New International Version
2 Kings 18:17
17The king of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They came up to Jerusalem and stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field.
2 Kings 18:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab–shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rab-saris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Washer's Field.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh from Lachish, with a great army against Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they went and stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, which was on the highway to the Fuller’s Field.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent his commander in chief, his field commander, and his chief of staff from Lachish with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Assyrians took up a position beside the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.
Context of 2 Kings 18:17
15So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. 16At this time Hezekiah king of Judah stripped off the gold with which he had covered the doors and doorposts of the temple of the Lord, and gave it to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They came up to Jerusalem and stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field. 18They called for the king; and Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to them. 19The 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?
Read all of 2 Kings 182 Kings 18:17 word by word
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֡וּר אֶת־תַּרְתָּ֥ן וְאֶת־רַב־סָרִ֣יס׀ וְאֶת־רַב־שָׁקֵ֨ה מִן־לָכִ֜ישׁ אֶל־הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ בְּחֵ֥יל כָּבֵ֖ד יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיַּעֲל֣וּ וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ בִּתְעָלַת֙ הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הָֽעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֕ר בִּמְסִלַּ֖ת שְׂדֵ֥ה כוֹבֵֽס׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Assyriaאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- Tartanתַּרְתָּןtartân · TartanH8661
- and Rabsarisרַב־סָרִיסrab-sârîys · Rab-sarisH7249
- and Rab–shakehרַבְשָׁקֵהrabshâqêh · RabshakehH7262
- from Lachishלָכִישׁlâkîysh · LachishH3923
- Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּהוּchizqîyâh chizqîyâhû yechizqîyâh yechizqîyâhû · HezekiahH2396
- with a greatכָּבֵדkâbêd · heavyH3515
- hostחֵלchêyl chêl · rampartH2426
- against Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- And they went upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- by the conduitתְּעָלָהte‛âlâh · conduitH8585
- of the upperעֶלְיוֹן‛elyôn · highH5945
- poolבְּרֵכָהberêkâh · poolH1295
- in the highwayמְסִלָּהmesillâh · highwayH4546
- of the fuller’sכָּבַסkâbas · Washer'sH3526
- fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · Field (of the Launderer)H7704
Cross-references for 2 Kings 18:17
- 2 Chronicles 32:9Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:
- Isaiah 20:1In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it—
- Isaiah 36:2Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,
- 2 Kings 20:20As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
- Isaiah 7:3Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.
- Isaiah 22:9You saw that the walls of the City of David were broken through in many places; you stored up water in the Lower Pool.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 18:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The king of Assyria sent Tartan, etc. - Calmet has very justly remarked that these are not the names of persons, but of offices. Tartan, תרתן tartan or tantan, as in the parallel place in Isaiah, in the Greek version, signifies he who presides over the gifts or tribute; chancellor of the exchequer. Rabsaris - סריס רב , the chief of the eunuchs. Rab-shakeh, שקה רב master or chief over the wine cellar; or he who had the care of the king's drink. From…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17An interval of time must be placed between this verse and the last. Sennacherib, content with his successes, had returned to Nineveh with his spoil and his numerous captives. Hezekiah, left to himself, repented of his submission, and commenced negotiations with Egypt 2 Kings 18:21, 2 Kings 18:24; Isaiah 30:2-6; Isaiah 31:1, which implied treason against his Assyrian suzerain. It was under these circumstances that Sennacherib appears to have made his…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. 17sent … a great army: Despite Hezekiah's large payment, Sennacherib still planned to invade Jerusalem. by the aqueduct: The two groups likely met at a spot on Jerusalem's northwestern wall. This location also served as the meeting place between Isaiah and Ahaz (Isaiah 7:3–16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. king of Assyria sent Tartan--general (Is 20:1). Rab-saris--chief of the eunuchs. Rab-shakeh--chief cupbearer. These were the great officers employed in delivering Sennacherib's insulting message to Hezekiah. On the walls of the palace of Sennacherib, at Khorsabad, certain figures have been identified with the officers of that sovereign mentioned in Scripture. In particular, the figures, Rab-shakeh, Rab-saris, and Tartan, appear as full-length…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 18:17
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
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