ישעיהו, פרק כ״ב, פסוק י״ט

A dramatic decree of absolute ruin is leveled against a powerful official, stripping him of his authority and dismantling his life entirely. God speaks directly to the minister, declaring that He will forcefully thrust him out of his high office and government role. The prophecy describes his removal from his station in a twofold manner, prompting different understandings of how this downfall unfolds.

One approach views this as a devastating two-stage collapse. First, God knocks the official down from his high political status. Then, He shatters his most basic standing, leaving him completely ruined with no chance of recovery [מלבי"ם, חומת אנך]. Another perspective suggests the second part of the decree points specifically to the loss of his duties and privileges within the Temple [רש"י]. Alternatively, the repetition is simply a poetic device meant to highlight just how severe and final this fall will be [מצודת דוד].

As the decree unfolds, the action shifts from God's direct involvement to a destruction carried out by a third party. Some explain this transition by suggesting that God speaks directly at first, while the prophet concludes the thought, assuring the listener that God will indeed finish the ruin [מצודת דוד]. Other commentators argue that God only initiates the downfall. In their view, God issues the decree and begins the minister's descent, but the final, brutal destruction is executed by a cruel human king [שד"ל, מלבי"ם].