2 Kings 18:19

2 Kings 18:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Rab–shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
• New International Version (NIV)The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: “ ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust?

Context of 2 Kings 18:19

17The king of Assyria sent his commanding general, the chief eunuch, and the chief adviser from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem, along with a large army. They went up and arrived at Jerusalem. They went and stood at the conduit of the upper pool which is located on the road to the field where they wash and dry cloth. 18They summoned the king, so Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna the scribe and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went out to meet them. The chief adviser said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: “What is your source of confidence? 20Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk. In whom are you trusting that you would dare to rebel against me? 21Now look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If a man leans for support on it, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him.

2 Kings 18:19 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה אִמְרוּ־נָ֖א אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ הַגָּדוֹל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר מָ֧ה הַבִּטָּח֛וֹן הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Rab–shakehרַבְשָׁקֵהrabshâqêh · RabshakehH7262
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• ye now to Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּהוּchizqîyâh chizqîyâhû yechizqîyâh yechizqîyâhû · HezekiahH2396
• the greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Assyriaאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
• What confidenceבִּטָּחוֹןbiţţâchôn · trustH986
• this wherein thou trustestבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982

Cross-references for 2 Kings 18:19

• 2 Chronicles 32:10“This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: ‘Why are you so confident that you remain in Jerusalem while it is under siege?
• Isaiah 10:8Indeed, he says: “Are not my officials all kings?
• Isaiah 36:4The chief adviser said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: “What is your source of confidence?
• Isaiah 37:13Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”
• Daniel 4:30The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?”
• 2 Kings 18:22Perhaps you will tell me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God.’ But Hezekiah is the one who eliminated his high places and altars and then told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at this altar in Jerusalem.’
• 2 Kings 19:10“Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this: ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.”
• 2 Chronicles 32:7“Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of the king of Assyria and this huge army that is with him! We have with us one who is stronger than those who are with him.
• Psalms 4:2You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is worthless and search for what is deceptive? (Selah)
• Isaiah 37:10“Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this: ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says, “Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.”

Commentaries on 2 Kings 18:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19What confidence is this - הזה הבטחן מה ma habbittachon hazzeh . The words are excessively insulting: What little, foolish, or unavailing cause of confidence is it, to which thou trustest? I translate thus, because I consider the word בטחון bittachon as a diminutive, intended to express the utmost contempt for Hezekiah's God.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19The Rab-shakeh, the third in rank of the three Assyrian ambassadors, probably took the prominent part in the conference because he could speak Hebrew 2 Kings 18:26, whereas the Tartan and the Rabsaris could not do so. The great king - This title of the monarchs of Assyria is found in use as early as 1120 B.C. Like the title, “king of kings,” the distinctive epithet “great” served to mark emphatically the vast difference between the numerous vassal…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. 19-22In the past, people used the term great king for leaders of major military powers. It later became a common title for Assyrian kings. What is the basis of this confidence of yours?: The Assyrian officer claimed that Jerusalem's citizens would be unwise to trust Hezekiah's words, given Assyria's strong military. Seeking help from Egypt would also be unwise. The chief of staff argued that trusting in the Lord was also a mistake. The officer might have hoped…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2519. Rab-shakeh said--The insolent tone he assumed appears surprising. But this boasting [2Ki 18:19-25], both as to matter and manner, his highly colored picture of his master's powers and resources, and the impossibility of Hezekiah making any effective resistance, heightened by all the arguments and figures which an Oriental imagination could suggest, has been paralleled in all, except the blasphemy, by other messages of defiance sent on similar…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 18:19

• Armies
• Assyria
• Boasting
• Diplomacy
• Hezekiah
• Hypocrisy
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Jerusalem
• Rab-Shakeh (Rabshakeh)
• Sennacherib
• War

In the dictionaries

• Assyria
• Hezekiah
• Assyria, Assyrian, Assyrian Empire
• Agreement
• Carry
• Put
• Rabmag
• Rabshakeh
• Scribes
• Sennacherib

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