2 Kings 18:22

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?

But if ye say {H559} unto me, We trust {H982} in the LORD {H3068} our God {H430}: is not that he, whose high places {H1116} and whose altars {H4196} Hezekiah {H2396} hath taken away {H5493}, and hath said {H559} to Judah {H3063} and Jerusalem {H3389}, Ye shall worship {H7812} before {H6440} this altar {H4196} in Jerusalem {H3389}?

But if you tell me, 'We trust in ADONAI our God,' then isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hizkiyahu has removed, telling Y'hudah and Yerushalayim, 'You must worship before this altar in Yerushalayim'?

But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is He not the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem: ‘You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?

But if ye say unto me, We trust in Jehovah our God; is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

Commentary

In 2 Kings 18:22, we hear the words of the Rabshakeh, a high-ranking official of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, addressing the people of Judah during the siege of Jerusalem. This verse is a prime example of psychological warfare, designed to undermine the morale and faith of King Hezekiah's subjects.

Historical and Cultural Context

The setting is the Assyrian invasion of Judah around 701 BC. King Hezekiah of Judah was a righteous monarch who initiated significant religious reforms, including the destruction of "high places" (bamot) and altars used for worship outside the Jerusalem Temple. These reforms were in line with the Mosaic Law's command to centralize worship at one chosen place (Deuteronomy 12:5). The Rabshakeh, knowing of these reforms, cunningly twists Hezekiah's actions. He argues that by removing these altars, Hezekiah has offended or limited the very God in whom Judah trusts, thereby weakening their divine protection.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Deception and False Accusation: The Rabshakeh's speech is a masterful piece of propaganda. He takes a righteous act—Hezekiah's purification of worship—and presents it as an act of disrespect towards God. This tactic aims to sow doubt and fear among the people, making them question their king and their God.
  • True Worship vs. Idolatry: Hezekiah's reforms were about restoring pure worship to the LORD, away from syncretistic practices or unauthorized altars. The Assyrian official attempts to blur the lines, implying that Hezekiah's actions were destructive to their relationship with God, rather than restorative.
  • Trust in the LORD: The core challenge to Judah is whether their trust in God can withstand external pressure and internal doubt. The Rabshakeh directly confronts their declaration, "We trust in the LORD our God," by implying that their God has been alienated by their own king.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "high places" (Hebrew: bamot) refers to local shrines or altars, which, throughout Israelite history, often became centers for idolatry or improper worship of the LORD alongside other deities. Hezekiah's destruction of these, as mentioned in 2 Kings 18:4, was a definitive step towards religious purity and obedience to God's law.

Practical Application

This verse offers timeless lessons for believers today:

  1. Discernment of Truth: We must be vigilant against voices that twist truth, misrepresent righteous actions, or try to sow doubt about our faith or leaders. Not every criticism is valid; some are designed to weaken our resolve.
  2. Steadfast Faith: When faced with challenges or ridicule for our obedience to God, we are called to remain firm in our trust. The enemy often tries to attack our faith at its foundation.
  3. Understanding God's Nature: God is not limited by human constructs or physical altars. True worship is "in spirit and in truth," not confined to specific locations or rituals that deviate from His commands (John 4:24). The miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem, recounted later in 2 Kings 19:35, ultimately vindicated Hezekiah's trust and God's power.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 31:1

    ¶ Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:15

    But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

  • 2 Chronicles 32:12

    Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?

  • Isaiah 36:7

    But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: [is it] not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

  • Matthew 27:43

    He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

  • 2 Kings 18:4

    He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

  • 2 Kings 18:5

    He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor [any] that were before him.
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