Lexical Summary taltelah: Heap, mound, or pile Original Word: טַלָטֵלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance captivity From tuwl; overthrow or rejection -- captivity. see HEBREW tuwl NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom tul Definition a hurling NASB Translation headlong (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs טַלְטֵלָה noun feminine a hurling, Isaiah 22:17, see above Pilpel, literally hurleth thee with a hurling, O man; read perhaps (Du), with a different word-division, טַלְטֵל הַגֶּבֶר (infinitive absolute) טוּר (√ of following; compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Semantic Pictureטַלָטֵלָה paints a vivid tableau of uncontrolled motion—an object seized, lifted, and flung with force. The word conveys more than physical displacement; it signals the total loss of self-determination under a stronger hand. In ancient Near Eastern imagery, such violent shaking implied both disgrace and exile, the utter undoing of a man’s plans, possessions, and reputation. Biblical Occurrence: Isaiah 22:17 “Look, O mighty man! The LORD is about to shake you violently. He will take hold of you” (Isaiah 22:17). The verse confronts Shebna, steward of the royal household under King Hezekiah. Stationed at a strategic time when Assyria threatened Judah, Shebna should have embodied prudence and faith. Instead, he lavished resources on a grandiose tomb, advertising his status while Jerusalem’s defenses languished. The prophet Isaiah announces that the very Lord whom Shebna ignored would seize him and hurl him away, just as a stone is slung from a sling (Isaiah 22:18). The single occurrence of טַלָטֵלָה thus crystallizes the theme of enforced removal that no earthly power can resist. Historical Setting • Late eighth century B.C. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty in Judgment The verb picture leaves no space for coincidence; YHWH engineers the motion. Proverbs 21:1 reminds that a king’s heart is in His hand; Isaiah 22 depicts that even a proud courtier’s body is likewise gripped. 2. Stewardship and Accountability Isaiah introduces Shebna as “over the house” (Isaiah 22:15), a role paralleling Joseph’s post under Pharaoh (Genesis 41:40). Faithless stewardship earns forceful displacement (compare Luke 16:2). 3. Reversal of Pride Pride precedes destruction (Proverbs 16:18). The great man becomes cargo tossed away. James 4:6 echoes the principle: “God opposes the proud.” Intertextual Echoes • Jeremiah 22:18–19 – a leader denied an honorable burial. Though the vocabulary differs, the motif remains: God’s final authority to unsettle that which appears secure. Ministry Significance 1. Leadership Sobriety Church overseers are “stewards of God” (Titus 1:7). Authority is delegated, never possessed. Hubris invites removal; faithfulness invites promotion (1 Peter 5:6). 2. Temporal Versus Eternal Security Shebna’s self-carved sepulcher contrasts with Abraham’s hope for a city “whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Ministry must prioritize eternal construction over temporal monuments. 3. Pastoral Warning and Comfort Warning: roles, titles, and visibility can be overturned in a moment. Comfort: the same divine hand that uproots also plants (Jeremiah 1:10). The believer’s trust rests not in position but in covenant faithfulness. Eschatological Glimpse Isaiah’s localized judgment previews the ultimate shaking that will remove “created things” so that “the things that cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:27). The term טַלָטֵלָה therefore serves as a prophetic microcosm of eschatological reality: God will unseat every proud structure, ensuring that only the kingdom of Christ endures. Summary טַלָטֵלָה encapsulates the Lord’s decisive action to uproot the self-secure. Through Shebna’s downfall, Scripture affirms that no human prominence can withstand divine reproof. The word stands as a perpetual caution to leaders and a reminder that faithful stewardship, not personal aggrandizement, accords with God’s unshakable kingdom. Forms and Transliterations טַלְטֵלָ֖ה טלטלה ṭal·ṭê·lāh talteLah ṭalṭêlāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 22:17 HEB: יְהוָה֙ מְטַלְטֶלְךָ֔ טַלְטֵלָ֖ה גָּ֑בֶר וְעֹטְךָ֖ NAS: is about to hurl you headlong, O man. KJV: with a mighty captivity, and will surely INT: the LORD to hurl headlong man to grasp 1 Occurrence |
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go or hover about, approach, 
limit, border).