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Thursday, August 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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The NET Bible®

Isaiah 37:8

When the chief adviser heard the king of Assyria had departed from Lachish, he left and went to Libnah, where the king was campaigning.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Libnah;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Sennacherib;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mediator, Mediation;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Libnah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Hezekiah;   Libnah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Lachish ;   Libnah ;   Rabshakeh ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hezekiah;   Sennacherib;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ararat;   Assyria;   Hezekiah;   Interesting facts about the bible;   Libnah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Hezekiah (2);   Lachish;   Libnah;   Rabshakeh;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the royal spokesman heard that the king of Assyria had pulled out of Lachish, he left and found him fighting against Libnah.
Hebrew Names Version
So Ravshakeh returned, and found the king of Ashshur warring against Livna; for he had heard that he was departed from Lakhish.
King James Version
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
English Standard Version
The Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.
New American Standard Bible
Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.
New Century Version
The field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish. When he went back, he found the king fighting against the city of Libnah.
Amplified Bible
So the Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah [a fortified city of Judah], for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.
World English Bible
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the King of Asshur fighting against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had set out from Lachish.
Berean Standard Bible
When the Rab-shakeh heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.
Contemporary English Version
Meanwhile the commander of the Assyrian forces heard that his king had left the town of Lachish and was now attacking Libnah. So he went there.
Complete Jewish Bible
Rav-Shakeh returned and, having heard that the king of Ashur had left Lakhish, found him making war with Livnah.
Darby Translation
And Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.
Easy-to-Read Version
The commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish. He found him at Libnah, fighting against that city.
George Lamsa Translation
So the Rab-shakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
Good News Translation
The Assyrian official learned that the emperor had left Lachish and was fighting against the nearby city of Libnah; so he went there to consult him.
Lexham English Bible
And Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that he had left from Lachish.
Literal Translation
So the chief of the cupbearers returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he had pulled up stakes from Lachish.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now when Rabsaches returned, he founde ye kinge of Assiria layenge sege to Lobna, for he had vnderstonde, that he was departed from Lachis.
American Standard Version
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
Bible in Basic English
So the Rab-shakeh went back, and when he got there the king of Assyria was making war against Libnah: for it had come to his ears that the king of Assyria had gone away from Lachish.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
King James Version (1611)
So Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for hee had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe when Rabsakeh returned, he founde the kyng of Assyria laying siege to Libnas: for he had vnderstandyng that he was departed from Lachis.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So Rabsaces returned, and found the king of the Assyrians besieging Lobna: for he had heard that he had departed from Lachis.
English Revised Version
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Rapsaces turnede ayen, and foond the kyng of Assiriens fiytynge ayens Lobna; for he hadde herd, that the kyng was gon fro Lachis.
Update Bible Version
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.
Webster's Bible Translation
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.
New King James Version
2 Kings 19:8-19">[xr] Then the Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he heard that he had departed from Lachish.
New Living Translation
Meanwhile, the Assyrian chief of staff left Jerusalem and went to consult the king of Assyria, who had left Lachish and was attacking Libnah.
New Life Bible
Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.
New Revised Standard
The Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah; for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria, warring against Libnah, - for he had heard, that he had broken up from Lachish.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Rabsaces returned, and found the king of the Assyrians besieging Lobna. For he had heard that he was departed from Lachis.
Revised Standard Version
The Rab'shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah; for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.
Young's Literal Translation
And Rabshakeh turneth back and findeth the king of Asshur fighting against Libnah, for he hath heard that he hath journeyed from Lachish.
THE MESSAGE
The Rabshekah left and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah. (He had gotten word that the king had left Lachish.)
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.

Contextual Overview

8 When the chief adviser heard the king of Assyria had departed from Lachish, he left and went to Libnah, where the king was campaigning. 9 The king heard that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was marching out to fight him. He again sent messengers to Hezekiah, ordering them: 10 "Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this: ‘Don't let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says, "Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria." 11 Certainly you have heard how the kings of Assyria have annihilated all lands. Do you really think you will be rescued? 12 Were the nations whom my predecessors destroyed—the nations of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Telassar—rescued by their gods? 13 Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?'" 14 Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord 's temple and spread it out before the Lord . 15 Hezekiah prayed before the Lord : 16 "O Lord who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. 17 Pay attention, Lord , and hear! Open your eyes, Lord , and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Rabshakeh: 2 Kings 19:8, 2 Kings 19:9, Numbers 33:20, Numbers 33:21

Libnah: Joshua 10:29, Joshua 10:31-34, Joshua 21:13, 2 Kings 8:22, 2 Chronicles 21:10

Lachish: Joshua 12:11, Joshua 15:39

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 32:9 - Lachish Nehemiah 11:30 - Lachish Micah 1:13 - Lachish

Cross-References

Genesis 37:3
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him.
Genesis 37:4
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly.
Genesis 37:6
He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had:
Genesis 37:27
Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let's not lay a hand on him, for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh." His brothers agreed.
Genesis 37:28
So when the Midianite merchants passed by, Joseph's brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites then took Joseph to Egypt.
Genesis 49:26
The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the eternal mountains or the desirable things of the age-old hills. They will be on the head of Joseph and on the brow of the prince of his brothers.
Exodus 2:14
The man replied, "Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, thinking, "Surely what I did has become known."
1 Samuel 10:27
But some wicked men said, "How can this man save us?" They despised him and did not even bring him a gift. But Saul said nothing about it.
1 Samuel 17:28
When David's oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry with David and said, "Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! You have come down here to watch the battle!"
Psalms 118:22
The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So Rabshakeh returned,.... To the king of Assyria his master, to give him an account how things went at Jerusalem, and that he could get no direct answer from the king of Judah, and to consult with him what was proper to be done in the present situation of things; leaving the army before Jerusalem, under the command of the other two generals. For that he should take the army with him does not seem reasonable, when Hezekiah and his people were in such a panic on account of it; besides, the king of Assyria's letters to Hezekiah clearly suppose the army to be still at Jerusalem, or his menacing letters would have signified nothing; and after this the destruction of the Assyrian army before Jerusalem is related:

and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; a city in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 10:29, and lay nearer to Jerusalem than Lachish, where Rabshakeh left him; so that he seemed to be drawing his army towards that city, on which his heart was set. Josephus u makes him to be at this time besieging Pelusium, a city in Egypt, but wrongly; which has led some into a mistake that Libnah and Pelusium are the same:

for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish; where he was, when he sent him to Jerusalem, Isaiah 36:2, having very probably taken it.

u Antiqu. l. 10. c. 1. sect. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So Rabshakeh returned - Returned from Jerusalem to the camp of his master. He had received no answer to his insulting message Isaiah 36:21; he saw there was no prospect that the city would surrender; and he therefore returned again to the camp.

And found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah - He had departed from Lachish. Why he had done this is unknown. It is possible that he had taken it, though this is not recorded anywhere in history. Or it is possible that he had found it impracticable to subdue it as speedily as he had desired; and had withdrawn from it for the purpose of subduing other places that would offer a more feeble resistance. Libnah was a city in the south of Judah Joshua 15:42, given to the priests, and declared a city of refuge 1Ch 6:54, 1 Chronicles 6:57. Eusebius and Jerome say it was in the district of Eleutheropolis (Calmet). It was about ten miles to the northwest of Lachish. This city was taken by Joshua, and all its inhabitants put to the sword After taking this. Joshua next assaulted and took Lachish Joshua 10:29-32.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 37:8. Rabshakeh returned — From Isaiah 36:2, we learn that the king of Assyria had sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem; now it is likely that Rabshakeh had besieged that place, and that the king of Assyria had taken his station before this city, and despatched Rabshakeh against Jerusalem. But, as in the verse above it is said, "he had departed from Lachish," probably he had been obliged to raise the siege, and sat down before Libnah, which promised an easier conquest.


 
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