American Standard Version
2 Kings 18:27
27But 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 that sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?
2 Kings 18:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Rab–shakeh 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?
- New International Version (NIV)But the commander replied, “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and to drink their own urine?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the Rabshakeh 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, who will eat and drink their own waste with you?”
Context of 2 Kings 18:27
25Am I now come up without Jehovah against this place to destroy it? Jehovah said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. 26Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak 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 that sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you? 28Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying, Hear ye the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. 29Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
Read all of 2 Kings 182 Kings 18:27 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה הַעַ֨ל אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲדֹנִ֔י לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה הֲלֹ֣א עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה לֶאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת צוֹאָתָ֗ם וְלִשְׁתּ֛וֹת אֶת־מימֵ֥י רַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם עִמָּכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- sitיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
Cross-references for 2 Kings 18:27
- 2 Kings 6:25And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
- Deuteronomy 28:53And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, whom Jehovah thy God hath given thee, in the siege and in the distress wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee.
- Psalms 73:8They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily.
- Lamentations 4:5They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
- Ezekiel 4:13And Jehovah said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations whither I will drive them.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 18:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27That they may eat their own dung - That they may be duly apprised, if they hold on Hezekiah's side, Jerusalem shall be most straitly besieged, and they be reduced to such a state of famine as to be obliged to eat their own excrements.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27That they may eat - “My master hath sent me,” the Rab-shakeh seems to say, “to these men, whom I see stationed on the wall to defend the place and bear the last extremities of a prolonged siege - these men on whom its worst evils will fall, and who have therefore the greatest interest in avoiding it by a timely surrender.” He expresses the evils by a strong coarse phrase, suited to the rude soldiery, and well calculated to rouse their feelings. The…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-37Verses 17-37 Rabshakeh tries to convince the Jews, that it was to no purpose for them to stand it out. What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? It were well if sinners would submit to the force of this argument, in seeking peace with God. It is, therefore, our wisdom to yield to him, because it is in vain to contend with him: what confidence is that which those trust in who stand out against him? A great deal of art there is in this speech of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27my master sent me to speak … to the men sitting on the wall: The Assyrian officials spoke in the local language so everyone in the city could understand. This was a way to spread fear and weaken the people’s resolve, a form of psychological warfare.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. that they may eat, &c.--This was designed to show the dreadful extremities to which, in the threatened siege, the people of Jerusalem would be reduced.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 18:27
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Kings 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries