebna, the man in charge of the palace, and say ⌞to him⌟, “What are you doing here? What right do you have to dig a tomb for yourself? What right do you have to cut it out in a prominent place? What right do you have to carve out a resting place for yourself in the rock? 17Look, mighty man! The Lord will throw you out. He will grab you. 18He will wrap you up tightly like a turban. He will throw you far away into another land. There you will die. There your splendid chariots will remain. There you will become a disgrace to your master’s household.

Isaiah 22:16 word by word

מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹה֙ וּמִ֣י לְךָ֣ פֹ֔ה כִּֽי־חָצַ֧בְתָּ לְּךָ֛ פֹּ֖ה קָ֑בֶר חֹצְבִ֤י מָרוֹם֙ קִבְר֔וֹ חֹקְקִ֥י בַסֶּ֖לַע מִשְׁכָּ֥ן לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee outחָצַבchâtsab châtsêb · to hewH2672
• a sepulchreקֶ֫בֶרqeber qibrâh · graveH6913
• hereפֹּהpôh pô' pô · hereH6311
• on highמָרוֹםmârôm · heightH4791
• that gravethחָקַקchâqaq · to decreeH2710
• an habitationמִשְׁכָּןmishkân · tabernacleH4908
• for himself in a rockסֶ֫לַעsela‛ · cragH5553

Cross-references for Isaiah 22:16

• Isaiah 52:5So what do I find here? asks the Lord. My people are taken away for no reason. Their rulers are screaming, declares the Lord. And my name is cursed all day long.
• Micah 2:10Get up, and go away! This is not a place to rest! It will be destroyed, completely destroyed, because it offends me.
• Isaiah 14:18All the kings of the nations, all of them, have been buried with honor, each in his own tomb.
• 2 Samuel 18:18(⌞While he was still living,⌟ Absalom had taken a rock and set it up for himself in the king’s valley. He said, “I have no son to keep the memory of my name alive.” He called the rock by his name, and it is still called Absalom’s Monument today.)
• 2 Chronicles 16:14They buried him in the tomb that he had prepared for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bed full of spices and blended perfumes. And they burned a bonfire in his honor.
• Job 3:14I would be with the kings and the counselors of the world who built for themselves ⌞what are now⌟ ruins.
• Matthew 27:60Then he laid it in his own new tomb, which had been cut in a rock. After rolling a large stone against the door of the tomb, he went away.

Commentaries on Isaiah 22:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16A sepulcher on high - in a rock - It has been observed before, on Isaiah 14, that persons of high rank in Judea, and in most parts of the east, were generally buried in large sepulchral vaults, hewn out in the rock for the use of themselves and their families. The vanity of Shebna is set forth by his being so studious and careful to have his sepulcher on high - in a lofty vault; and that probably in a high situation, that it might be more conspicuous…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16What hast thou here? - This verse contains a severe repoof of the pride and ostentation of Shebna, and of his expectation that he would be buried where be had built his own tomb. It also contains an “implied” declaration that he would not be permitted to lie there, but would be removed to a distant land to be buried in some less honorable manner. It is probable that Isaiah met him when he was at the sepulchre which he had made, and addressed this language…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 15-25 This message to Shebna is a reproof of his pride, vanity, and security; what vanity is all earthly grandeur, which death will so soon end! What will it avail, whether we are laid in a magnificent tomb, or covered with the green sod? Those who, when in power, turn and toss others, will be justly turned and tossed themselves. Eliakim should be put into Shebna's place. Those called to places of trust and power, should seek to God for grace to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Shebna was building an impressive tomb for himself. It was meant to be a monument. This large and costly burial place was designed to last for many generations.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. What ... whom--The prophet accosts Shebna at the very place where he was building a grand sepulcher for himself and his family (compare Is 14:18; Ge 23:1-20; 49:29; 50:13). "What (business) hast thou here, and whom hast thou (of thy family, who is likely to be buried) here, that thou buildest," &c., seeing that thou art soon to be deposed from office and carried into captivity? [Maurer]. on high--Sepulchres were made in the highest rocks (2Ch 32:33…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 22:16

• Burial
• Isaiah
• Pride
• Shebna (Shebnah)

In the dictionaries

• Discover
• Eat
• Eliakim
• Grave
• Hew
• Sennacherib
• Shebna
• Tent
• Drunkenness
• Evil

Commentaries on Isaiah 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings