Reference: Rabshakeh
Easton
chief of the princes, the name given to the chief cup-bearer or the vizier of the Assyrian court; one of Sennacherib's messengers to Hezekiah. See the speech he delivered, in the Hebrew language, in the hearing of all the people, as he stood near the wall on the north side of the city (2Ki 18:17-37). He and the other envoys returned to their master and reported that Hezekiah and his people were obdurate, and would not submit.
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And the king of Assyria sent Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the cupbearers from Lachish, to King Hezekiah with a great army against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the Fuller's Field. And they called to the king. And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, went out to them. read more. And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Speak now to Hezekiah, So says the great king, the king of Assyria, What hope is this in which you trust? Do you say that a mere word of the lips is wisdom and strength for the war? Now on whom do you trust that you rebel against me? Now, behold, you trust on the staff of this bruised reed, on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him. But if you say to me, We trust in Jehovah our God, is He not the one whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? And now, please give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver two thousand horses to you if you are able to set riders on them. And how will you turn away the face of one commander of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Have I now come up against this place to destroy it without Jehovah? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah said to the chief of the cupbearers, Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand. And do not talk with us in Jewish, in the ears of the people who are on the wall. And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Has my master sent me to your master and to you, to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you? And the chief of the cupbearers stood and cried with a loud voice in Jewish, and spoke, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: so says the king, Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. For he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand. And do not let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah. For so says the king of Assyria, Make with me a blessing, and come out to me, and you each shall eat of his vine, and each of his fig tree, and you each shall drink of the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil and of honey, and live, and not die. And do not listen to Hezekiah when he deceives you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered 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 my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? But the people kept silent and did not answer him a word. For the king's command was, saying, Do not answer him. And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn. And they told him the words of the chief of the cupbearers.
Fausets
i.e. "chief cupbearer" (2 Kings 18-19; Isaiah 36-37). Sent by Sennacherib with Tartan who probably had chief command (first in 2Ki 18:17; Isa 20:1) of an army to induce Jerusalem by threats and promises to surrender. Spokesman for Tartan and Rabsaris. Possibly a Jewish deserter and apostate. This is favored by his familiarity with the Hebrew language, in which he addresses fluently (to the annoyance of Hezekiah's officers sent to meet him) the Jews on the wall, and with Isaiah's prophecy (Isa 8:7-8; 10:5-6): "am I now come up without the Lord to destroy it? The Lord said, Go up against this land" (2Ki 18:25). Isaiah (Isa 33:14) alludes to traitors, "sinners in Zion," "hypocrites."
Rabshakeh was a zealous pleader for his master, reckless of truth, glossing over the real miseries of deportation by Assyria (Isa 36:16-17), pretending to have Jehovah on his side, yet classing Jehovah with the idols of other lands overthrown by Assyria (Isa 36:18-20, liars need to have good memories), trying to rob the godly of their one only but sure trust in trouble, misrepresenting Hezekiah's faithful act in removing forbidden high places to Jehovah, as though he thereby had dishonored and so forfeited the favor of Jehovah (Isa 36:7), boasting of Assyria's might, as if, because Judah could not supply 2,000 riders if even Assyria supplied the horses, it were impossible the Jews could repel one of the least of Assyria's captains (Isa 36:8-9); in filthy and blasphemous language he threatens to reduce them to eat their own excrement in the extremity of famine (Isa 36:12; 2Ch 32:11): a sample of the true nature of the pagan attack on Jerusalem, at once arrogant, blasphemous, and reckless of all decency.
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And the king of Assyria sent Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the cupbearers from Lachish, to King Hezekiah with a great army against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the Fuller's Field.
Have I now come up against this place to destroy it without Jehovah? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.
And therefore, behold, the Lord brings on them the waters of the River, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory. And he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his banks. And he shall pass through Judah. He shall overflow and go over; he shall reach to the neck. And the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger! And the staff in their hand is My fury. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath. I will command him to take the plunder, and to strip off the spoil, and to trample them like the mud of the streets.
In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and fought against Ashdod and took it;
The sinners in Zion are afraid; terror has surprised profane ones. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
But if you say to me, We trust in Jehovah our God; is it not He whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar? Now then, please exchange pledges with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses if you are able on your part to set riders on them for you. read more. How then will you turn away the face of one commander of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
But the chief of the cupbearers said, Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?
Do not listen to Hezekiah; for so says the king of Assyria, Make a blessing with me by a present, and come out to me; and let everyone eat of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and everyone drink the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. read more. Let not Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And when have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their land out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
Morish
Rab'-shakeh
This is a title, signifying 'chief cup-bearer,' borne by an officer who was sent by Sennacherib with the Tartan (general) and a Rab-saris to Jerusalem. He was the chief spokesman; and from the fact of his being able to speak in the Jews' language, he is supposed to have been either a proselyte or an apostate Jew. If so he may possibly have been acquainted with Isa 10:5-6, for he says, "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." 2Ki 18:17-37. On the other hand, he profanely classes the God of Israel with all the gods that could not protect their worshippers from his master. 2Ki 19:4,8; Isa 36:2-22; 37:4-8.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the cupbearers from Lachish, to King Hezekiah with a great army against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the Fuller's Field. And they called to the king. And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, went out to them. read more. And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Speak now to Hezekiah, So says the great king, the king of Assyria, What hope is this in which you trust? Do you say that a mere word of the lips is wisdom and strength for the war? Now on whom do you trust that you rebel against me? Now, behold, you trust on the staff of this bruised reed, on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him. But if you say to me, We trust in Jehovah our God, is He not the one whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? And now, please give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver two thousand horses to you if you are able to set riders on them. And how will you turn away the face of one commander of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Have I now come up against this place to destroy it without Jehovah? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah said to the chief of the cupbearers, Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand. And do not talk with us in Jewish, in the ears of the people who are on the wall. And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Has my master sent me to your master and to you, to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you? And the chief of the cupbearers stood and cried with a loud voice in Jewish, and spoke, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: so says the king, Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. For he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand. And do not let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah. For so says the king of Assyria, Make with me a blessing, and come out to me, and you each shall eat of his vine, and each of his fig tree, and you each shall drink of the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil and of honey, and live, and not die. And do not listen to Hezekiah when he deceives you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered 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 my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? But the people kept silent and did not answer him a word. For the king's command was, saying, Do not answer him. And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn. And they told him the words of the chief of the cupbearers.
It may be Jehovah your God will hear all the words of the chief cupbearer with which his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which Jehovah your God has heard. And you shall lift up prayer for the rest who are left.
And the chief cupbearer returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.
Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger! And the staff in their hand is My fury. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath. I will command him to take the plunder, and to strip off the spoil, and to trample them like the mud of the streets.
And the king of Assyria sent the chief of the cupbearers from Lachish to Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the Fuller's Field. Then Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Asaph's son Joah, the recorder, came out to him. read more. And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, So says the great king, the king of Assyria, What hope is this in which you trust? I say, Are only words of the lips wisdom and strength for war? Now, in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? Lo, you trust in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; on which, if a man lean on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. But if you say to me, We trust in Jehovah our God; is it not He whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar? Now then, please exchange pledges with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses if you are able on your part to set riders on them for you. How then will you turn away the face of one commander of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Have I now come up without Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it. And Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to the chief of the cupbearers, Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. But do not speak to us in Jewish in the ears of the people on the wall. But the chief of the cupbearers said, Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you? Then the chief of the cupbearers stood and cried with a loud voice in Jewish, and said, Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. So says the king, Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you. Nor let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us; this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah; for so says the king of Assyria, Make a blessing with me by a present, and come out to me; and let everyone eat of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and everyone drink the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. Let not Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And when have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their land out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? But they were silent and did not answer him a word, for the king's command, saying, Do not answer him. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of the chief of the cupbearers.
It may be Jehovah your God will hear the words of the chief of the cupbearers, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which Jehovah your God has heard. And you shall lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left. So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. read more. And Isaiah said to them, So you shall say to your master, So says Jehovah, Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will send a blast on him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. So the chief of the cupbearers returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah. For he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.
Smith
Rab'shakeh
(chief cupbearer),
1/type/mkjv'>18/1/type/mkjv'>1/type/mkjv'>2Ki 1/type/mkjv'>18:1/type/mkjv'>1,1/type/mkjv'>1,1/type/mkjv'>1; 1/type/mkjv'>1/type/mkjv'>Isa 36:1/type/mkjv'>1,1/type/mkjv'>1,1/type/mkjv'>1
... one of the officers of the king of Assyria sent against Jerusalem in the reign of Hezekiah. [HEZEKIAH] (B.C. 713.) The English version takes Rabshakeh as the name of a person; but it is more probably the name of the office which he held at the court, that of chief cupbearer.
See Hezekiah
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And it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
And it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
And it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
And it happened in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
And it happened in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
And it happened in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
Watsons
RABSHAKEH, a chief butler, or cupbearer. This is a term of dignity, and not a proper name. Rabshakeh was sent by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, to summon Hezekiah to surrender Jerusalem, 2Ki 18:17-18; 19:4; Isa 36.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the cupbearers from Lachish, to King Hezekiah with a great army against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the Fuller's Field. And they called to the king. And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, went out to them.
It may be Jehovah your God will hear all the words of the chief cupbearer with which his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which Jehovah your God has heard. And you shall lift up prayer for the rest who are left.