2 Kings 18:29

Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:

Thus saith {H559} the king {H4428}, Let not Hezekiah {H2396} deceive {H5377} you: for he shall not be able {H3201} to deliver {H5337} you out of his hand {H3027}:

This is what the king says: 'Don't let Hizkiyahu deceive you, because he won't be able to save you from the power of the king of Ashur.

This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you; he cannot deliver you from my hand.

Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand:

Commentary

2 Kings 18:29 records a crucial moment during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, where the Assyrian field commander, Rabshakeh, delivers a message from King Sennacherib of Assyria to the people of Judah. This verse, "Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:", is a direct attempt to undermine King Hezekiah's authority and the people's trust in his leadership and, by extension, in God's ability to save them.

Context

This verse is set against the backdrop of the Assyrian Empire's dominance in the ancient Near East and their invasion of Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah (c. 715-686 BC). Hezekiah had initiated significant religious reforms, cleansing the land of idolatry and restoring true worship, and had also rebelled against Assyrian tribute. In response, King Sennacherib of Assyria launched a massive campaign, conquering many fortified cities of Judah before laying siege to Jerusalem. Rabshakeh, a high-ranking Assyrian official, was sent to negotiate Jerusalem's surrender, speaking in Hebrew to be understood by the common people on the city walls. His speech, recorded in 2 Kings 18:19-35, was a masterful piece of psychological warfare, designed to sow fear, distrust, and despair among the besieged Judeans.

Key Themes

  • Propaganda and Psychological Warfare: The Assyrians used intimidation and deceit to break the morale of their enemies. Rabshakeh's message aims to convince the people that resistance is futile and that Hezekiah's promises of divine deliverance are empty.
  • Human Inability vs. Divine Power: The core of Rabshakeh's argument is that Hezekiah, a mere human king, is powerless against the might of Assyria. This sets up a dramatic contrast with the eventual miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem by God, highlighting that salvation comes not from human strength but from divine intervention.
  • Trust and Deception: Rabshakeh accuses Hezekiah of "deceiving" the people, implying that their trust in him and in God is misplaced. This attack on Hezekiah's credibility was intended to make the people surrender to Sennacherib's "hand," or power.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "deceive" is nasha' (נָשָׁא), which means to beguile, mislead, or lead astray. Rabshakeh uses this term to portray Hezekiah as untrustworthy, making false assurances of safety. The word for "deliver" is hitzil (Χ”Φ΄Χ¦Φ΄ΦΌΧ™Χœ), meaning to rescue, save, or snatch away. This emphasizes the critical need for salvation from the overwhelming Assyrian threat, a salvation that Rabshakeh insists Hezekiah cannot provide.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder of how adversity can be used to test faith and sow doubt. In our own lives, we may encounter voices or circumstances that try to "deceive" us into believing that God is unable or unwilling to "deliver" us from difficult situations. Like Hezekiah, who later prayed earnestly to the Lord, we are called to place our trust not in human leaders or our own strength, but in the sovereign power of God. The narrative following this verse demonstrates that while human ability may fail, God's faithfulness and power to save are limitless, even when circumstances seem impossible.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 32:15

    Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:4

    Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:8

    And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

  • Daniel 3:15

    Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

  • Daniel 3:17

    If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.

  • Daniel 6:16

    Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast [him] into the den of lions. [Now] the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

  • John 19:10

    Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
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