Person Old Testament
Shebna
Also known as Shebna =ESV, NIV, KJV; Shebnah =ESV
Shebna was a high-ranking official in King Hezekiah's court, serving as the steward of the palace, but was later demoted and replaced by Eliakim. Mentioned in 9 verses across 2 books, first at 2 Kings 18:18.
Why it matters. Steward of the palace during Hezekiah's reign
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Shebna
Shebna, mentioned in 2Kings 18-19 and Isaiah 22 and 36-37, was a high-ranking official in the court of King Hezekiah of Judah. He held the position of steward of the palace, which was a significant role in the royal administration. As the steward, Shebna was responsible for managing the king's household and overseeing the palace's affairs. However, the prophet Isaiah criticized Shebna for his pride and presumption, prophesying that he would be removed from his position and replaced by Eliakim (Isa.22.15-25). Later, during the Assyrian invasion of Judah, Shebna, along with Eliakim and Joah, was sent by King Hezekiah to negotiate with the Assyrian officials (2Ki.18.18, 26, 37; 19.2; Isa.36.3, 11, 22; 37.2). In these passages, Shebna is mentioned alongside Eliakim, who had replaced him as the steward of the palace, indicating that Shebna had been demoted to a lower position, possibly that of a scribe. The narrative highlights the importance of humility and faithfulness in serving God and the consequences of pride and self-exaltation.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 9 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.