Shevna's Ambition and Betrayal Against King Hezekiah

Regarding the matter itself: “If the anointed priest [shall sin so that he brings guilt on the people]” – this is Shevna,14The midrash asserts that Shevna sinned and thereby brought guilt upon all the people. See also Sanhedrin 26a–b. in whose regard it is written: “Go, come to this official [hasokhen], [to Shevna, who is over the house]” (Isaiah 22:15). Rabbi Elazar said: ‘He was the High Priest.’

Rabbi Yehuda said: ‘He was the overseer [amarkal].’ In accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, who said he was the High Priest: “I will garb him in your tunic” (Isaiah 22:21).15This verse states that Elyakim was to receive Shevna’s tunic, and it is understood to refer to the tunic of the High Priest. In accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, who said he was the overseer: “I will deliver your authority into his hand” (Isaiah 22:21).

Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Why does he call him amarkal? Because he was the master of it all [mar lakol]. Rabbi Berekhya said: He was from that Sikhnin,16That is why he is called hasokhen. and he ascended [to Jerusalem] and was appointed treasurer in the Temple. That is why the prophet chastises him and says: “What do you have here and whom do you have here, that you have dug a grave here for yourself?” (Isaiah 22:16).

He said to him: ‘Exile son of exile, what wall have you constructed here, what pillar have you established here, even what nail have you affixed here?’17Shevna attempted to subvert King Hezekiah. The prophet tells him: ‘You, who are not originally from Jerusalem, have not done anything to build this place. You cannot possibly supplant Hezekiah, whose ancestors built Jerusalem and the Temple.’ Rabbi Elazar said: A person must have a nail or a peg in a cemetery so he will have the privilege of being buried in that place.18The version of the text recorded in the Arukh is that a person must have a peg or a nail in the local synagogue, meaning he must have contributed to its construction or maintenance, in order to be privileged to be buried there (Rabbi David Luria).

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 26a) records that Shevna planned to be buried among the kings of the House of David. “That you have dug a grave here for yourself,” he crafted it like a dovecote of sorts and placed his grave upon it. “Digger of his grave on high” (Isaiah 22:16), Rabbi Shmuel said in the name of Mar Ukvan: From On High it was decreed of him that he would not have burial in the Land of Israel.

“Who carves in rock an abode for himself” (Isaiah 22:16), a sarcophagus. “Behold, the Lord will shake you a great [gaver] shake” (Isaiah 22:17), wandering [tiltul] after wandering. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Like a rooster19The term gever can be used to connote a rooster. that was exiled and goes from place to place. “And He will wrap you [veotekha ato]” (Isaiah 22:17), as he was afflicted with leprosy, just as it says [of the leper]: “He shall cover [yateh] his upper lip” (Leviticus 13:45).

“He will wind you about Him like a headdress” (Isaiah 22:18), exile after exile. “Like a ball” (Isaiah 22:18), just as a ball is caught in the hands and does not reach the ground, so it is with him. “To an expansive land” (Isaiah 22:18), this is “Kasifya” (Ezra 8:17). “There you will die and there will be the chariots of your glory” (Isaiah 22:18).

According to the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, who said that he was High Priest, [Shevna was punished] because he would derive benefit from the offerings. According to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda the Great, that he was the overseer, it was because he would derive benefit from the consecrated objects. “The shame of your master’s house” (Isaiah 22:18) – according to the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, that he was a High Priest, [this is stated] because he treated the offerings with contempt.

According to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda the Great, that he was the overseer, it was because he would treat his two masters with contempt. Who were they? They were Isaiah and Hezekiah. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: What did Shevna and Yoaḥ do?

They took a writing sheet and wrote on it, stuck it onto an arrow, shot it through the window, and delivered it to Sennacherib. What did they write on it? ‘We and all the children of Israel seek to make peace with you; Isaiah and Hezekiah do not seek to make peace with you.’ That is what David foresaw through the Divine Spirit when he said: “For, behold, the wicked bend the bow” (Psalms 11:2), this is Shevna and Yoaḥ.

“They fixed their arrow on the string” (Psalms 11:2), on the bowstring. “To shoot, in darkness, at the upright of heart” (Psalms 11:2) – who were they? They were Isaiah and Hezekiah.