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Contemporary English Version

2 Kings 18:17

The king of Assyria ordered his three highest military officers to leave Lachish and take a large army to Jerusalem. When they arrived, the officers stood on the road near the cloth makers' shops along the canal from the upper pool.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Assyria;   Diplomacy;   Fuller's Field;   Hezekiah;   Hypocrisy;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Jerusalem;   Lachish;   Pool;   Rabsaris;   Rab-Shakeh (Rabshakeh);   Sennacherib;   Tartan;   Scofield Reference Index - Times of the Gentiles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Arts and Crafts;   Fullers;   Gihon;   Host;   Righteous-Wicked;   Worldly;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies;   Arts of the;   Assyria;   Cities;   Jerusalem;   Kings;   Pools and Ponds;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Eliakim;   Hezekiah;   Isaiah;   Lachish;   Rab-Saris;   Sennacherib;   Tartan;   Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Assyria;   Hezekiah;   Lachish;   Nahum;   Palestine;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Conduit;   Cup-Bearer;   Fuller;   Fuller's Field;   Gihon;   Hezekiah;   Lachish;   Pool;   Rabmag;   Rabsaris;   Rabshakeh;   River;   Sennacherib;   Tartan;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ambassador;   Conduit;   Eunuch;   Gihon;   Lachish;   Micah;   Rabsaris;   Rabshakeh;   River;   Sennacherib;   Tartan;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aqueducts;   Archaeology and Biblical Study;   Assyria, History and Religion of;   Chamberlain;   Chief;   Conduit;   Cupbearer;   Fuller's Field;   Gihon;   Isaiah;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Masons;   Rabsaris;   Rabshakeh;   Tartan;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hezekiah;   Isaiah, Book of;   Israel;   Lachish;   Philistines;   Pool, Pond;   Rab-Saris;   Rab-Shakeh;   River;   Tartan;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Fuller's Field;   Lachish ;   Rabsaris ;   Rabshakeh ;   Sennacherib ;   Tartan ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hezekiah;   Rabshakeh;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Conduit;   Cup-bearer;   Fullers;   Hezekiah;   Rabshakeh;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Fuller's Field, the,;   Hezeki'ah;   Rab'saris;   Tar'tan,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Lachish;   Rabshakeh;   Stone;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Causeway;   Chronology of the Old Testament;   Fuller;   Fuller's Field, the;   Lachish;   Pool;   Rab-Saris;   Rabshakeh;   Siege;   Tartan;   Watercourse;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Assyria;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cupbearer;   Fuller;   Jerusalem;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then 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.
Hebrew Names Version
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.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
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.
New English Translation
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.
Amplified Bible
Then 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.
New American Standard Bible
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.
World English Bible
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
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,
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a heavy military force 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 highway of the fuller's field.
Berean Standard Bible
Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rab-saris, and the Rab-shakeh, along with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They advanced up to Jerusalem and stationed themselves by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer's Field.
Complete Jewish Bible
From Lakhish the king of Ashur sent Tartan, Rav-Saris and Rav-Shakeh to King Hizkiyahu in Yerushalayim with a large army. They advanced and came to Yerushalayim. Upon arrival, they came and positioned themselves by the aqueduct from the Upper Pool, which is by the road to the Launderers' Field.
Darby Translation
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish, with a strong force, against king Hezekiah, to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is on the highway of the fuller's field.
Easy-to-Read Version
The king of Assyria sent his three most important officers with a large army to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. They left Lachish and went to Jerusalem. They stood near the aqueduct by the Upper Pool, on the street that leads up to Laundryman's Field.
George Lamsa Translation
Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan and the Rab-shakeh and Rab-sisak from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. And they came up against Jerusalem, and when they were come up they stood by the ascent of the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the palaces field.
Good News Translation
The Assyrian emperor sent a large army from Lachish to attack Hezekiah at Jerusalem; it was commanded by his three highest officials. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they occupied the road where the cloth makers work by the ditch that brings water from the upper pool.
Lexham English Bible
So the king of Assyria sent the commander in chief, the chief eunuch, and the chief advisor from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem with a heavy army. They went up and came to Jerusalem, then they went up and came and stood at the aqueduct of the upper pool which is on the main road of the washer's field.
Literal Translation
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the cupbearers from Lachish, to King Hezekiah with a heavy force, to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and they went up and came in and stoodby the conduit of the upper pool that was in the highway of the Fuller's Field.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the kynge of Assiria sent Thartan, and the chefe chamberlayne, & the chefe butler from Lachis to kynge Ezechias with a greate power vnto Ierusalem. And they wete vp: and whan they came there, they stode styll at the condyte by the ouer pole, which lyeth in the waye vpo the fullers londe,
American Standard Version
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army unto 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.
Bible in Basic English
Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan and the Rab-saris and the Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah, with a strong force. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and took up their position by the stream of the higher pool, by the highway of the washerman's field.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king of Assyria sent Tharthan, and Rabsaris, & Rabsakeh from Lachis, to king Hezekia with a great hoast against Hierusalem: And they went vp, and came to Hierusalem, and gat them vp and stoode by the conduite of the vpper poole, whiche is in the way of the fullers fielde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army unto 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 fullers' field.
King James Version (1611)
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris, 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 came and stood by the conduit of the vpper poole, which is in the high way of the fullers field.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king of the Assyrians sent Tharthan and Raphis and Rapsakes from Lachis to king Ezekias with a strong force against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and stood by the aqueduct of the upper pool, which is by the way of the fuller’s field.
English Revised Version
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab–saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army unto 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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe the kyng of Assiriens sente Thercha and Rabsaces fro Lachis to kyng Ezechie, with strong hond to Jerusalem; and whanne thei hadden stied, thei camen to Jerusalem, and stoden bisidis the water cundijt of the hiyere cisterne, which is in the weie of the fullere, `ethir toukere.
Young's Literal Translation
And the king of Asshur sendeth Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the butlers, from Lachish, unto king Hezekiah, with a heavy force, to Jerusalem, and they go up and come in to Jerusalem, and they go up, and come in and stand by the conduit of the upper pool that [is] in the highway of the fuller's field.
Update Bible Version
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army against Jerusalem: and they went up, and came to Jerusalem: and when they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which [is] in the highway of the fuller's field.
New King James Version
Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, [fn] the Rabsaris, [fn] and the Rabshakeh [fn] 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
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.
New Life Bible
Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris and Rabshakeh with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. They came and stood by the ditch of the upper pool, which is on the road to the fuller's field.
New Revised Standard
The king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. 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 Fuller's Field.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh, from Lachish unto King Hezekiah, with a heavy force to Jerusalem, - so they came up and drew near to Jerusalem, and took their stand by the upper channel of the pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king of the Assyrians sent Tharthan, and Rabsaris, and Rabsaces, from Lachis, to king Ezechias, with a strong army, to Jerusalem: and they went up and came to Jerusalem, and they stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the way of the fuller’s field.
Revised Standard Version
And the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rab'saris, and the Rab'shakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezeki'ah 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 Fuller's Field.
THE MESSAGE
So the king of Assyria sent his top three military chiefs (the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh) from Lachish with a strong military force to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the laundry commons.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan and 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 highway of the fuller's field.

Contextual Overview

17 The king of Assyria ordered his three highest military officers to leave Lachish and take a large army to Jerusalem. When they arrived, the officers stood on the road near the cloth makers' shops along the canal from the upper pool. 18 They called out to Hezekiah, and three of his highest officials came out to meet them. One of them was Hilkiah's son Eliakim, who was the prime minister. The other two were Shebna, assistant to the prime minister, and Joah son of Asaph, keeper of the government records. 19 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. 20 Does he think he can plan and win a war with nothing but words? Who is going to help him, now that he has turned against the king of Assyria? 21 Is he depending on Egypt and its king? That's the same as leaning on a broken stick, and it will go right through his hand. 22 Is Hezekiah now depending on the Lord your God? Didn't Hezekiah tear down all except one of the Lord 's altars and places of worship? Didn't he tell the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship at that one place? 23 The king of Assyria wants to make a bet with you people. He will give you two thousand horses, if you have enough troops to ride them. 24 How could you even defeat our lowest ranking officer, when you have to depend on Egypt for chariots and cavalry? 25 Don't forget that it was the Lord who sent me here with orders to destroy your nation! 26 Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said, "Sir, we don't want the people listening from the city wall to understand what you are saying. So please speak to us in Aramaic instead of Hebrew."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 3294, bc 710

the king: 2 Chronicles 32:9, Isaiah 20:1, Isaiah 36:2

Tartan: Calmet remarks, that these are not the names of persons, but of offices: Tartan signifies "he who presides over gifts or tribute;" Rabsaris, "the chief of the eunuchs;" and Rabshakeh, "the chief cup-bearer."

great: Heb. heavy

the conduit of the upper pool: If the Fuller's field were near En-Rogel, or the Fuller's fountain, east of Jerusalem, as is generally supposed, then the conduit of the upper pool may been an aqueduct that brought the water from the upper or eastern reservoir of that fountain, which had been seized in order to distress the city. 2 Kings 20:20, Isaiah 7:3, Isaiah 22:9-11, Isaiah 36:2

Reciprocal: Joshua 10:3 - Lachish Joshua 15:39 - Lachish 2 Samuel 20:13 - the highway 2 Kings 6:14 - great 2 Kings 19:4 - whom the king 2 Kings 19:6 - the servants 2 Kings 19:9 - sent 2 Kings 19:23 - messengers 2 Chronicles 12:4 - came Nehemiah 2:14 - the gate of the fountain Isaiah 29:3 - General Isaiah 36:1 - it came Micah 1:13 - Lachish Nahum 2:13 - the voice

Cross-References

Genesis 19:24
and the Lord sent burning sulfur down like rain on Sodom and Gomorrah.
2 Kings 4:27
But as soon as she got to the top of the mountain, she went over and grabbed Elisha by the feet. Gehazi started toward her to push her away, when Elisha said, "Leave her alone! Don't you see how sad she is? But the Lord hasn't told me why."
2 Chronicles 20:7
Our God, you forced out the nations who lived in this land before your people Israel came here, and you gave it to the descendants of your friend Abraham forever.
Psalms 25:14
Our Lord , you are the friend of your worshipers, and you make an agreement with all of us.
John 15:15
Servants don't know what their master is doing, and so I don't speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me.
James 2:23
This is what the Scriptures mean by saying, "Abraham had faith in God, and God was pleased with him." That's how Abraham became God's friend.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem,.... Notwithstanding he took the above large sum of money of him, so false and deceitful was he: these were three generals of his army, whom he sent to besiege Jerusalem, while he continued the siege of Lachish; only Rabshakeh is mentioned in Isaiah 36:2 he being perhaps chief general, and the principal speaker; whose speech, to the end of this chapter, intended to intimidate Hezekiah, and dishearten his people, with some circumstances which attended it, are recorded word for word in Isaiah 36:1 throughout;

Isaiah 36:1- : and notes on that chapter.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

An 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 2Ki 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 second expedition into Palestine very soon after the first. Following the usual coast route he passed through Philistia on his way to Egypt, leaving Jerusalem on one side, despising so irony a state, and knowing that the submission of Egypt would involve that of her hangers-on. While, however, he was besieging Lachish on his way to encounter his main enemy, he determined to try the temper of the Jews by means of an embassy, which he accordingly sent.

Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh - None of these are proper names. “Tartan” was the ordinary title of an Assyrian general; “Rab-saris” is “chief eunuch,” always a high officer of the Assyrian court; Rab-shakeh is probably “chief cup-bearer.”

By the conduit of the upper pool - Possibly a conduit on the north side of the city near the “camp of the Assyrians.” The spot was the same as that on which Isaiah had met Ahaz Isaiah 7:3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 18:17. The king of Assyria sent Tartan, c. — 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 — רב סריס, the chief of the eunuchs. Rab-shakeh, רב שקה master or chief over the wine cellar; or he who had the care of the king's drink.

From Lachish — It seems as if the Assyrian troops had been worsted before Lachish, and were obliged to raise the siege, from which they went and sat down before Libnah. While Sennacherib was there with the Assyrian army, he heard that Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, had invaded the Assyrian territories. Being obliged therefore to hasten, in order to succour his own dominions, he sent a considerable force under the aforementioned officers against Jerusalem, with a most fearful and bloody manifesto, commanding Hezekiah to pay him tribute, to deliver up his kingdom to him, and to submit, he and his people, to be carried away captives into Assyria! This manifesto was accompanied with the vilest insults, and the highest blasphemies. God interposed and the evils threatened against others fell upon himself.

Manifestoes of this kind have seldom been honourable to the senders. The conduct of Rab-shakeh was unfortunately copied by the Duke of Brunswick, commander-in-chief of the allied army of the centre, in the French revolution, who was then in the plains of Champagne, August 27,1792, at the head of ninety thousand men, Prussians, Austrians, and emigrants, on his way to Paris, which in his manifesto he threatened to reduce to ashes! This was the cause of the dreadful massacres which immediately took place. And shortly after this time the blast of God fell upon him, for in Sept. 20 of the same year, (three weeks after issuing the manifesto,) almost all his army was destroyed by a fatal disease, and himself obliged to retreat from the French territories with shame and confusion. This, and some other injudicious steps taken by the allies, were the cause of the ruin of the royal family of France, and of enormities and calamities the most extensive, disgraceful, and ruinous, that ever stained the page of history. From all such revolutions God in mercy save mankind!

Conduit of the upper pool — The aqueduct that brought the water from the upper or eastern reservoir, near to the valley of Kidron, into the city. Probably they had seized on this in order to distress the city.

The fuller's field. — The place where the washermen stretched out their clothes to dry.


 
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