Rabshakeh

Portrait of Rabshakeh

Rabshakeh was the title of a senior Assyrian military officer sent by King Sennacherib to demand the surrender of Jerusalem during Hezekiah's reign. Standing before the city wall, he delivered a taunting speech in Hebrew directly to the people, mocking their trust in both Egypt and in God, boasting that no god of any nation had been able to stop Assyria's conquests, and urging the people to make peace and be resettled rather than starve under siege. Hezekiah's officials asked him to speak in Aramaic instead, so the common people on the wall would not understand and lose heart, but Rabshakeh deliberately continued in Hebrew to unsettle them further. His arrogant challenge, comparing the Lord to the powerless gods of conquered nations, set the stage for one of the Old Testament's most dramatic demonstrations of God's power when the angel of the Lord destroyed the Assyrian army overnight.

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Biography

Occupation
Assyrian military commander
Era
Divided Kingdom
Nationality
Assyrian
Old Testament Kings Assyria

Did You Know?

1

'Rabshakeh' is not a name but an Assyrian title - 'chief cupbearer' - which is why the Bible never gives him a personal name.

2

He delivered his taunts in fluent Hebrew, deliberately bypassing the officials to demoralize the people on the wall - psychological warfare, recorded verbatim.

3

Sennacherib's own prism boasts of shutting Hezekiah up 'like a caged bird' in Jerusalem - but conspicuously never claims to have taken the city.

Key Chapters

2 Kings 18 Hezekiah King of Judah 7 min read Rabshakeh's rhetoric is designed to sever the people's confidence in both politi...

Key Passages

Rabshakeh's Taunting Speech

2 Kings 18:19-25

Rabshakeh's rhetoric is designed to sever the people's confidence in both political alliance and divine protection at once.

A19nd Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

20 Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? 21 Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. 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? 23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. 24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my masterโ€™s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25 Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

Read full chapter: 2 Kings 18 โ†’

Rabshakeh Speaks to the People Directly

2 Kings 18:28-35

By comparing the Lord to conquered nations' powerless gods, Rabshakeh unknowingly sets up the very confrontation God is about to win decisively.

T28hen Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jewsโ€™ language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:

29 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: 30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern: 32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. 33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? 35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

Read full chapter: 2 Kings 18 โ†’

Explore Related

Characters

Hezekiah Hezekiah served as a righteous king of Judah in the late eighth century BC, following the Assyrian conquestโ€ฆ Sennacherib Sennacherib was the powerful king of Assyria who invaded Judah in Hezekiah's day, capturing its fortifiedโ€ฆ

Places

Jerusalem Jerusalem stands as the ancient capital of Israel and holds profound religious importance as a holy cityโ€ฆ Assyria Throughout the Old Testament, Assyria stands as a mighty empire that God wielded as a rod of correctionโ€ฆ

Themes

Sovereignty of God The Lord reigns. From Joseph's slavery to Daniel's lions' den, Scripture reveals a God who works all thingsโ€ฆ