Isaiah 36:22

22 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, tearing their clothes in defeat and despair, went back and reported what the Rabshekah had said to Hezekiah.

Isaiah 36:22 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 36:22

Then came Eliakim, that was over the household
The first of the commissioners sent to Rabshakeh: and Shebna the Scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to
Hezekiah:
by which it seems that he could not be with them on the wall, but was all the while in his own palace, whither they came to him, to report the issue of their conference with Rabshakeh: with their clothes rent;
which was done perhaps not in the presence and within the sight of Rabshakeh, but as they came along; and that partly on account of the blasphemies they had heard, ( Matthew 26:65 ) , and partly through the grief of heart, for the distress and calamity they might fear were coming on themselves, their king, their city, and country, ( Joel 2:13 ) : and told him the words of Rabshakeh;
what he had said against him, and against the God of Israel, his menaces and his blasphemies; they made a faithful report of the whole, as messengers ought to do. What effect this had upon the king, we have an account of in the following chapter.

Isaiah 36:22 In-Context

20 Name one god that has ever saved its countries from me. So what makes you think that God could save Jerusalem from me?'"
21 The three men were silent. They said nothing, for the king had already commanded, "Don't answer him."
22 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, tearing their clothes in defeat and despair, went back and reported what the Rabshekah had said to Hezekiah.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.