And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests …: When Hezekiah went to the Temple, he sent a delegation to Isaiah. The delegation included Eliakim and Shebna, whom he had sent earlier to the Assyrian ambassador (see the comments on 36.3), and also the senior priests, which is literally “the elders of the priests.” The senior priests probably were “the older priests” (New Century Version), but they could have been “the leading priests” (New International Version). Kings often showed respect for the prophets by sending priests to make a request (see 2 Kgs 22.14; Jer 37.3).

Like the king, the two officers and the priests were also clothed with sackcloth. New International Version and Revised English Bible make it clear that the whole delegation was wearing sackcloth by saying “all wearing sackcloth,” which is a helpful model.

For prophet see 3.2; for Isaiah the son of Amoz, see 1.1.

For the translation of this verse consider the following example:

• Then [or, At the same time] he sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the royal secretary, and the senior priests to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz. All of them were wearing sackcloth when they went.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .