2 Kings 18:18

And when they had called to the king i.e. Had made it known in some way to the warders that they had a message for the king.

Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, whichwas over the household This is the man who is spoken of in such terms of praise by Isaiah (2 Kings 22:20). There God, by His prophet, calls him -my servant Eliakim" and declares that -he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah" and that -the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder". The security of all things in his time is used by the prophet to prefigure a period of great blessing and peace. The office he held was a very dignified one, the highest under the king. It was held by Ahishar in Solomon's days (1 Kings 4:6) and by Azrikam in the days of Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:7), and the Hebrew word there employed to describe it (nagid) is one used of great rulers and princes, and marks the high position of the holder.

and Shebna[R.V. Shebnah] the scribe The orthography of the name is varied in this chapter. In verse 37 it is written Shebna, but here and in 26 -Shebnah". The R.V. in each case follows the Hebrew. This Shebnah had originally held the office which was at this time Eliakim's (Isaiah 22:15-19) but had been put down because of his luxury and also because he was a favourer of the alliance with Egypt. This latter policy was always opposed by the prophets, and it was perhaps by Isaiah's influence that Shebnah had been reduced to the lower post of royal secretary.

Joah the son of Asaph the recorder Joah is only mentioned in this narrative and the parallel chapter in Isaiah. His office was that of -chronicler", so that he was a necessary member of the deputation sent to confer with the Assyrian envoys. Thus a faithful statement would be put on record of all that took place.