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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 2 Kings 18:17–37. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is, I. Jerusalem besieged by Sennacherib's army, Kg2 18:17. He sent three of his great generals with a great host against Jerusalem. Is this the great king, the king of Assyria? No, never call him so; he is a base, false, perfidious man, and worthy to be made infamous to all ages; let him never be named with honour that could do such a dishonourable thing as this, to take Hezekiah's money, which he gave him upon condition he should withdraw his army, and then, instead of quitting his country according to the agreement, to advance against his capital city, and not send him his money again either. Those are wicked men indeed, and, let them be ever so great, we will call them so, whose principle it is not to make their promises binding any further than is for their interest. Now Hezekiah had too much reason to repent his treaty with Sennacherib, which made him much the poorer and never the safer.
II.Hezekiah, and his princes and people, railed upon by Rabshakeh, the chief speaker of the three generals, and one that had the most satirical genius. He was no doubt instructed what to say by Sennacherib, who intended hereby to pick a new quarrel with Hezekiah. He had promised, upon the receipt of Hezekiah's money, to withdraw his army, and therefore could not for shame make a forcible attack upon Jerusalem immediately; but he sent Rabshakeh to persuade Hezekiah to surrender it, and, if he should refuse, the refusal would serve him for a pretence (and a very poor one) to besiege it, and, if it hold out, to take it by storm. Rabshakeh had the impudence to desire audience of the king himself at the conduit of the upper pool, without the walls; but Hezekiah had the prudence to decline a personal treaty, and sent three commissioners (the prime ministers of state) to hear what he had to say, but with a charge to them not to answer that fool according to his folly (Kg2 18:36), for they could not convince him, but would certainly provoke him, and Hezekiah had learned of his father David to believe that God would hear when he, as a deaf man, heard not, Psa 38:13-15. One interruption they gave him in his discourse, which was only to desire that he would speak to them now in the Syrian language, and they would consider what he said and report it to the king, and, if they did not give him a satisfactory answer, then he might appeal to the people, by speaking in the Jews' language, Kg2 18:26. This was a reasonable request, and agreeable to the custom of treaties, which is that the plenipotentiaries should settle matters between themselves before any thing be made public; but Hilkiah did not consider what an unreasonable man he had to deal with, else he would not have made this request, for it did but exasperate Rabshakeh, and make him the more rude and boisterous, Kg2 18:27. Against all the rules of decency and honour, instead of treating with the commissioners, he menaces the soldiery, persuades them to desert or mutiny, threatens if they hold out to reduce the to the last extremities of famine, and then goes on with his discourse, the scope of which is to persuade Hezekiah, and his princes and people, to surrender the city. Observe how, in order to do this,
1.He magnifies his master the king of Assyria. Once and again he calls him That great king, the king of Assyria, Kg2 18:19, Kg2 18:28. What an idol did he make of that prince whose creature he was! God is the great King, but Sennacherib was in his eye a little god, and he would possess them with the same veneration for him that he had, and thereby frighten them into a submission to him. But to those who by faith see the King of kings in his power and glory even the king of Assyria looks mean and little. What are the greatest of men when either they come to compare with God or God comes to contend with them? Psa 82:6, Psa 82:7.
2.He endeavours to make them believe that it will be much for their advantage to surrender. If they held out, they must expect no other than to eat their own dung, by reason of the want of provisions, which would be entirely cut off from them by the besiegers; but if they would capitulate, seek his favour with a present and cast themselves upon his mercy, he would give them very good treatment, Kg2 18:31. I wonder with what face Rabshakeh could speak of making an agreement with a present when his master had so lately broken the agreement Hezekiah made with him with that great present, Kg2 18:14. Can those expect to be trusted that have been so grossly perfidious? But, Ad populum phaleras - Gild the chain and the vulgar will let you bind them. He thought to soothe up all with a promise that if they would surrender upon discretion, though they must expect to be prisoners and captives, yet it would really be happy for them to be so. One would wonder he should ever think to prevail by such gross suggestions as these, but that the devil does thus impose upon sinners every day by his temptations. He will needs persuade them,
(1.)That their imprisonment would be to their advantage, for they should eat every man of his own vine (Kg2 18:31); though the property of their estates would be vested in the conquerors, yet they should have the free use of them. But he does not explain it now to them as he would afterwards, that it must be understood just as much, and just as long, as the conqueror pleases.
(2.)That their captivity would be much more to their advantage: I will take you away to a land like your own land; and what the better would they be for that, when they must have nothing in it to call their own?
3.That which he aims at especially is to convince them that it is to no purpose for them to stand it out: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? So he insults over Hezekiah, Kg2 18:19. To the people he says (Kg2 18:29), "Let not Hezekiah deceive you into your own ruin, for he shall not be able to deliver you; you must either bend or break." It were well if sinners would submit to the force of this argument, in making their peace with God - That it is therefore our wisdom to yield to him, because it is in vain to contend with him: what confidence is that which those trust in who stand it out against him? Are we stronger than he? Or what shall we get by setting briars and thorns before a consuming fire? But Hezekiah was not so helpless and defenceless as Rabshakeh would here represent him. Three things he supposes Hezekiah might trust to, and he endeavours to make out the insufficiency of these: - (1.) His own military preparations: Thou sayest, I have counsel and strength for the war; and we find that so he had, Ch2 32:3. But this Rabshakeh turns off with a slight: "They are but vain words; thou art an unequal match for us," Kg2 18:20. With the greatest haughtiness and disdain imaginable, he challenges him to produce 2000 men of all his people that know how to manage a horse, and will venture to give him 2000 horses if he can. He falsely insinuates that Hezekiah has no men, or none fit to be soldiers, Kg2 18:23. Thus he thinks to run him down with confidence and banter, and will lay him any wager that one captain of the least of his master's servants is able to baffle him and all his forces. (2.) His alliance with Egypt. He supposes that Hezekiah trusts to Egypt for chariots and horsemen (Kg2 18:24), because the king of Israel had done so, and of this confidence he truly says, It is a broken reed (Kg2 18:21), it will not only fail a man when he leans on it and expects it to bear his weight, but it will run into his hand and pierce it, and rend his shoulder, as the prophet further illustrates this similitude, with application to Egypt, Eze 29:6, Eze 29:7. So is the king of Egypt, says he; and truly so had the king of Assyria been to Ahaz, who trusted in him, but he distressed him, and strengthened him not, Ch2 28:20. Those that trust to any arm of flesh will find it no better than a broken reed; but God is the rock of ages. (3.) His interest in God and relation to him. This was indeed the confidence in which Hezekiah trusts, Kg2 18:22. He supported himself by depending on the power and promise of God; with this he encouraged himself and his people (Kg2 18:30): The Lord will surely deliver us, and again Kg2 18:32. This Rabshakeh was sensible was their great stay, and therefore he was most large in his endeavours to shake this, as David's enemies, who used all the arts they had to drive him from his confidence in God (Psa 3:2; Psa 11:1), and thus did Christ's enemies, Mat 27:43. Three things Rabshakeh suggested to discourage their confidence in God, and they were all false: - [1.] That Hezekiah had forfeited God's protection, and thrown himself out of it, by destroying the high places and the altars, Kg2 18:22. Here he measures the God of Israel by the gods of the heathen, who delighted in the multitude of altars and temples, and concludes that Hezekiah has given a great offence to the God of Israel, in confining his people to one altar: thus is one of the best deeds he ever did in his life misconstrued as impious and profane, by one that did not, or would not, know the law of the God of Israel. If that be represented by ignorant and malicious men as evil and a provocation to God which is really good and pleasing to him, we must not think it strange. If this was to be sacrilegious, Hezekiah would ever be so. [2.] That God had given orders for the destruction of Jerusalem at this time (Kg2 18:25): Have I now come up without the Lord? This is all banter and rhodomontade. He did not himself think he had any commission from God to do what he did (by whom should he have it?) but he made this pretence to amuse and terrify the people that were on the wall. If he had any colour at all for what he said, it might be taken from the notice which perhaps he had had, by the writings of the prophets, of the hand of God in the destruction of the ten tribes, and he thought he had as good a warrant for the seizing of Jerusalem as of Samaria. Many that have fought against God have pretended commissions from him. [3.] That if Jehovah, the God of Israel, should undertake to protect them from the king of Assyria, yet he was notable to do it. With this blasphemy he concluded his speech (Kg2 18:33-35), comparing the God of Israel with the gods of the nations whom he had conquered and putting him upon the level with them, and concluding that because they could not defend and deliver their worshippers the God of Israel could not defend and deliver his. See here, First, His pride. When he conquered a city he reckoned himself to have conquered its gods, and valued himself mightily upon it. His high opinion of the idols made him have a high opinion of himself as too hard for them. Secondly, His profaneness. The God of Israel was not a local deity, but the God of the whole earth, the only living and true God, the ancient of days, and had often proved himself to be above all gods; yet he makes no more of him than of the upstart fictitious gods of Hamath and Arpad, unfairly arguing that the gods (as some now say the priests) of all religions are the same, and himself above them all. The tradition of the Jews is that Rabshakeh was an apostate Jew, which made him so ready in the Jews' language; if so, his ignorance of the God of Israel was the less excusable and his enmity the less strange, for apostates are commonly the most bitter and spiteful enemies, witness Julian. A great deal of art and management, it must be owned, there were in this speech of Rabshakeh, but, withal, a great deal of pride, malice, falsehood, and blasphemy. One grain of sincerity would have been worth all this wit and rhetoric.
Lastly, We are told what the commissioners on Hezekiah's part did. 1. They held their peace, not for want of something to say both on God's behalf and Hezekiah's: they might easily and justly have upbraided him with his master's treachery and breach of faith, and have asked him, What religion encourages you to hope that such conduct will prosper? At least they might have given that grave hint which Ahab gave to Benhadad's like insolent demands - Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast as though he had put it off. But the king had commanded them not to answer him, and they observed their instructions. There is a time to keep silence, as well as a time to speak, and there are those to whom to offer any thing religious or rational is to cast pearls before swine. What can be said to a madman? It is probable that their silence made Rabshakeh yet more proud and secure, and so his heart was lifted up and hardened to his destruction. 2. They rent their clothes in detestation of his blasphemy and in grief for the despised afflicted condition of Jerusalem, the reproach of which was a burden to them. 3. They faithfully reported the matter to the king, their master, and told him the words of Rabshakeh, that he might consider what was to be done, what course they should take and what answer they should return to Rabshakeh's summons.
Historical interpretation
Four Centuries of Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
As I have already said, Sennacherib is a type of the devil, and this hypothesis is perfectly confirmed by the words that in this passage the Rabshakeh boastfully speaks against God when he makes false promises to the people, trying to take away from [God] the praise of his supreme power and giving assurance of a land of fertile soil and abundant crops in order to persuade them to abandon the region given to them by God and to move to the new dwelling places promised by the Assyrian. With a very similar artifice the accomplices and envoys of the devil endeavor to seduce a simple soul. And for this reason, in the first place, they try to uproot all the opinions that are inspired by divine providence.
"Where is the god of Hemath and Arphad? Where is the god of Sepharvaim?" [2 Kings 18:34] Rabsheh said this among other things with which he blasphemed God, crying out against Jerusalem: Where is the god of Hemath and Arphad? Where is the god of Sepharvaim, Ana and Ava? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? He showed that the Samaritans served the gods of all these cities or nations, and that they were not gods but idols, rightly subverted as those who worshipped vanity deserved. Hemath is a city of Coele-Syria, which is now called Epiphania, near Emesa, as we previously noted; Arphad is a city of Damascus, which Jerome also writes was conquered by the king of Assyria (Jeremiah 40). Sepharvaim, in the plural, means books or letters, is the name of places from which the Assyrians who were moved settled in Samaria, as we find in the Books of Places. In Isaiah, however, this term also appears to be a city name, where it is clearly said: Where is the god of the city of Sepharvaim? (Isaiah 37). Although it is said in the plural, like Thebes or Athens. For Ana and Ava, the old edition placed the name Aneugava as if it were one city, and indeed it is written so in Hebrew; but since the syllable u in the middle of the name signifies a conjunction, it may also be distinguished as Ana and Gava, as Aquila translated; or Ana and Ava, as our translator rendered.
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Summary
In 2 Kings 18:34, the Assyrian Rabshakeh, chief envoy of King Sennacherib, unleashes a contemptuous and blasphemous taunt against the besieged people of Jerusalem. Through a series of cutting rhetorical questions, he challenges the unique power and sovereignty of Yahweh, the God of Israel, by equating Him with the demonstrably impotent deities of various conquered cities—Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah. The climax of his argument is the undeniable historical fact that Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, had already fallen to Assyrian might, thereby implying that Jerusalem's God was no different from these failed gods and equally incapable of delivering His people from Assyria's grasp.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is deeply embedded within the dramatic narrative of Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC, specifically as a pivotal part of the Rabshakeh's extended, demoralizing speech delivered to King Hezekiah's officials and the people gathered on the city wall (2 Kings 18:17-37). The speech is a masterful exercise in psychological warfare, meticulously crafted to erode the morale of the besieged inhabitants and coerce them into surrendering without a fight. The Rabshakeh systematically attempts to undermine Hezekiah's leadership, dismiss any potential Egyptian alliance, and, most critically, to ridicule Hezekiah's call for unwavering trust in the Lord. Verse 34 serves as the devastating culmination of his argument, where he directly challenges Yahweh's power by citing a litany of fallen cities and their failed gods, culminating in the pointed, inescapable example of Samaria, which had already succumbed to Assyria decades earlier. This sets the urgent and desperate stage for Hezekiah's humble prayer and God's miraculous intervention detailed in the subsequent chapter.
Historical & Cultural Context
The events chronicled in 2 Kings 18-19 occurred during the tumultuous reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, who faced the existential threat posed by the formidable Neo-Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib. Assyria was the preeminent superpower of the ancient Near East, renowned for its brutal military campaigns, sophisticated siege warfare, and a deliberate policy of mass deportation designed to prevent future rebellions. In the prevailing Assyrian worldview, a nation's god was inextricably linked to its land and people; thus, the conquest of a city implicitly signified the defeat and subjugation of its patron deity. The cities enumerated by the Rabshakeh—Hamath and Arpad (located in Syria), and Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah (likely situated in Mesopotamia or northern Syria)—were all once powerful city-states that had indeed fallen to Assyrian might. The fall of Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, in 722 BC (as vividly detailed in 2 Kings 17), was a relatively recent and profoundly devastating event for the Israelites, serving as a potent, undeniable historical precedent that the Rabshakeh expertly leveraged to instill fear and despair in Jerusalem.
Key Themes
The Rabshakeh's taunt in this verse powerfully illuminates several crucial themes within the book of 2 Kings and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores The Futility of Idolatry, starkly demonstrating the absolute powerlessness of pagan deities to protect their worshippers or their lands against a superior earthly force. This stands in profound contrast to the unique, incomparable power of Yahweh. Secondly, it exemplifies Assyrian Arrogance and Blasphemy, as Sennacherib, through his envoy, displays immense pride and a fundamental misunderstanding of the God of Israel, presumptuously equating Him with the limited, regional gods of other nations. This direct challenge to God's sovereignty sets the stage for divine vindication. Thirdly, the speech represents a severe Challenge to Faith for King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. They are forced to confront the Rabshakeh's cynical logic and choose whether to succumb to fear and despair or to hold fast to the promise of God's unique protection, a choice that reverberates throughout the narrative of 2 Kings 19.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This plural form (H430) refers specifically to the pagan deities worshipped by the various conquered nations. The Rabshakeh's repeated use of "gods" emphasizes their multiplicity, localized nature, and perceived vulnerability. He attempts to categorize Yahweh among these impotent idols, implying that God is merely one among many, each tied to a specific territory and susceptible to a stronger power. This stands in stark contrast to the singular, universal, and incomparable nature of Yahweh, the one true God.
Derived from the primitive root (H5337) meaning "to snatch away," "to rescue," or "to deliver." The rhetorical question "have they delivered...?" highlights the complete failure of these deities to provide salvation or protection for their cities and people from the Assyrian onslaught. The Rabshakeh's point is that if these gods, presumably powerful in their own domains, could not rescue their cities from his hand, then Yahweh, in his arrogant view, would be equally incapable of delivering Jerusalem.
This primitive word (H3027) refers to the open hand, often indicating power, means, or dominion. In this context, "out of mine hand" signifies the Rabshakeh's (and by extension, Sennacherib's) complete control, authority, and military might. It implies that once a city or people falls into Assyrian "hands," there is no escape, and no deity, in his estimation, possesses the power to snatch them back from that dominion.
Verse Breakdown
"Where [are] the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad?"
The Rabshakeh initiates his taunt with a rhetorical question, immediately listing two prominent Syrian cities. Hamath and Arpad were significant city-states that had fallen to Assyria years prior. By questioning the whereabouts and efficacy of their gods, he establishes a pattern: these once-powerful cities, despite their own deities, could not withstand Assyrian might. This sets a chilling precedent, implying that Jerusalem's God would fare no better.
"where [are] the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?"
The litany continues, expanding the geographical scope to include cities likely in Mesopotamia or northern Syria. This further reinforces the Rabshakeh's argument that Assyria's conquests were widespread and universal, proving that no local deity, regardless of its reputation, possessed the power to deliver its people from the relentless Assyrian war machine. The cumulative effect of these names is designed to overwhelm and demoralize the listeners, suggesting an inescapable fate.
"have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?"
This is the climactic and most devastating rhetorical question. Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, had fallen to Assyria decades earlier (722 BC). This was not a foreign city but the capital of their Israelite brethren, and its fall was a direct, undeniable historical fact. By explicitly mentioning Samaria, the Rabshakeh directly challenges Yahweh's unique claim to power and protection over His own people, implying that if Yahweh could not save Samaria, He certainly could not save Jerusalem from the same fate. This served as a potent psychological blow, designed to sow doubt and despair regarding God's ability or willingness to intervene.
Literary Devices
The verse powerfully employs Rhetorical Question as its primary literary device. Each clause is framed as a question demanding no verbal answer, but rather a tacit admission of the impotence of the listed gods. This technique is designed to create a sense of inevitability and despair in the listeners. The repeated "Where are...?" followed by a list of conquered cities also utilizes Litany and a form of Anaphora, building a cumulative effect that emphasizes the vastness of Assyrian conquests and the perceived universal failure of deities. There is also a strong element of Juxtaposition, implicitly contrasting the perceived powerlessness of all other gods (including Yahweh, in the Rabshakeh's view) with the overwhelming, unstoppable might of the Assyrian Empire. Furthermore, the verse is steeped in Dramatic Irony, as the Rabshakeh's boast, intended to undermine faith in Yahweh, ultimately highlights the unique and incomparable power of the one true God, whose miraculous intervention in the very next chapter will definitively prove the Rabshakeh's assessment to be utterly false.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse, though spoken by an enemy of God, inadvertently serves as a profound theological statement about the nature of true deity. The Rabshakeh's taunt, rooted in a polytheistic worldview where gods are finite and conquerable, highlights the fundamental distinction between the pagan deities and Yahweh, the God of Israel. While the "gods" of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah indeed proved impotent against the Assyrian war machine, their failure was not due to Yahweh's weakness but to their inherent non-existence as true, sovereign powers. The fall of Samaria, though used as a taunt, was itself a testament to Yahweh's justice and sovereignty, as He had used Assyria as an instrument of judgment against His disobedient people, not because He was defeated, but because He was working His divine purpose. The passage thus sets the stage for God to demonstrate His unique, incomparable power, proving that He is not merely a regional deity, but the Lord of all creation, whose plans cannot be thwarted by human arrogance or military might.
Reflection and Application
The Rabshakeh's taunt, though ancient, resonates powerfully in the modern world. We may not face literal armies at our gates, but we are constantly bombarded with "Rabshakehs"—voices and ideologies that challenge our faith, question God's power, and tempt us to place our trust in other "gods." These can be the gods of materialism, self-sufficiency, political power, scientific achievement, or even our own intellect and control. When faced with overwhelming circumstances, personal crises, or societal pressures, it is easy to succumb to cynicism and doubt, just as the people of Jerusalem were tempted to believe that their God was no different from the fallen deities of other nations. This passage serves as a vital reminder that true security and deliverance come only from the Lord, not from any created thing or human endeavor. It calls us to discern the false promises of the world, to resist the urge to compare God to anything or anyone else, and to remember that His power is unique and transcends all earthly limitations. Our response, like Hezekiah's, should be to turn to God in prayer and humble reliance, trusting that He alone is capable of delivering us from what seems impossible.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Samaria's fall truly a sign of Yahweh's weakness, as the Rabshakeh implied?
No, quite the opposite. The Rabshakeh's understanding of God was limited by his polytheistic worldview, where a god's power was tied to its people's military success. However, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that Samaria's fall was not due to Yahweh's weakness but was a direct consequence of the northern kingdom of Israel's persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. God had repeatedly warned His people through prophets about the consequences of their disobedience. He used Assyria as an instrument of His righteous judgment, demonstrating His sovereignty even over powerful empires, rather than proving His impotence. This is clearly explained in 2 Kings 17:7-23, which details the reasons for Israel's exile and God's just hand in their dispersion.
Why did Rabshakeh list these specific cities?
The Rabshakeh strategically listed cities that were well-known and had recently fallen to Assyrian might. Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah were prominent city-states in Syria and Mesopotamia, all of which had succumbed to Assyrian power. By citing these examples, he provided what he considered irrefutable "proof" of Assyria's military and divine superiority. The cumulative effect of these names, culminating in the mention of Samaria, was intended to project an image of unstoppable power and to instill fear and despair, convincing Jerusalem that resistance was futile and their God was no different from the failed deities of these conquered lands. He sought to undermine their faith through historical precedent.
How does King Hezekiah respond to this taunt and challenge to God's power?
King Hezekiah's response is a model of faithful leadership in crisis. Instead of surrendering or despairing, he immediately tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord to pray. He then sent his officials to the prophet Isaiah, seeking God's word and intervention, acknowledging that the taunt was ultimately against the living God. This humble and faith-filled response, detailed in 2 Kings 19:1-7, stands in stark contrast to the Rabshakeh's humanistic arrogance and sets the stage for God's miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The Rabshakeh's taunt in 2 Kings 18:34, though directed at Yahweh in the Old Testament, finds its ultimate and definitive answer in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Assyrian official's challenge—"have they delivered... out of mine hand?"—is a question about ultimate power and deliverance from an overwhelming force. In the New Testament, we see that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus (Matthew 28:18). Unlike the impotent gods of Hamath or Arpad, or any human power, Christ truly "delivered" humanity from the hand of sin, death, and the devil. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and through His crucifixion and resurrection, He disarmed the spiritual powers and authorities, triumphing over them (Colossians 2:15). The Rabshakeh's boast was rooted in the temporary might of an earthly empire, but Christ's victory is eternal and universal. He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature, upholding the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). The "gods" of this world, whether idols of wood and stone or modern idols of wealth, power, or self, are ultimately powerless. Only Christ, the true God, can deliver, and it is to Him that every knee will one day bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).