Shebna

He alone controls access to his kingdom.

Notice verse seven goes on to say, "Who, He who has the key of David." This is an allusion to Isaiah 22, where God demands that Eliakim replace Shebna as the chief steward in Hezekiah's house.

Listen to Isaiah 22:22.

"Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder.

When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the fuller's field.

When they called for the king, there came out Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah, son of Asaph, the recorder.

The Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me? See, you are relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it.

Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.

But if you say to me, "We rely on the Lord our God," is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem"?' Come now, make a wager with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.

How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, "Go up against this land, and destroy it."'" Then Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in the Aramaic language, for we understand it.

Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall." But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the people sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?" Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.

Thus says the king: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand.

When King Hezekiah heard what had been said, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the temple of the Lord.

He sent Eliakim, the palace administrator, Shebna, the secretary, and the senior priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz.

They told him, This is what Hezekiah says.

This is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace, like when a child is ready to be born, but there's no strength to deliver it.

As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord.

And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz.

They said to him, Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace.

Children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth.

And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field.

And there came out to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.

And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me? Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it.

Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

But if you say to me, “We trust in the Lord our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”? Come now, make a wager with my master, the king of Assyria.

I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.

How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master’s servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Moreover is it without the Lord that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, “Go up against this land and destroy it.”’” Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it.

Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” But the Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?” Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you.

When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the washer's field.

And when they called for the king, there came out to them Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.

And the Rabshakeh said to them, Say to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, On what do you rest this trust of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust that you have rebelled against me? Behold, you are trusting now in Egypt that broken reed of a staff which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it.

Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

But if you say to me, We trust in the Lord our God, Is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria.

I will give you two thousand horses if you are able on your part to set riders on them.

How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants? The Lord said to me, Allah said, Then Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah and Shebna and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it.

Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.