Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Diplomacy » Instances of » Rab-shakeh, in trying to induce jerusalem to capitulate by bombastic harangue
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh, from Lachish, to king Hezekiah with a great Host to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and went and stood by the conduit of the uppermost pool, which is in the way to the fuller's field, and called to the king. And there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. And then Rabshakeh said unto them, "Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, 'Thus sayeth the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this that thou hast? read more.
Thou wilt haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it? For even so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. If ye say unto me, 'We trust in the LORD our God' - Is not that he whose hill altars and other altars too, Hezekiah hath put down, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'Bow yourselves before this altar here in Jerusalem'? And now join thyself to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders upon them: and, if thou be not, how then art thou able to resist one of the least dukes of my master's servants? Or trustest thou to Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Moreover, thinkest thou that I am come without the bidding of the LORD to this place to destroy it? Nay: the LORD said to me, 'Go up to this land, and destroy it.''" Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebnah and Joah, to Rabshakeh, "Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrians' language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls." And Rabshakeh said unto them, "Hath my master sent me only to thy master and to thee, to speak these words? Or rather to the men that keep on the walls, that they shall eat their own dirt, and drink their own piss with you?" And so Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake saying, "Hear the saying of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus sayeth the king, 'Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he is not able to deliver you out of mine hand: neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the LORD, saying: the LORD will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.' Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well, till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the LORD shall deliver us.' For have the Gods of the nations delivered any God 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, of Hena and Ivvah? Did they deliver Samaria out of mine hands? What God of any land hath delivered his land out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?" But the people held their peace and answered him not a word: for the king had commanded, saying, "Answer him not." Then Eliakim the steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
Thou wilt haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Dost thou trust to the staff of this broken reed Egypt, on which if a man lean it will run into his hand and pierce it? For even so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. If ye say unto me, 'We trust in the LORD our God' - Is not that he whose hill altars and other altars too, Hezekiah hath put down, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'Bow yourselves before this altar here in Jerusalem'? And now join thyself to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders upon them: and, if thou be not, how then art thou able to resist one of the least dukes of my master's servants? Or trustest thou to Egypt for chariots and horsemen? Moreover, thinkest thou that I am come without the bidding of the LORD to this place to destroy it? Nay: the LORD said to me, 'Go up to this land, and destroy it.''" Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebnah and Joah, to Rabshakeh, "Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrians' language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls." And Rabshakeh said unto them, "Hath my master sent me only to thy master and to thee, to speak these words? Or rather to the men that keep on the walls, that they shall eat their own dirt, and drink their own piss with you?" And so Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake saying, "Hear the saying of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus sayeth the king, 'Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he is not able to deliver you out of mine hand: neither let Hezekiah make you trust to the LORD, saying: the LORD will surely rid us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria.' Hearken not unto Hezekiah, for thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Deal kindly with me, and come out to me. And then eat every man of his own vine, and of his own fig tree, and drink every man of the water of his own well, till I come and fetch you to as good a land as yours is: a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees, of oil and of honey. And ye shall live and not die. And hearken not unto Hezekiah for he will beguile you, saying: the LORD shall deliver us.' For have the Gods of the nations delivered any God 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, of Hena and Ivvah? Did they deliver Samaria out of mine hands? What God of any land hath delivered his land out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?" But the people held their peace and answered him not a word: for the king had commanded, saying, "Answer him not." Then Eliakim the steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
Then king Hezekiah heard that, he rent his clothes and put on sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. Furthermore he sent Eliakim, steward of the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and the elders of the priests clothed in sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. And they said to him, "Thus sayeth Hezekiah, 'This day is a day of tribulation, rebuking and railing. Even as when the children are ready to be born, and the mothers have no power to be delivered. read more.
O that the LORD thy God would hear all the words of Rabshakeh whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to rail on the living God, and to rebuke him with words which the LORD thy God hath heard. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left." When the servants of king Hezekiah were come to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, "So shall you say to your master: 'Thus sayeth the LORD: be not afraid of the words thou heardest, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have railed on me. For I will send him a blast that he shall hear tidings, and so return to his own land: And I will overthrow him with the sword even in his own land.'" And Rabshakeh went back again and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah: for he had heard how that he was departed from Lachish. And he heard tidings of Tirhakah king of the black Moors, how that he was come out to fight against him. And thereupon he departed and sent messengers unto Hezekiah, saying, "Thus say to Hezekiah king of Juda, 'Let not thy God carry thee out of the way, in whom thou so trustest, saying: Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, how they have utterly destroyed them. And how then shouldest thou escape? Hath the gods of the heathen delivered them which mine ancestors have destroyed: as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and the king of Hena and the king of Ivvah?'"
O that the LORD thy God would hear all the words of Rabshakeh whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to rail on the living God, and to rebuke him with words which the LORD thy God hath heard. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left." When the servants of king Hezekiah were come to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, "So shall you say to your master: 'Thus sayeth the LORD: be not afraid of the words thou heardest, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have railed on me. For I will send him a blast that he shall hear tidings, and so return to his own land: And I will overthrow him with the sword even in his own land.'" And Rabshakeh went back again and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah: for he had heard how that he was departed from Lachish. And he heard tidings of Tirhakah king of the black Moors, how that he was come out to fight against him. And thereupon he departed and sent messengers unto Hezekiah, saying, "Thus say to Hezekiah king of Juda, 'Let not thy God carry thee out of the way, in whom thou so trustest, saying: Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, how they have utterly destroyed them. And how then shouldest thou escape? Hath the gods of the heathen delivered them which mine ancestors have destroyed: as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and the king of Hena and the king of Ivvah?'"
Then said Eliakim, Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, "Speak to us thy servants, we pray thee, in the Syrians language, for we understand it well: And speak not to us in the Jews' Tongue, lest the folk hear, which lieth upon the wall." Then answered Rabshakeh, "Think ye, that the king sent me to speak this only unto you? Hath he not sent me to them also, that lie upon the wall? That they be not compelled to eat their own dung, and drink their own stale with you?" And Rabshakeh stood stiff, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' tongue, and said, "Now take heed, how the great king of the Assyrians giveth you warning! read more.
Thus sayeth the king, 'Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you.' Moreover, let not Hezekiah comfort you in the LORD, when he sayeth, 'The LORD with out doubt shall defend us, and shall not give over this city into the hands of the king of the Assyrians.' Believe him not! But thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Obtain my favour, incline to me: so may every man enjoy his vineyards and fig trees, and drink the water of his cistern: Unto the time that I come myself, and bring you into a land that is like your own: wherein is wheat and wine, which is both sown with seed, and planted with vineyards.' Let not Hezekiah deceive you, when he sayeth unto you, 'The LORD shall deliver us.' Might the gods of the Gentiles keep every man's land, from the power of the king of the Assyrians? Where is the God of Hamath and Arpad? Where is the God of Sepharvaim? And who was able to defend Samaria out of my hand? Or which, of all the Gods of the lands, hath delivered their country out of my power, so that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?" Unto this Hezekiah's messengers held their tongues, and answered not one word: for the king had charged them that they should give him none answer. So came Eliakim, Hilkiah's son the President, Shebna the Scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son the Secretary, unto Hezekiah with rent clothes, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
Thus sayeth the king, 'Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you.' Moreover, let not Hezekiah comfort you in the LORD, when he sayeth, 'The LORD with out doubt shall defend us, and shall not give over this city into the hands of the king of the Assyrians.' Believe him not! But thus sayeth the king of Assyria, 'Obtain my favour, incline to me: so may every man enjoy his vineyards and fig trees, and drink the water of his cistern: Unto the time that I come myself, and bring you into a land that is like your own: wherein is wheat and wine, which is both sown with seed, and planted with vineyards.' Let not Hezekiah deceive you, when he sayeth unto you, 'The LORD shall deliver us.' Might the gods of the Gentiles keep every man's land, from the power of the king of the Assyrians? Where is the God of Hamath and Arpad? Where is the God of Sepharvaim? And who was able to defend Samaria out of my hand? Or which, of all the Gods of the lands, hath delivered their country out of my power, so that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?" Unto this Hezekiah's messengers held their tongues, and answered not one word: for the king had charged them that they should give him none answer. So came Eliakim, Hilkiah's son the President, Shebna the Scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son the Secretary, unto Hezekiah with rent clothes, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
Prophecy » Miscellaneous, fulfilled » Destruction of sennacherib's army, and his death
And Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, that thou hast prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria: I have heard it. This is the thing that the LORD sayeth of him: He hath despised thee, O virgin daughter of Zion; he hath shaken his head at thee, thou daughter of Jerusalem. Whom hast thou railed on, and whom hast thou reviled? Against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and hast lift up thine eyes so high? Even against the holy one of Israel! read more.
By the hand of thy messengers thou hast railed on the Lord and said, 'With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, even along by the sides of Lebanon, and have cut off the high Cedar trees, and the lusty fir trees thereof, even to the wood of Carmel that belongeth thereto! I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the soles of my feet have I dried up the sea!' But hast thou not heard how I have ordained such a thing a great while ago, and have prepared it from the beginning? And now I bring it forth and it shall be to destroy and to bring strong cities into rude heaps of stones. And the inhabiters of them shall be of little power, and faint-hearted and confounded. They shall be like the grass of the field and green herbs, and as the hay on the tops of the houses which withereth afore it come to any height. I know where thou dwellest, and thy coming out and going in know I too; and how thou settest up thy bristles against me. And because thou settest up thy bristles against me, and that thy raging is come up to mine ears: therefore I will put a ring in thy nose and a bit in thy lips, and will bring thee back again the same way thou camest. And this shall be a sign unto thee: In this year, eat that which is fallen. In the second year, such as groweth of itself. In the third year, sow and reap and plant vineyards; and eat the fruit thereof. For the daughter of Judah that is escaped and left, shall yet again take rooting downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and a number that shall escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of Hosts shall bring this thing to pass. Wherefore thus sayeth the LORD, of the king of Assyria: He shall not come to this city, nor shoot arrow into it, nor come before with shield nor cast any bank against it - but shall go back again the way he came, and shall not come at this city, sayeth the LORD. For I will defend this city and save it, for mine own sake and for David my servant's sake." And the selfsame night the Angel of the LORD went out and smote, in the host of the Assyrians, a hundred and four score and five thousand. And when they were up early in the morning: behold, they were all dead corpses. And so Sennacherib king of Assyria avoided and departed and went again, and dwelt at Nineveh. And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
By the hand of thy messengers thou hast railed on the Lord and said, 'With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, even along by the sides of Lebanon, and have cut off the high Cedar trees, and the lusty fir trees thereof, even to the wood of Carmel that belongeth thereto! I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the soles of my feet have I dried up the sea!' But hast thou not heard how I have ordained such a thing a great while ago, and have prepared it from the beginning? And now I bring it forth and it shall be to destroy and to bring strong cities into rude heaps of stones. And the inhabiters of them shall be of little power, and faint-hearted and confounded. They shall be like the grass of the field and green herbs, and as the hay on the tops of the houses which withereth afore it come to any height. I know where thou dwellest, and thy coming out and going in know I too; and how thou settest up thy bristles against me. And because thou settest up thy bristles against me, and that thy raging is come up to mine ears: therefore I will put a ring in thy nose and a bit in thy lips, and will bring thee back again the same way thou camest. And this shall be a sign unto thee: In this year, eat that which is fallen. In the second year, such as groweth of itself. In the third year, sow and reap and plant vineyards; and eat the fruit thereof. For the daughter of Judah that is escaped and left, shall yet again take rooting downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and a number that shall escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of Hosts shall bring this thing to pass. Wherefore thus sayeth the LORD, of the king of Assyria: He shall not come to this city, nor shoot arrow into it, nor come before with shield nor cast any bank against it - but shall go back again the way he came, and shall not come at this city, sayeth the LORD. For I will defend this city and save it, for mine own sake and for David my servant's sake." And the selfsame night the Angel of the LORD went out and smote, in the host of the Assyrians, a hundred and four score and five thousand. And when they were up early in the morning: behold, they were all dead corpses. And so Sennacherib king of Assyria avoided and departed and went again, and dwelt at Nineveh. And as he was in his devotion kneeling in the house of Nisroch his God, Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword. And they escaped into the land of Ararat, and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
Isaiah said to them, "So shall you say to your master: 'Thus sayeth the LORD: be not afraid of the words thou heardest, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have railed on me. For I will send him a blast that he shall hear tidings, and so return to his own land: And I will overthrow him with the sword even in his own land.'"