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Easy-to-Read Version

2 Kings 18:19

The commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: ‘What are you trusting in to help you?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Assyria;   Boasting;   Diplomacy;   Hezekiah;   Hypocrisy;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Jerusalem;   Rab-Shakeh (Rabshakeh);   Sennacherib;   War;   Scofield Reference Index - Times of the Gentiles;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Assyria;   Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Eliakim;   Hezekiah;   Isaiah;   Sennacherib;   Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Assyria;   Hezekiah;   Nahum;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Confidence;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Assyria;   Rabmag;   Rabshakeh;   Scribes;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Sennacherib;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Archaeology and Biblical Study;   Assyria, History and Religion of;   Cupbearer;   Hope;   Isaiah;   Jareb;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Rabshakeh;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hezekiah;   Isaiah, Book of;   Israel;   Jareb;   Philistines;   Rab-Shakeh;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Confidence;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Rabshakeh ;   Sennacherib ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hezekiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Rabshakeh;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Rabshakeh;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Assyria;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then the royal spokesman said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: ‘What are you relying on?
Hebrew Names Version
Ravshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hizkiyahu, Thus says the great king, the king of Ashshur, What confidence is this in which you trust?
King James Version
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?
English Standard Version
And the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours?
New Century Version
The field commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this: "‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says: What can you trust in now?
New English Translation
The chief adviser said to them, "Tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: "What is your source of confidence?
Amplified Bible
Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is [the reason for] this confidence that you have?
New American Standard Bible
And Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: "What is this confidence that you have?
World English Bible
Rabshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this in which you trust?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Rabshakeh sayde vnto them, Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, Thus saith the great King, euen the great King of Asshur, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is this trust that you have?
Berean Standard Bible
The Rab-shakeh said to them, "Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours?
Contemporary English Version
One of the Assyrian commanders told them: I have a message for Hezekiah from the great king of Assyria. Ask Hezekiah why he feels so sure of himself.
Complete Jewish Bible
Rav-Shakeh addressed them: "Tell Hizkiyahu: ‘Here is what the great king, the king of Ashur, says: "What makes you so confident?
Darby Translation
And Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
George Lamsa Translation
Then the Rab-shakeh said to them, Speak now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this in which you trust?
Good News Translation
One of the Assyrian officials told them that the emperor wanted to know what made King Hezekiah so confident.
Lexham English Bible
Then the chief advisor said to them, "Please say to Hezekiah: ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: "What is this confidence that you trust?
Literal Translation
And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Now say to Hezekiah, So says the great king, the king of Assyria, What is this hope in which you have trusted?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the chefe butler sayde vnto the: Tell kynge Ezechias: Thus sayeth ye greate kynge, eue the kynge of Assiria: What presumpcion is this yt thou trustest vnto?
American Standard Version
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?
Bible in Basic English
And the Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, These are the words of the great king, the king of Assyria: In what are you placing your hope?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Rabsakeh sayd vnto them: Tell ye Hezekia I pray you, thus sayth the great king, euen the king of Assyria: what confidence is this that thou hast?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Rab-shakeh said unto them: 'Say ye now to Hezekiah: Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
King James Version (1611)
And Rabshakeh said vnto them, Speake yee now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Rapsakes said to them, Say now to Ezekias, Thus says the king, the great king of the Assyrians, What is this confidence wherein thou trustest?
English Revised Version
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?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Rabsaces seide to hem, Speke ye to Ezechie, The grete kyng, the kyng of Assiriens, seith these thingis, What is this trist, in which thou enforsist?
Young's Literal Translation
And the chief of the butlers saith unto them, `Say, I pray you, unto Hezekiah, Thus said the great king, the king of Asshur, What [is] this confidence in which thou hast confided?
Update Bible Version
And Rabshakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein you trust?
Webster's Bible Translation
And Rab-shakeh said to them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence [is] this in which thou trustest?
New King James Version
Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, "Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: "What confidence is this in which you trust?
New Living Translation
Then the Assyrian king's chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah: "This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?
New Life Bible
Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king of Assyria says. "What is this strength of heart that you have?
New Revised Standard
The Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Rab-shakeh said unto them - Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Rabsaces said to them: Speak to Ezechias: Thus saith the great king, the king of the Assyrians: What is this confidence, wherein thou trustest?
Revised Standard Version
And the Rab'shakeh said to them, "Say to Hezeki'ah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this confidence of yours?
THE MESSAGE
The third officer, the Rabshakeh, was spokesman. He said, "Tell Hezekiah: A message from The Great King, the king of Assyria: You're living in a world of make-believe, of pious fantasy. Do you think that mere words are any substitute for military strategy and troops? Now that you've revolted against me, who can you expect to help you? You thought Egypt would, but Egypt's nothing but a paper tiger—one puff of wind and she collapses; Pharaoh king of Egypt is nothing but bluff and bluster. Or are you going to tell me, ‘We rely on God '? But Hezekiah has just eliminated most of the people's access to God by getting rid of all the local God-shrines, ordering everyone in Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at the Jerusalem altar only.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is this confidence that you have?

Contextual Overview

17 The king of Assyria sent his three most important officers with a large army to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. They left Lachish and went to Jerusalem. They stood near the aqueduct by the Upper Pool, on the street that leads up to Laundryman's Field. 18 These men called for the king, but Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah son of Asaph went out to meet them. Eliakim was the palace manager, Joah was the record keeper, and Shebna was the royal secretary. 19 The commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: ‘What are you trusting in to help you? 20 If you say, "I trust in power and great battle plans," then that is useless. Now I ask you, who do you trust so much that you are willing to rebel against me? 21 Are you depending on Egypt to help you? Egypt is like a broken walking stick. If you lean on it for support, it will only hurt you and make a hole in your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, cannot be trusted by anyone who depends on him for help. 22 Maybe you will say, "We trust the Lord our God to help us." But I know that Hezekiah destroyed the altars and high places where people worshiped the Lord. Hezekiah told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, "You must worship only at this one altar here in Jerusalem." 23 ‘If you still want to fight my master, the king of Assyria, I will make this agreement with you. I promise that I will give you 2000 horses if you can find enough men to ride them into battle. 24 But even then you couldn't beat one of my master's lowest ranking officers. So why do you still depend on Egypt's chariots and horse soldiers? 25 ‘Now, do you think I came to this country to destroy it without the Lord 's help? No, the Lord said to me, "Go up against this country and destroy it!"'" 26 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the commander, "Please speak to us in Aramaic. We understand that language. Don't speak to us in the language of Judah because the people on the wall will understand you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Rabshakeh: He was the chief speaker, being a very eloquent man, and, according to the Hebrews, whom Procopius follows, an apostate Jew; which is not improbable, as he spoke Hebrew so fluently; and when he blasphemed the Divine Majesty, the king and nobles rent their clothes, which was usual unless the blasphemer were an Israelite.

Thus saith: 2 Chronicles 32:10, Isaiah 10:8-14, Isaiah 36:4, Isaiah 37:13, Daniel 4:30

What confidence: 2 Kings 18:22, 2 Kings 18:29, 2 Kings 18:30, 2 Kings 19:10, 2 Chronicles 32:7, 2 Chronicles 32:8, 2 Chronicles 32:10, 2 Chronicles 32:11, 2 Chronicles 32:14-16, Psalms 4:2, Isaiah 36:4, Isaiah 36:7, Isaiah 37:10

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 18:28 - the king of Assyria Nahum 2:13 - the voice

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
He looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw the men, he ran to them and bowed before them.
Genesis 18:4
I will bring some water to wash your feet. You can rest under the trees.
Genesis 18:5
I will get some food for you, and you can eat as much as you want. Then you can continue your journey." The three men said, "Do as you wish."
Genesis 18:6
Abraham hurried to the tent. He said to Sarah, "Quickly, prepare enough flour for three loaves of bread."
Genesis 18:7
Then Abraham ran to his cattle. He took his best young calf and gave it to the servant there. He told the servant to quickly kill the calf and prepare it for food.
Genesis 18:9
Then the men said to Abraham, "Where is your wife Sarah?" Abraham said, "She is there, in the tent."
Genesis 18:10
Then one of them said, "I will come again in the spring. At that time your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening in the tent and heard these things.
Genesis 18:19
I have made a special agreement with him. I did this so that he would command his children and his descendants to live the way the Lord wants them to. I did this so that they would live right and be fair. Then I, the Lord , can give him what I promised."
Genesis 18:20
Then the Lord said, "I have heard many times that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are very evil.
Genesis 18:21
I will go and see if they are as bad as I have heard. Then I will know for sure."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Rab-shakeh, the third in rank of the three Assyrian ambassadors, probably took the prominent part in the conference because he could speak Hebrew 2 Kings 18:26, whereas the Tartan and the Rabsaris could not do so.

The great king - This title of the monarchs of Assyria is found in use as early as 1120 B.C. Like the title, “king of kings,” the distinctive epithet “great” served to mark emphatically the vast difference between the numerous vassal monarchs and the suzerain of whom they held their crowns.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 18:19. What confidence is this — מה הבטחן הזה ma habbittachon hazzeh. The words are excessively insulting: What little, foolish, or unavailing cause of confidence is it, to which thou trustest? I translate thus, because I consider the word בטחון bittachon as a diminutive, intended to express the utmost contempt for Hezekiah's God.


 
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