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THE MESSAGE

Isaiah 36:4

The Rabshekah said to them, "Tell Hezekiah that the Great King, the king of Assyria, says this: ‘What kind of backing do you think you have against me? You're bluffing and I'm calling your bluff. Your words are no match for my weapons. What kind of backup do you have now that you've rebelled against me? Egypt? Don't make me laugh. Egypt is a rubber crutch. Lean on Egypt and you'll end up flat on your face. That's all Pharaoh king of Egypt is to anyone who leans on him. And if you try to tell me, "We're leaning on our God ," isn't it a bit late? Hasn't Hezekiah just gotten rid of all the places of worship, telling you, "You've got to worship at this altar"?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Torrey's Topical Textbook - Trust;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Hezekiah;   Isaiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Confidence;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Assyria;   Isaiah;   Sennacherib;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jareb;   Rab-Shakeh;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Rabshakeh ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hezekiah;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Rabshakeh;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Assyria;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The royal spokesman said to them, “Tell Hezekiah:
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, Say 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 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?
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?
Amplified Bible
Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says, "What is [the reason for] 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 you Hezekiah, I pray you, Thus sayth the great King, the 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
The Assyrian commander 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 in which thou trustest?
Easy-to-Read Version
The commander told 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
And the Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What source of confidence is this wherein you trust?
Good News Translation
The Assyrian official told them that the emperor wanted to know what made King Hezekiah so confident.
Lexham English Bible
And Rabshakeh said to them, "Now say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: "What is this confidence in which you trust?
Literal Translation
And the chief of the cupbearers said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, The great king says this, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this in which you trust?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Rabsaches sayde vnto them: Tel Ezechias, that the greate kinge of Assiria sayeth thus vnto him: What presumpcion is this, that 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?
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 sayd vnto them; Say yee now to Hezekiah; Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria; What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Rabsakeh sayde vnto them, Tell Hezekia that the great kyng saith thus vnto hym: What presumption is this that thou trustest vnto?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Rabsaces said to them, Say to Ezekias, Thus says the great king, the king of the Assyrians, Why art thou secure?
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 Rapsases seide to hem, Seie ye to Ezechie, The greet king, the king of Assiriens, seith these thingis, What is the trist, in which thou tristist?
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 Rabshakeh said to them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence [is] this in which thou trustest?
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?
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, "Tell Hezekiah, ‘The great king, the king of Syria, says, "What is the reason for this hope 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 Rabshakeh said unto them, Pray you say unto Hezekiah, - Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What is this trust, wherewith then dost trust?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Rabsaces said to them: Tell 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?
Young's Literal Translation
And Rabshakeh saith unto them, `Say ye, I pray you, unto Hezekiah, `Thus said the great king, the king of Asshur, What [is] this confidence in which thou hast confided?
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

1In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria made war on all the fortress cities of Judah and took them. Then the king of Assyria sent his general, the "Rabshekah," accompanied by a huge army, from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah. The general stopped at the aqueduct where it empties into the upper pool on the road to the public laundry. Three men went out to meet him: Eliakim son of Hilkiah, in charge of the palace; Shebna the secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the official historian. 4The Rabshekah said to them, "Tell Hezekiah that the Great King, the king of Assyria, says this: ‘What kind of backing do you think you have against me? You're bluffing and I'm calling your bluff. Your words are no match for my weapons. What kind of backup do you have now that you've rebelled against me? Egypt? Don't make me laugh. Egypt is a rubber crutch. Lean on Egypt and you'll end up flat on your face. That's all Pharaoh king of Egypt is to anyone who leans on him. And if you try to tell me, "We're leaning on our God ," isn't it a bit late? Hasn't Hezekiah just gotten rid of all the places of worship, telling you, "You've got to worship at this altar"? 8"‘Be reasonable. Face the facts: My master the king of Assyria will give you two thousand horses if you can put riders on them. You can't do it, can you? So how do you think, depending on flimsy Egypt's chariots and riders, you can stand up against even the lowest-ranking captain in my master's army? 10 "‘And besides, do you think I came all this way to destroy this land without first getting God 's blessing? It was your God who told me, Make war on this land. Destroy it.'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Thus saith: Isaiah 10:8-14, Isaiah 37:11-15, Proverbs 16:18, Ezekiel 31:3-18, Daniel 4:30, Acts 12:22, Acts 12:23, Jude 1:16

Assyria: Assyria proper, now Kourdistan, was bounded by Armenia on the north, Media and Persia on the east, Babylonia on the south, and the Tigris, which divides it from Mesopotamia, on the west, between 33 degrees and 38 degrees n lat. and 42 degrees and 46 degrees e long. But the Assyrian empire, the bounds of which were different at different times, in its most flourishing state, according to the descriptions of the Greek and Roman writers, comprehended all the countries and nations between the Mediterranean on the west, and the Indus on the east, and between the deserts of Scythia on the north, and the Indian ocean on the south.

What: 2 Kings 18:5, 2 Kings 18:19-37, 2 Kings 19:10, 2 Chronicles 32:7-10, 2 Chronicles 32:14-16, Psalms 42:3, Psalms 42:10, Psalms 71:10, Psalms 71:11

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 32:10 - Thus saith Isaiah 36:13 - Hear Isaiah 37:10 - Let not Isaiah 37:29 - rage Jeremiah 48:14 - How Ezekiel 29:16 - the confidence Ezekiel 31:5 - his height Ezekiel 31:8 - nor any 2 Corinthians 5:6 - we are always

Cross-References

Exodus 2:18
When they got home to their father, Reuel, he said, "That didn't take long. Why are you back so soon?"
Numbers 10:29
Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We're marching to the place about which God promised, ‘I'll give it to you.' Come with us; we'll treat you well. God has promised good things for Israel."
Job 2:11
Three of Job's friends heard of all the trouble that had fallen on him. Each traveled from his own country—Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuhah, Zophar from Naamath—and went together to Job to keep him company and comfort him. When they first caught sight of him, they couldn't believe what they saw—they hardly recognized him! They cried out in lament, ripped their robes, and dumped dirt on their heads as a sign of their grief. Then they sat with him on the ground. Seven days and nights they sat there without saying a word. They could see how rotten he felt, how deeply he was suffering.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Rabshakeh said unto them,.... The three ministers above mentioned:

say ye now to Hezekiah; tell him what follows; he does not call him king, as he does his own master:

thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria; this he said boastingly of his master, and in order to terrify Hezekiah and his subjects; whom he would represent as little in comparison of him, who had subdued many kingdoms, and aimed at universal monarchy; so the eastern kings used to be called, as now the Grand Signior with the Turks, and the French call their king the great monarch; but the title of a great king suits best with God himself, Psalms 95:3:

what confidence is this wherein thou trustest? meaning, what was the ground and foundation of his confidence? what was it that kept him in high spirits, that he did not at once submit to the king of Assyria, and surrender the city of Jerusalem to him?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What confidence - What is the ground of your confidence? on what do you trust? The appellation ‘great king’ was the customary title of the kings of the Persians and Assyrians.


 
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