Isaiah 36:3

3 And Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was on the house (who was over the king's household), went out to him, and Shebna, the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the chancellor.

Isaiah 36:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 36:3

Then came forth unto him
Being sent by Hezekiah; for otherwise Rabshakeh had the impudence to call to him, in order to parley, and treat with him about the surrender of the city; but as this was not thought either safe or honourable for the king to go in person, his following ministers went; see ( 2 Kings 18:18 ) : Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the house;
not over the house of the Lord, the temple, as some, but the king's house, being high steward of if, or "major domo". This is the same person as is mentioned in ( Isaiah 22:20 ) : and Shebna the scribe;
not of the book of the law, a copier, or interpreter of that, but secretary of state; he had been treasurer, but now removed, ( Isaiah 22:15 ) : and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder;
the master of requests, or the "remembrancer" ^F5; who, as the Targum, was appointed over things memorable; whose business it was to take notice of things worthy of memory, write them down, and digest them in order; perhaps the king's historiographer.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (rykzmh) "recordator, commonfactor", Vatablus; "commenefaciens", Montanus: "a nemoria", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Isaiah 36:3 In-Context

1 And it was done in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib, the king of Assyrians, ascended on all the strong cities of Judah, and took them.

2 And the king of Assyrians sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, to king Hezekiah, with great power; and he stood at the water conduit of the higher cistern, in the way of the field of a fuller, or (a) tucker (and he stopped by the water conduit of the Upper Pool, on the way to the Fuller's Field).

3 And Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was on the house (who was over the king's household), went out to him, and Shebna, the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the chancellor.

4 And Rabshakeh said to them, Say ye to Hezekiah, The great king, the king of Assyrians, saith these things, What is the trust, in which thou trustest?

5 either by what counsel either strength disposest thou for to rebel? on whom hast thou trust, for thou hast gone away from me?