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2 Kings 18:19

Then the royal spokesman said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: ‘What are you relying on? Ravshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hizkiyahu, Thus says the great king, the king of Ashshur, What confidence is this in which you trust? And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? 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? The field commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this: "‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says: What can you trust in now? 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? Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is [the reason for] this confidence that you have? And Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: "What is this confidence that you have? Rabshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this in which you trust? And Rabshakeh sayde vnto them, Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, Thus saith the great King, euen the great King of Asshur, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? Then Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is this trust that you have? The Rab-shakeh said to them, "Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours? One of the Assyrian commanders told them: I have a message for Hezekiah from the great king of Assyria. Ask Hezekiah why he feels so sure of himself. Rav-Shakeh addressed them: "Tell Hizkiyahu: ‘Here is what the great king, the king of Ashur, says: "What makes you so confident? And Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? The commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: ‘What are you trusting in to help you? Then the Rab-shakeh said to them, Speak now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this in which you trust? One of the Assyrian officials told them that the emperor wanted to know what made King Hezekiah so confident. Then the chief advisor said to them, "Please say to Hezekiah: ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: "What is this confidence that you trust? And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Now say to Hezekiah, So says the great king, the king of Assyria, What is this hope in which you have trusted? And the chefe butler sayde vnto the: Tell kynge Ezechias: Thus sayeth ye greate kynge, eue the kynge of Assiria: What presumpcion is this yt thou trustest vnto? And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? And the Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, These are the words of the great king, the king of Assyria: In what are you placing your hope? And Rabsakeh sayd vnto them: Tell ye Hezekia I pray you, thus sayth the great king, euen the king of Assyria: what confidence is this that thou hast? And Rab-shakeh said unto them: 'Say ye now to Hezekiah: Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? And Rabshakeh said vnto them, Speake yee now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? And Rapsakes said to them, Say now to Ezekias, Thus says the king, the great king of the Assyrians, What is this confidence wherein thou trustest? And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? And Rabsaces seide to hem, Speke ye to Ezechie, The grete kyng, the kyng of Assiriens, seith these thingis, What is this trist, in which thou enforsist? And the chief of the butlers saith unto them, `Say, I pray you, unto Hezekiah, Thus said the great king, the king of Asshur, What [is] this confidence in which thou hast confided? And Rabshakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein you trust? And Rab-shakeh said to them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence [is] this in which thou trustest? 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? Then the Assyrian king's chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah: "This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident? Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king of Assyria says. "What is this strength of heart that you have? The Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? And Rab-shakeh said unto them - Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust? And Rabsaces said to them: Speak to Ezechias: Thus saith the great king, the king of the Assyrians: What is this confidence, wherein thou trustest? And the Rab'shakeh said to them, "Say to Hezeki'ah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this confidence of yours? And the chief of the butlers says to them, "Now say to Hezekiah, Thus said the great king, the king of Asshur: What [is] this confidence in which you have confided? The third officer, the Rabshakeh, was spokesman. He said, "Tell Hezekiah: A message from The Great King, the king of Assyria: You're living in a world of make-believe, of pious fantasy. Do you think that mere words are any substitute for military strategy and troops? Now that you've revolted against me, who can you expect to help you? You thought Egypt would, but Egypt's nothing but a paper tiger—one puff of wind and she collapses; Pharaoh king of Egypt is nothing but bluff and bluster. Or are you going to tell me, ‘We rely on God '? But Hezekiah has just eliminated most of the people's access to God by getting rid of all the local God-shrines, ordering everyone in Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at the Jerusalem altar only.' Then Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is this confidence that you have?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Assyria;   Boasting;   Diplomacy;   Hezekiah;   Hypocrisy;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Jerusalem;   Rab-Shakeh (Rabshakeh);   Sennacherib;   War;   Scofield Reference Index - Times of the Gentiles;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Assyria;   Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Eliakim;   Hezekiah;   Isaiah;   Sennacherib;   Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Assyria;   Hezekiah;   Nahum;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Confidence;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Assyria;   Rabmag;   Rabshakeh;   Scribes;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Sennacherib;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Archaeology and Biblical Study;   Assyria, History and Religion of;   Cupbearer;   Hope;   Isaiah;   Jareb;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Rabshakeh;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hezekiah;   Isaiah, Book of;   Israel;   Jareb;   Philistines;   Rab-Shakeh;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Confidence;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Rabshakeh ;   Sennacherib ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hezekiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Rabshakeh;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Rabshakeh;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Assyria;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then the royal spokesman said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: ‘What are you relying on?
Hebrew Names Version
Ravshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hizkiyahu, Thus says the great king, the king of Ashshur, What confidence is this in which you trust?
King James Version
And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
The field commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this: "‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says: What can you trust in now?
New English Translation
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?
Amplified Bible
Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is [the reason for] this confidence that you have?
New American Standard Bible
And Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: "What is this confidence that you have?
World English Bible
Rabshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this in which you trust?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Rabshakeh sayde vnto them, Tell ye Hezekiah, I pray you, Thus saith the great King, euen the great King of Asshur, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is this trust that you have?
Berean Standard Bible
The Rab-shakeh said to them, "Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours?
Contemporary English Version
One of the Assyrian commanders told them: I have a message for Hezekiah from the great king of Assyria. Ask Hezekiah why he feels so sure of himself.
Complete Jewish Bible
Rav-Shakeh addressed them: "Tell Hizkiyahu: ‘Here is what the great king, the king of Ashur, says: "What makes you so confident?
Darby Translation
And Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Easy-to-Read Version
The commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah this is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: ‘What are you trusting in to help you?
George Lamsa Translation
Then the Rab-shakeh said to them, Speak now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this in which you trust?
Good News Translation
One of the Assyrian officials told them that the emperor wanted to know what made King Hezekiah so confident.
Lexham English Bible
Then the chief advisor said to them, "Please say to Hezekiah: ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: "What is this confidence that you trust?
Literal Translation
And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Now say to Hezekiah, So says the great king, the king of Assyria, What is this hope in which you have trusted?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the chefe butler sayde vnto the: Tell kynge Ezechias: Thus sayeth ye greate kynge, eue the kynge of Assiria: What presumpcion is this yt thou trustest vnto?
American Standard Version
And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Bible in Basic English
And the Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, These are the words of the great king, the king of Assyria: In what are you placing your hope?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Rabsakeh sayd vnto them: Tell ye Hezekia I pray you, thus sayth the great king, euen the king of Assyria: what confidence is this that thou hast?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Rab-shakeh said unto them: 'Say ye now to Hezekiah: Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
King James Version (1611)
And Rabshakeh said vnto them, Speake yee now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Rapsakes said to them, Say now to Ezekias, Thus says the king, the great king of the Assyrians, What is this confidence wherein thou trustest?
English Revised Version
And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Rabsaces seide to hem, Speke ye to Ezechie, The grete kyng, the kyng of Assiriens, seith these thingis, What is this trist, in which thou enforsist?
Young's Literal Translation
And the chief of the butlers saith unto them, `Say, I pray you, unto Hezekiah, Thus said the great king, the king of Asshur, What [is] this confidence in which thou hast confided?
Update Bible Version
And Rabshakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein you trust?
Webster's Bible Translation
And Rab-shakeh said to them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence [is] this in which thou trustest?
New King James Version
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?
New Living Translation
Then the Assyrian king's chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah: "This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?
New Life Bible
Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king of Assyria says. "What is this strength of heart that you have?
New Revised Standard
The Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Rab-shakeh said unto them - Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Rabsaces said to them: Speak to Ezechias: Thus saith the great king, the king of the Assyrians: What is this confidence, wherein thou trustest?
Revised Standard Version
And the Rab'shakeh said to them, "Say to Hezeki'ah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this confidence of yours?
THE MESSAGE
The third officer, the Rabshakeh, was spokesman. He said, "Tell Hezekiah: A message from The Great King, the king of Assyria: You're living in a world of make-believe, of pious fantasy. Do you think that mere words are any substitute for military strategy and troops? Now that you've revolted against me, who can you expect to help you? You thought Egypt would, but Egypt's nothing but a paper tiger—one puff of wind and she collapses; Pharaoh king of Egypt is nothing but bluff and bluster. Or are you going to tell me, ‘We rely on God '? But Hezekiah has just eliminated most of the people's access to God by getting rid of all the local God-shrines, ordering everyone in Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at the Jerusalem altar only.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, "What is this confidence that you have?

Contextual Overview

17Then the king of Assyria sent the field marshal, the chief of staff, and his royal spokesman, along with a massive army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They advanced and came to Jerusalem, and they took their position by the aqueduct of the upper pool, by the road to the Launderer’s Field. 17 The king of Ashshur sent Tartan and Rav-Saris and Ravshakeh from Lakhish to king Hizkiyahu with a great army to Yerushalayim. They went up and came to Yerushalayim. 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. 17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh 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. 17 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. 17 The king of Assyria sent out his supreme commander, his chief officer, and his field commander. They went with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. When they came near the waterway from the upper pool on the road where people do their laundry, they stopped. 17 The 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. 17Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan and the Rab-saris and the Rabshakeh [his highest officials] with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem, and when they went up and arrived, they stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is on the road of the Fuller's Field. 17 Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they went up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the road of the fuller's field. 17 The king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. 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. 17 And the King of Asshur sent Tartan, and Rab-saris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great hoste against Ierusalem. And they went vp, and came to Ierusalem, and when they were come vp, they stood by the conduite of the vpper poole, which is by the path of the fullers fielde,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Rabshakeh: He was the chief speaker, being a very eloquent man, and, according to the Hebrews, whom Procopius follows, an apostate Jew; which is not improbable, as he spoke Hebrew so fluently; and when he blasphemed the Divine Majesty, the king and nobles rent their clothes, which was usual unless the blasphemer were an Israelite.

Thus saith: 2 Chronicles 32:10, Isaiah 10:8-14, Isaiah 36:4, Isaiah 37:13, Daniel 4:30

What confidence: 2 Kings 18:22, 2 Kings 18:29, 2 Kings 18:30, 2 Kings 19:10, 2 Chronicles 32:7, 2 Chronicles 32:8, 2 Chronicles 32:10, 2 Chronicles 32:11, 2 Chronicles 32:14-16, Psalms 4:2, Isaiah 36:4, Isaiah 36:7, Isaiah 37:10

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 18:28 - the king of Assyria Nahum 2:13 - the voice

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the eretz,
Genesis 18:2
And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Genesis 18:2
And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing near him. And he saw them and ran from the doorway of the tent to meet them. And he bowed down to the ground.
Genesis 18:2
He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When Abraham saw them, he ran from his tent to meet them. He bowed facedown on the ground before them
Genesis 18:2
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Genesis 18:2
When he raised his eyes and looked up, behold, three men were standing [a little distance] from him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down [with his face] to the ground,
Genesis 18:2
When he raised his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down to the ground,
Genesis 18:2
And he lift vp his eyes, and looked: and lo, three men stoode by him, and when he sawe them, he ranne to meete them from the tent doore, and bowed himselfe to the grounde.
Genesis 18:2
And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing nearby; he saw, and he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed himself to the earth,
Genesis 18:2
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. He quickly ran to meet them, bowed with his face to the ground,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The 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 monarchs and the suzerain of whom they held their crowns.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 18:19. What confidence is this — מה הבטחן הזה 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.


 
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