Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Blasphemy » Instances of » Rabshakeh, in the siege of jerusalem
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'?
Verse Concepts
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.' read more.
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?"
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?"
"Say thus to Hezekiah king of Judah: Let not thy God deceive thee, in whom thou hopest, and which sayest, 'Jerusalem shall not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.' For thou knowest well how the kings of Assyria have handled all the lands that they have subverted; and hopest thou to escape? Were the people of the Gentiles - whom my progenitors conquered - delivered at any time through their gods? As namely, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden, which dwell at Telassar. read more.
Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?'" Now when Hezekiah had received the letter of the messengers, and read it; he went up into the house of the LORD, and opened the letter before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD on this manner, "O LORD of Hosts, thou God of Israel, which dwellest upon Cherubim; Thou art the God, that only is God of all the kingdoms of the world, for thou only hast created heaven and earth. Incline thine ear LORD, and consider, open thine eyes, O LORD, and see; and ponder all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent his embassage to blaspheme the living God. It is true, O LORD, that the kings of Assyria have conquered all kingdoms and lands, and cast their gods in the fire. Notwithstanding, those were no gods; but the works of men's hands, of wood or stone, therefore have they destroyed them. Deliver us then, O LORD our God, from the hands of Sennacherib, that all kingdoms of the earth may know, that thou only art the LORD." Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'Whereas thou hast made thy prayer unto me, as touching Sennacherib, this is the answer, that the LORD hath given concerning him: Despised art thou, and mocked, O daughter of Zion, he hath shaken his head at thee, O daughter of Jerusalem. But thou Sennacherib, whom hast thou defied and blasphemed? And against whom hast thou lifted up thy voice, and exalted thy proud looks? Even against the holy one of Israel. Thou with thy servants hast blasphemed the LORD and thus holdest thou of thyself, I cover the high mountains, and sides of Lebanon with my horsemen. And there will I cut down the high Cedar trees and the fairest Fir trees. I will up into the height of it, and into the chiefest of his timber woods. If there be no water, I will grave and drink. And as for waters of defense, I shall dry them up with the feet of mine Host. Yea, sayest thou, hast thou not heard what I have taken in hand, and brought to pass of old time? That same will I do now also: waste, destroy, and bring the strong cities into heaps of stones. For their inhabiters shall be like lame men, brought in fear and confounded. They shall be like the grass and green herbs in the field, like the hay upon housetops, that withereth afore it be grown up. I know thy ways, thy going forth and thy coming home, yea and thy madness against me. Therefore thy furiousness against me, and thy pride is come before me. I will put a ring in thy nose, and a bridle bit in the jaws of thee, and turn thee about, even the same way thou camest. I will give thee also this token, O Hezekiah: this year shalt thou eat that is kept in store, and the next year such as groweth of himself, and in the third year ye shall sow and reap, yea ye shall plant vineyards, and enjoy the fruits thereof. And such of the house of Judah as are escaped, shall come together, and the remnant shall take root beneath, and bring forth fruit above. For the escaped shall go out of Jerusalem, and the remnant from the mount Zion. And this shall the jealousy of the LORD of Hosts bring to pass.' Therefore thus sayeth the LORD, concerning the king of the Assyrians, 'He shall not come into the city, and shall shoot no arrow into it, there shall no shield hurt it, neither shall they grave about it.
Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?'" Now when Hezekiah had received the letter of the messengers, and read it; he went up into the house of the LORD, and opened the letter before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD on this manner, "O LORD of Hosts, thou God of Israel, which dwellest upon Cherubim; Thou art the God, that only is God of all the kingdoms of the world, for thou only hast created heaven and earth. Incline thine ear LORD, and consider, open thine eyes, O LORD, and see; and ponder all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent his embassage to blaspheme the living God. It is true, O LORD, that the kings of Assyria have conquered all kingdoms and lands, and cast their gods in the fire. Notwithstanding, those were no gods; but the works of men's hands, of wood or stone, therefore have they destroyed them. Deliver us then, O LORD our God, from the hands of Sennacherib, that all kingdoms of the earth may know, that thou only art the LORD." Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'Whereas thou hast made thy prayer unto me, as touching Sennacherib, this is the answer, that the LORD hath given concerning him: Despised art thou, and mocked, O daughter of Zion, he hath shaken his head at thee, O daughter of Jerusalem. But thou Sennacherib, whom hast thou defied and blasphemed? And against whom hast thou lifted up thy voice, and exalted thy proud looks? Even against the holy one of Israel. Thou with thy servants hast blasphemed the LORD and thus holdest thou of thyself, I cover the high mountains, and sides of Lebanon with my horsemen. And there will I cut down the high Cedar trees and the fairest Fir trees. I will up into the height of it, and into the chiefest of his timber woods. If there be no water, I will grave and drink. And as for waters of defense, I shall dry them up with the feet of mine Host. Yea, sayest thou, hast thou not heard what I have taken in hand, and brought to pass of old time? That same will I do now also: waste, destroy, and bring the strong cities into heaps of stones. For their inhabiters shall be like lame men, brought in fear and confounded. They shall be like the grass and green herbs in the field, like the hay upon housetops, that withereth afore it be grown up. I know thy ways, thy going forth and thy coming home, yea and thy madness against me. Therefore thy furiousness against me, and thy pride is come before me. I will put a ring in thy nose, and a bridle bit in the jaws of thee, and turn thee about, even the same way thou camest. I will give thee also this token, O Hezekiah: this year shalt thou eat that is kept in store, and the next year such as groweth of himself, and in the third year ye shall sow and reap, yea ye shall plant vineyards, and enjoy the fruits thereof. And such of the house of Judah as are escaped, shall come together, and the remnant shall take root beneath, and bring forth fruit above. For the escaped shall go out of Jerusalem, and the remnant from the mount Zion. And this shall the jealousy of the LORD of Hosts bring to pass.' Therefore thus sayeth the LORD, concerning the king of the Assyrians, 'He shall not come into the city, and shall shoot no arrow into it, there shall no shield hurt it, neither shall they grave about it.
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.