Rabshakeh

17Even so, the king of Assyria sent three of his top officers from Lachish to Jerusalem. They came with a large army to see King Hezekiah. They marched up to the city and stopped by the water channel from the upper pool. It was beside the road that leads to the field where cloth is washed.

And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.

NoteThese three officers had Assyrian titles, not names, a bit like calling someone the general. The water channel carried water into the city from a pool outside the wall. The field beside the road was where workers washed and cleaned wool cloth.

18They called for the king to come out. Instead three men came out to meet them. They were Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who ran the palace, Shebna the writer, and Joah son of Asaph, who kept the records.

And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

19The chief officer said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this message from the great king, the king of Assyria: What makes you so sure of yourself?

And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

NoteGreat king was the title Assyria's kings used for themselves. It was meant to sound frightening.

20You say you have a war plan and strong soldiers, but those are only empty words. Who are you leaning on, that you dare to turn against me?

Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

21Look, you are leaning on Egypt. Egypt is like a cracked walking stick. Lean on it, and it breaks and stabs your hand. That is what Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is to anyone who trusts him.

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

NoteEgypt was a large country to the south. Judah hoped Egypt's army would come and help them fight Assyria.

22Maybe you will say, 'We trust the LORD our God.' But isn't he the one whose hilltop places and altars Hezekiah tore down? Hezekiah told Judah and Jerusalem they must worship only at this one altar in Jerusalem.

But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

NoteThe officer thought tearing down altars would make God angry. He did not understand that God had asked his people to use only one altar.

23Now make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I will even give you two thousand horses, if you can find riders for them!

Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

NoteThe officer is making fun of Judah. He means they do not even have enough soldiers to ride the horses.

24You could not beat even the least important officer my master has. And yet you count on Egypt for chariots and horsemen.

How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

NoteA chariot was a cart pulled by fast horses. Soldiers stood in it to fight.

25Do you think I came to destroy this place without the LORD's help? The LORD himself told me, 'Go up against this land and destroy it.'"

Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

26Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the officer, "Please speak to us in the Aramaic language. We understand it. Do not speak Hebrew where the people on the wall can hear you."

Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

NoteAramaic was the language leaders used when talking to other countries. Ordinary people in Jerusalem did not know it. Hebrew was the language everyone there spoke, so everyone on the wall could understand.

27But the officer answered, "My master did not send me to say this only to you and your king. He sent me to the men sitting on the wall. They will be so hungry and thirsty that they eat their own waste and drink their own urine, just like you."

But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

28Then the officer stood up and shouted in Hebrew, "Listen to the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!

Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:

29The king says: Do not let Hezekiah fool you. He cannot save you from my power.

Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:

30Do not let Hezekiah talk you into trusting the LORD. He says, 'The LORD will save us for sure. This city will never be handed over to the king of Assyria.'

Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

31Do not listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you can eat fruit from your own grapevine and fig tree. Each of you can drink water from your own well.

Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:

NoteHaving your own grapevine and fig tree was a picture of a safe, peaceful life. A well here means a cistern, a hole cut in rock to hold rainwater.

32You can do that until I come and take you to a land like your own. It has grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive trees and honey. There you will live and not die. Do not listen to Hezekiah. He is fooling you when he says, 'The LORD will save us.'

Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.

NoteNew wine is fresh juice pressed from grapes. The officer promises a nice land. He really means taking them far from home, as Assyria did to Israel.

33Has any god of any nation ever saved his land from the king of Assyria?

Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

NoteEach country around them had its own gods. The officer is saying none of those gods could stop his army.

34Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did they save Samaria from me?

Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?

NoteHamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah were cities Assyria had already beaten in battle.

35Not one god of all these lands saved his land from me. So how could the LORD save Jerusalem from me?"

Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

36The people stayed quiet and did not answer a single word. King Hezekiah had told them, "Do not answer him."

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

37Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who ran the palace, went to Hezekiah. Shebna the writer and Joah son of Asaph, the record keeper, went too. They had torn their clothes to show how upset they were. They told Hezekiah everything the Assyrian officer had said.

Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

1King Hezekiah heard the report. He tore his clothes. He put on sackcloth, rough cloth people wore when they were sad. Then he went into the LORD's house, the temple.

And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

NoteTearing your own clothes was how people showed great sadness. Anyone who saw the rips knew that person was hurting. Sackcloth was rough, scratchy cloth, like a sack for grain. People wore it when they were very sad or very worried. The LORD's house was the temple in Jerusalem, the big building where people came to pray.

2He sent Eliakim, the man in charge of the palace. He sent Shebna, the scribe who wrote things down. He sent some of the leading priests too. They all wore sackcloth. They went to Isaiah, a prophet, someone who told people what God said. Isaiah was the son of Amoz.

And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

NotePriests were the men who worked at God's house. They helped people pray and bring their gifts to God. The king sent his most important helpers, so Isaiah would know this was serious.

3They said, "Hezekiah says this. Today is a day of trouble. We are being scolded and shamed. It is like a baby ready to be born. But there is no strength left to push."

And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

NoteThey picture a mother having a baby who is too tired to push. The baby is ready, but the strength is gone. That is how stuck and worn out they felt.

4"Maybe the LORD your God heard what the Rabshakeh said. The king of Assyria, his master, sent him to insult the living God. Maybe the LORD will punish him for those words. So please pray for the few of us still left."

It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.

NoteRabshakeh was not a name. It was a job title, like "chief officer," for a top helper of Assyria's king. Assyria was a huge, strong country far to the north and east. Its army had already taken over many lands. "The few of us still left" means the people who had not been captured yet.

5So King Hezekiah's servants came to Isaiah.

So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

6Isaiah said, "Tell your master this. The LORD says, do not be afraid of the words you heard. The servants of Assyria's king said terrible things about me."

And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

7"Watch. I will put a spirit in him. He will hear a report and go back to his own land. There in his own land he will be killed with a sword."

Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

Note"A spirit" here means God would put a certain feeling inside him. He would hear scary news from home and hurry away.

8The Rabshakeh heard that Assyria's king had left the town of Lachish. So he went back and found the king fighting against the town of Libnah.

So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.

NoteLachish and Libnah were towns in Judah with strong walls. The Assyrian army was moving from one town to the next, attacking them.

1It was the fourteenth year that Hezekiah was king of Judah. Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, attacked all the strong walled cities of Judah. He captured them.

Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.

NoteAssyria was a huge, powerful country far to the north. Its army had beaten many other lands. Judah was the small country where God's people lived. Cities back then had thick stone walls to keep enemies out.

2The king of Assyria sent an officer called the Rabshakeh from the town of Lachish to Jerusalem. He came with a big army to speak to King Hezekiah. He stopped by the water channel of the upper pool. That was on the road by the field where people washed cloth.

And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field.

NoteRabshakeh was a job title, not a man's name. He was one of the Assyrian king's top officers. Lachish was a strong city in Judah that Assyria was attacking. The field on that road was where workers washed and whitened wool cloth.

3Three men came out to meet him. One was Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who ran the king's palace. One was Shebna the scribe, the man who wrote things down. One was Joah son of Asaph, who kept the records.

Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah’s son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph’s son, the recorder.

4The Rabshakeh said to them, "Take this message to Hezekiah. The great king, the king of Assyria, asks you this. What makes you feel so safe?

And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

Note"The great king" was a title the Assyrian kings gave themselves. It was a way of saying every other king was smaller.

5You say you have plans and strength for war. But those are only empty words. Who are you really trusting, that you dare to turn against me?

I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

NoteJudah had been paying money to Assyria every year to be left alone. Hezekiah stopped paying. That is what "turn against me" means here.

6Look, you are trusting Egypt. Egypt is like a cracked walking stick. If you lean on it, it breaks and cuts your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is like that to everyone who trusts him.

Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

NoteA reed is a tall plant that grows near water. It is hollow inside and snaps easily. A broken one would jab your hand if you leaned on it.

7Maybe you will tell me, 'We trust the LORD our God.' But he is the same God whose hilltop worship places and altars Hezekiah took away. Hezekiah told Judah and Jerusalem to worship before this altar.

But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

Note"The LORD" in capital letters stands for God's own special name. An altar is a stone table where people burned gifts to God. High places were worship spots built on hilltops. Hezekiah had closed them so people worshiped at the temple in Jerusalem instead.

8So make a deal now with my master, the king of Assyria. I will even hand you two thousand horses. But could you find enough riders to sit on them?

Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

NoteJudah was small and owned very few war horses. It had few trained riders too. The officer is making fun of them for that.

9You could not even push back one small officer of my master's servants. Yet you count on Egypt to send you chariots and horsemen.

How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

NoteA chariot was a light cart pulled by fast horses. Soldiers rode in it to fight. Only rich, strong countries had many of them.

10Do you think I came to destroy this land without the LORD? The LORD himself told me to come up and destroy it."

And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

11Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to us in Aramaic. We understand that language. Do not speak Hebrew. The people on the wall can hear you."

Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews’ language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

NoteAramaic was the language kings and officers used with other countries. Ordinary people in Jerusalem spoke Hebrew. The three men did not want the soldiers on the wall to understand.

12But the Rabshakeh said, "My master did not send me to talk only to you and your king. He sent me to the men sitting on the wall too. They will have to eat their own waste and drink their own urine, just like you."

But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

NoteAn army could surround a city and let nothing come in. Then the food and water inside ran out. He is warning them that the hunger will get that bad.

13Then the Rabshakeh stood up and shouted in Hebrew so all could hear. He said, "Listen to the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!

Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.

14The king says this. Do not let Hezekiah fool you. He cannot save you.

Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.

15Do not let Hezekiah talk you into trusting the LORD. He says the LORD will surely save you. He says this city will never be handed to the king of Assyria.

Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

16Do not listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria says this. Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat from your own grapevine and your own fig tree. Each of you will drink water from your own well.

Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;

Note"Come out to me" meant open the gates and give up. Having your own grapevine and fig tree was a picture of living safely at home. A cistern was a hole cut in rock to catch and hold rainwater.

17You will live that way until I come and take you away. I will bring you to a land like your own. It has grain and new wine, bread and vineyards.

Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

NoteAssyria moved beaten people far away to other lands. That way they could not gather together and fight back. New wine means fresh juice from grapes.

18Watch out, so Hezekiah does not trick you by saying the LORD will save you. Has any nation's god ever saved his land from the king of Assyria?

Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

19Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Did they save the city of Samaria from me?

Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

NoteHamath, Arpad, and Sepharvaim were cities Assyria had already beaten. Samaria was the main city of Israel, the land just north of Judah. Assyria had captured it a few years before this day.

20Which god of all these lands ever saved his land from me? So how could the LORD save Jerusalem from me?"

Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

21But the people stayed quiet. They did not answer him one word. King Hezekiah had told them, "Do not answer him."

But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

22Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah went back to Hezekiah. Their clothes were torn, the way people showed deep sadness. They told him everything the Rabshakeh had said.

Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

NoteTearing your own clothes was how people showed great sadness. Anyone who saw the torn cloth knew something terrible had happened.

1King Hezekiah heard this news. He tore his clothes and put on rough, scratchy cloth to show his sadness. Then he went into the LORD's house.

And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

NoteTearing your clothes was how people showed great sadness. Anyone who saw the torn cloth knew you were hurting. The LORD's house was the temple in Jerusalem, God's special building.

2He sent Eliakim, who ran the palace, and Shebna the writer. He also sent the leading priests. All of them wore the rough cloth. They went to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz.

And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

NoteA prophet was someone who told people what God said. Priests were the men who led worship at God's house. Shebna the writer kept the king's letters and records.

3They told him, "Hezekiah says this. Today is a day of trouble, of scolding, and of shame. It is like a baby ready to be born, when the mother has no strength left.

And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

NoteHezekiah paints a picture of a mother having a baby. She is too tired to push, so the baby cannot come. He feels stuck in that same helpless way.

4Maybe the LORD your God heard what the Rabshakeh said. His master, the king of Assyria, sent him to make fun of the living God. Maybe the LORD will punish him for those words. So please pray for the few of us who are left."

It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.

NoteRabshakeh was a job title, not a man's name. He was a top officer of the king of Assyria. Assyria was a huge, strong country far to the north. Its army had already taken many other lands.

5So King Hezekiah's servants came to Isaiah.

So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

6Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master this. The LORD says, 'Do not be afraid of the words you heard. The king of Assyria's servants said bad things about me.

And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

7Look, I will put something inside him. He will hear a report and go back to his own land. There I will make him fall by the sword.'"

Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

NoteThe King James says God will send "a blast" upon him. It means God will put a thought inside the king. That thought will make him hurry home.

8The Rabshakeh heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish. So he went back and found the king fighting against the town of Libnah.

So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.

NoteLachish and Libnah were towns in Judah, Hezekiah's country. The Assyrian army was attacking them one at a time.