Ball

The ball appears in scripture as a figure of judgment, used in a prophetic oracle to describe the violent expulsion of a proud official from his position.

The Ball as a Figure of Judgment

In Isaiah's oracle against Shebna, the steward over the king's house, the image of being hurled like a ball captures the totality of his removal: "He will surely wind you round and round, [and toss you] like a ball into a large country; there you will die, and there will be the chariots of your glory, you shame of your lord's house" (Isa 22:18). The spinning motion before the throw and the vast distance of the landing place together emphasize the completeness and irresistibility of the judgment. The chariots left behind — the signs of Shebna's former status — remain as monuments to his disgrace rather than his glory.