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Selected Verse: 2 Kings 18:17 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
2Ki 18:17 |
Strong Concordance |
And the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] sent [07971] Tartan [08661] and Rabsaris [07249] and Rabshakeh [07262] from Lachish [03923] to king [04428] Hezekiah [02396] with a great [03515] host [02426] against Jerusalem [03389]. And they went up [05927] and came [0935] to Jerusalem [03389]. And when they were come up [05927], they came [0935] and stood [05975] by the conduit [08585] of the upper [05945] pool [01295], which is in the highway [04546] of the fuller's [03526] field [07704]. |
|
King James |
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
SENNACHERIB BESIEGES JERUSALEM. (2Ki. 18:17-37)
king of Assyria sent Tartan--general (Isa 20:1).
Rab-saris--chief of the eunuchs.
Rab-shakeh--chief cupbearer. These were the great officers employed in delivering Sennacherib's insulting message to Hezekiah. On the walls of the palace of Sennacherib, at Khorsabad, certain figures have been identified with the officers of that sovereign mentioned in Scripture. In particular, the figures, Rab-shakeh, Rab-saris, and Tartan, appear as full-length portraits of the persons holding those offices in the reign of Sennacherib. Probably they represent the very individuals sent on this embassy.
with a great host to Jerusalem--Engaged in a campaign of three years in Egypt, Sennacherib was forced by the king of Ethiopia to retreat, and discharging his rage against Jerusalem, he sent an immense army to summon it to surrender. (See on Ch2 32:30).
the conduit of the upper pool--the conduit which went from the reservoir of the Upper Gihon (Birket et Mamilla) to the lower pool, the Birket es Sultan.
the highway of the fuller's field--the public road which passed by that district, which had been assigned them for carrying on their business without the city, on account of the unpleasant smell [KEIL]. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
An interval of time must be placed between this verse and the last. Sennacherib, content with his successes, had returned to Nineveh with his spoil and his numerous captives. Hezekiah, left to himself, repented of his submission, and commenced negotiations with Egypt Kg2 18:21, Kg2 18:24; Isa 30:2-6; Isa 31:1, which implied treason against his Assyrian suzerain. It was under these circumstances that Sennacherib appears to have made his second expedition into Palestine very soon after the first. Following the usual coast route he passed through Philistia on his way to Egypt, leaving Jerusalem on one side, despising so irony a state, and knowing that the submission of Egypt would involve that of her hangers-on. While, however, he was besieging Lachish on his way to encounter his main enemy, he determined to try the temper of the Jews by means of an embassy, which he accordingly sent.
Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh - None of these are proper names. "Tartan" was the ordinary title of an Assyrian general; "Rab-saris" is "chief eunuch," always a high officer of the Assyrian court; Rab-shakeh is probably "chief cup-bearer."
By the conduit of the upper pool - Possibly a conduit on the north side of the city near the "camp of the Assyrians." The spot was the same as that on which Isaiah had met Ahaz Isa 7:3. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Sent - Having received the money, upon which he agreed to depart from Hezekiah and his land, he breaks his faith with Hezekiah, thereby justifying his revolt, and preparing the way for his own destruction. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
The king of Assyria sent Tartan, etc. - Calmet has very justly remarked that these are not the names of persons, but of offices. Tartan, תרתן tartan or tantan, as in the parallel place in Isaiah, in the Greek version, signifies he who presides over the gifts or tribute; chancellor of the exchequer.
Rabsaris - רב סריס, the chief of the eunuchs. Rab-shakeh, רב שקה master or chief over the wine cellar; or he who had the care of the king's drink.
From Lachish - It seems as if the Assyrian troops had been worsted before Lachish, and were obliged to raise the siege, from which they went and sat down before Libnah. While Sennacherib was there with the Assyrian army, he heard that Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, had invaded the Assyrian territories. Being obliged therefore to hasten, in order to succor his own dominions, he sent a considerable force under the aforementioned officers against Jerusalem, with a most fearful and bloody manifesto, commanding Hezekiah to pay him tribute, to deliver up his kingdom to him, and to submit, he and his people, to be carried away captives into Assyria! This manifesto was accompanied with the vilest insults, and the highest blasphemies. God interposed and the evils threatened against others fell upon himself.
Manifestoes of this kind have seldom been honorable to the senders. The conduct of Rab-shakeh was unfortunately copied by the Duke of Brunswick, commander-in-chief of the allied army of the center, in the French revolution, who was then in the plains of Champagne, August 27, 1792, at the head of ninety thousand men, Prussians, Austrians, and emigrants, on his way to Paris, which in his manifesto he threatened to reduce to ashes! This was the cause of the dreadful massacres which immediately took place. And shortly after this time the blast of God fell upon him, for in Sept. 20 of the same year, (three weeks after issuing the manifesto), almost all his army was destroyed by a fatal disease, and himself obliged to retreat from the French territories with shame and confusion. This, and some other injudicious steps taken by the allies, were the cause of the ruin of the royal family of France, and of enormities and calamities the most extensive, disgraceful, and ruinous, that ever stained the page of history. From all such revolutions God in mercy save mankind!
Conduit of the upper pool - The aqueduct that brought the water from the upper or eastern reservoir, near to the valley of Kidron, into the city. Probably they had seized on this in order to distress the city.
The fuller's field - The place where the washermen stretched out their clothes to dry. |
30 This same Hezekiah [03169] also stopped [05640] the upper [05945] watercourse [04161] [04325] of Gihon [01521], and brought it straight [03474] down [04295] to the west side [04628] of the city [05892] of David [01732]. And Hezekiah [03169] prospered [06743] in all his works [04639].
1 In the year [08141] that Tartan [08661] came [0935] unto Ashdod [0795], (when Sargon [05623] the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] sent [07971] him,) and fought [03898] against Ashdod [0795], and took [03920] it;
3 Then said [0559] the LORD [03068] unto Isaiah [03470], Go forth [03318] now to meet [07125] Ahaz [0271], thou, and Shearjashub [07610] thy son [01121], at the end [07097] of the conduit [08585] of the upper [05945] pool [01295] in the highway [04546] of the fuller's [03526] field [07704];
1 Woe [01945] to them that go down [03381] to Egypt [04714] for help [05833]; and stay [08172] on horses [05483], and trust [0982] in chariots [07393], because they are many [07227]; and in horsemen [06571], because they are very [03966] strong [06105]; but they look [08159] not unto the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478], neither seek [01875] the LORD [03068]!
2 That walk [01980] to go down [03381] into Egypt [04714], and have not asked [07592] at my mouth [06310]; to strengthen [05810] themselves in the strength [04581] of Pharaoh [06547], and to trust [02620] in the shadow [06738] of Egypt [04714]!
3 Therefore shall the strength [04581] of Pharaoh [06547] be your shame [01322], and the trust [02622] in the shadow [06738] of Egypt [04714] your confusion [03639].
4 For his princes [08269] were at Zoan [06814], and his ambassadors [04397] came [05060] to Hanes [02609].
5 They were all ashamed [03001] of a people [05971] that could not profit [03276] them, nor be an help [05828] nor profit [03276], but a shame [01322], and also a reproach [02781].
6 The burden [04853] of the beasts [0929] of the south [05045]: into the land [0776] of trouble [06869] and anguish [06695], from whence come the young [03833] and old lion [03918], the viper [0660] and fiery [08314] flying [05774] serpent [08314], they will carry [05375] their riches [02428] upon the shoulders [03802] of young asses [05895], and their treasures [0214] upon the bunches [01707] of camels [01581], to a people [05971] that shall not profit [03276] them.
24 How then wilt thou turn away [07725] the face [06440] of one [0259] captain [06346] of the least [06996] of my master's [0113] servants [05650], and put thy trust [0982] on Egypt [04714] for chariots [07393] and for horsemen [06571]?
21 Now, behold, thou trustest [0982] upon the staff [04938] of this bruised [07533] reed [07070], even upon Egypt [04714], on which if a man [0376] lean [05564], it will go [0935] into his hand [03709], and pierce [05344] it: so is Pharaoh [06547] king [04428] of Egypt [04714] unto all that trust [0982] on him.