II Kings 18:17-19 II Chronicles 32:9 -36
“After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?” (II Chronicles 32:9-10)
“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.” (II Kings 18:17)
Sennacherib wasn’t satisfied with a treaty with Judah, he wanted to control them. Knowing that Jerusalem was heavily fortified, he sent a force to Jerusalem to spread propaganda and discourage the inhabitants while he attacked Lachish, a smaller and less well defended city. Doing so ensured that Hezekiah would not dare to come to protect Lachish, while defeating it would leave Hezekiah with less support.
“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.
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? 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? 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.” (II Kings 18:18-21)
Meeting Hezekiah’s representatives under a flag of truce, Senacherib’s envoys asked how he thought he could defeat the strongest nation in the world. If they were depending on Egypt to come to the rescue, they would find out that Egypt would turn on them and seize the country for themselves.
“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? “ (II Kings 18:22)
“Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?” (II Chronicles 32:11-12)
On the other hand, if they were trusting in God to deliver tham, they needed to realize Hezekiah had destroyed most of their idols and places of worship so surely God wouldn’t help them. Like many groups today, the Assyrians thought all the various religions were worshipping the same God, just in different ways. They had no clue that God had ordered those altars be destroyed.
“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. 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? 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.” (II Kings 18:23-25)
To emphasize his superior power, Sennacherib offered to donate two thousand war horses to the army if they could find enough cavalrymen to ride them. If they couldn’t even do that, what made them think they could defeat even one of Sennacherib’s smallest regiments, much less his entire army?
Not only that, but they claimed their victory over Israel proved they were not going against God, but that God had sent them to destroy Judah.
“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.
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?” (II Kings 18:26-27)
Hezekiah’s representatives tried to convince Sennacherib’s spokesperson to speak in the Syrian language so the people would not know what was going on. Rabshakeh declared that his goal was to let the common people know what they faced and the danger they wer in.
“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: Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: 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.
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: 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.” (II Kings 18:28-32)
Rabshakeh warned them that there was no way Hezekiah had a strong enough army to defeat Sannacherib’s, and to fight meant they would surley be defeated and die. If they would surrender, they would be allowed to live peacefully in their homes until they were relocated.
“Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 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? 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?” (II Kings 18:33-35)
“Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand? Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.” (II Chronicles 32:13-16)
Rabshakeh warned them that that none of the gods of the other countries had saved them from being conquered by the Assyrians, and that they would b foolish to believe Hezekiah when he said God would deliver them. After all, god was not any different than those other gods. Other Assyrians went around the city taunting them with similar warnings, further blaspheming both God and Hezekiah.
“But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.” (II Kings 18:36)
Hezekiah had instructed the people not to respond to even the most insulting taunts, and they obeyed him.
“He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.
Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man. “ (II Chronicles 32:17-19)
In his efforts to discourage the people, Rabshakeh had his propaganda broadcast every way he could. In addition he had pamphlets tossed over the wall for the people to read in an all out propaganda blitz. It was one of the most concentrated political advertising campaigns that had ever been attempted.
“After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?” (II Chronicles 32:9-10)
“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.” (II Kings 18:17)
Sennacherib wasn’t satisfied with a treaty with Judah, he wanted to control them. Knowing that Jerusalem was heavily fortified, he sent a force to Jerusalem to spread propaganda and discourage the inhabitants while he attacked Lachish, a smaller and less well defended city. Doing so ensured that Hezekiah would not dare to come to protect Lachish, while defeating it would leave Hezekiah with less support.
“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.
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? 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? 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.” (II Kings 18:18-21)
Meeting Hezekiah’s representatives under a flag of truce, Senacherib’s envoys asked how he thought he could defeat the strongest nation in the world. If they were depending on Egypt to come to the rescue, they would find out that Egypt would turn on them and seize the country for themselves.
“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? “ (II Kings 18:22)
“Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?” (II Chronicles 32:11-12)
On the other hand, if they were trusting in God to deliver tham, they needed to realize Hezekiah had destroyed most of their idols and places of worship so surely God wouldn’t help them. Like many groups today, the Assyrians thought all the various religions were worshipping the same God, just in different ways. They had no clue that God had ordered those altars be destroyed.
“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. 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? 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.” (II Kings 18:23-25)
To emphasize his superior power, Sennacherib offered to donate two thousand war horses to the army if they could find enough cavalrymen to ride them. If they couldn’t even do that, what made them think they could defeat even one of Sennacherib’s smallest regiments, much less his entire army?
Not only that, but they claimed their victory over Israel proved they were not going against God, but that God had sent them to destroy Judah.
“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.
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?” (II Kings 18:26-27)
Hezekiah’s representatives tried to convince Sennacherib’s spokesperson to speak in the Syrian language so the people would not know what was going on. Rabshakeh declared that his goal was to let the common people know what they faced and the danger they wer in.
“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: Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: 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.
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: 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.” (II Kings 18:28-32)
Rabshakeh warned them that there was no way Hezekiah had a strong enough army to defeat Sannacherib’s, and to fight meant they would surley be defeated and die. If they would surrender, they would be allowed to live peacefully in their homes until they were relocated.
“Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 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? 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?” (II Kings 18:33-35)
“Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand? Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.” (II Chronicles 32:13-16)
Rabshakeh warned them that that none of the gods of the other countries had saved them from being conquered by the Assyrians, and that they would b foolish to believe Hezekiah when he said God would deliver them. After all, god was not any different than those other gods. Other Assyrians went around the city taunting them with similar warnings, further blaspheming both God and Hezekiah.
“But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.” (II Kings 18:36)
Hezekiah had instructed the people not to respond to even the most insulting taunts, and they obeyed him.
“He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.
Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man. “ (II Chronicles 32:17-19)
In his efforts to discourage the people, Rabshakeh had his propaganda broadcast every way he could. In addition he had pamphlets tossed over the wall for the people to read in an all out propaganda blitz. It was one of the most concentrated political advertising campaigns that had ever been attempted.
No comments:
Post a Comment