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King James Version

2 Kings 18:23

Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Diplomacy;   Horse;   Hypocrisy;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Jerusalem;   Rab-Shakeh (Rabshakeh);   Sarcasm;   Sennacherib;   War;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Assyria;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Assyria;   Hezekiah;   Nahum;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Deliver;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Rabshakeh;   Scribes;   Sennacherib;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Hezekiah;   Sennacherib;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Assyria, History and Religion of;   Cupbearer;   Hope;   Jonah;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Rabshakeh;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hezekiah;   Isaiah, Book of;   Israel;   Philistines;   Rab-Shakeh;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Pledge;   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 - Army;   Pledge;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Assyria;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“So now, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria. I’ll give you two thousand horses if you’re able to supply riders for them!
Hebrew Names Version
Now therefore, Please give pledges to my master the king of Ashshur, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
English Standard Version
Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
New Century Version
"‘Now make an agreement with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses if you can find enough men to ride them.
New English Translation
Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them.
Amplified Bible
"Now then, make a bargain with my lord the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if on your part you can put riders on them.
New American Standard Bible
"Now then, come make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to put riders on them!
World English Bible
Now therefore, Please give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Now therefore giue hostages to my lord the King of Asshur, & I will giue thee two thousand horses, if thou be able to set riders vpon them.
Legacy Standard Bible
So now, come, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to give riders for them.
Berean Standard Bible
Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses-if you can put riders on them!
Contemporary English Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
All right, then, make a wager with my lord the king of Ashur: I will give you two thousand horses if you can find enough riders for them.
Darby Translation
And now, engage, I pray thee, with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou canst set the riders upon them.
Easy-to-Read Version
‘If you still want to fight my master, the king of Assyria, I will make this agreement with you. I promise that I will give you 2000 horses if you can find enough men to ride them into battle.
George Lamsa Translation
Now therefore, make an alliance with my lord the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you have riders to set upon them.
Good News Translation
I will make a bargain with you in the name of the emperor. I will give you two thousand horses if you can find that many men to ride them!
Lexham English Bible
So then, please make a wager with my lord, with the king of Assyria, and I will give to you a thousand horses if you are able on your part to put riders on them.
Literal Translation
And, now, I ask you, exchange pledges for yourself to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will give to you two thousand horses if you are able to give for yourself riders on them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Make a multitude now therfore vnto my lorde the kynge of Assiria, and I wil geue ye two thousande horses, let se yf thou be able to man them:
American Standard Version
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
Bible in Basic English
And now, take a chance with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe therfore I pray thee geue hostages to my lorde the king of Assyria, and I will deliuer thee two thousande horses, if thou be able to set ryders vpon them:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now therefore, I pray thee, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
King James Version (1611)
Now therefore, I pray thee, giue pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliuer thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders vpon them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And now, I pray you, make and agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou shalt be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
English Revised Version
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Now therfor passe ye to my lord, the kyng of Assiriens, and Y schal yyue to you twei thousynde of horsis, and se ye, whether ye moun haue rideris of `tho horsis?
Young's Literal Translation
`And, now, give a pledge for thee, I pray thee, to my lord the king of Asshur, and I give to thee two thousand horses, if thou art able to give for thee riders on them.
Update Bible Version
Now therefore, I pray you, give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou shalt be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
New King James Version
Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses--if you are able on your part to put riders on them!
New Living Translation
"I'll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them!
New Life Bible
Come now, make an agreement with my ruler the king of Assyria. And I will give you 2,000 horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them.
New Revised Standard
Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, therefore, pledge thyself, I pray thee, with my lord, the king of Assyria, - that I supply thee with two thousand horses, if thou, on thy part, be able to set riders upon them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now therefore come over to my master, the king of the Assyrians, and I will give you two thousand horses, and see whether you be able to have riders for them.
Revised Standard Version
Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders upon them.
THE MESSAGE
"So be reasonable. Make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I'll give you two thousand horses if you think you can provide riders for them. You can't do it? Well, then, how do you think you're going to turn back even one raw buck private from my master's troops? How long are you going to hold on to that figment of your imagination, these hoped-for Egyptian chariots and horses?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now therefore, come, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.

Contextual Overview

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. 18 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder. 19 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? 20 Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? 21 Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. 22 But if ye say unto me, We trust in the Lord our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? 23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. 24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25 Am I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. 26 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

pledges: Heb. hostages

I will deliver: 1 Samuel 17:42, 1 Samuel 17:44, 1 Kings 20:10, 1 Kings 20:18, Nehemiah 4:2-5, Psalms 123:3, Psalms 123:4, Isaiah 10:13, Isaiah 10:14, Isaiah 36:8, Isaiah 36:9

Reciprocal: Judges 9:29 - Increase thine army 2 Samuel 17:12 - we will light 2 Kings 14:14 - and hostages 2 Kings 19:23 - With the multitude Nehemiah 4:3 - Tobiah

Cross-References

Genesis 18:4
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
Genesis 18:5
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
Genesis 18:6
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
Genesis 18:7
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Genesis 20:4
But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord , wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
2 Samuel 24:17
And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.
Job 8:3
Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
Job 34:17
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
Psalms 73:28
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God , that I may declare all thy works.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The phrase translated “give pledges,” or “hostages” (margin) may perhaps be best understood as meaning “make an agreement.” If you will “bind yourself to find the riders” (i. e., trained horsemen), we will “bind ourselves to furnish the horses.” The suggestion implied that in all Judaea there were not 2000 men accustomed to serve as cavalry.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 18:23. I will deliver thee two thousand horses — Another insult: Were I to give thee two thousand Assyrian horses, thou couldst not find riders for them. How then canst thou think that thou shalt be able to stand against even the smallest division of my troops?


 
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