II Kings 18 Commentary
Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did.
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.
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.
For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.
And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house.
At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab–shakeh 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.
And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
And Rab–shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
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?
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.
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?
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.
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
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.
Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab–shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
But Rab–shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
Then Rab–shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
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.
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:
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.
Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
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?
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?
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab–shakeh.
II Kings 18 recounts the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and the Assyrian invasion led by Sennacherib. This chapter highlights Hezekiah's righteous reforms and his initial response to Assyrian aggression, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation and divine intervention.
Hezekiah's Righteous Reign (II Kings 18:1-8)
II Kings 18:1-3 introduces Hezekiah, a king who stands in stark contrast to his wicked father, Ahaz. While Judah would eventually succumb to judgment, Hezekiah's reign provided a period of blessing. He is commended for doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, following the example of his ancestor David. This rare praise underscores the significance of his reign as a time of spiritual renewal.
Hezekiah's commitment to God was demonstrated by his active removal of idolatrous practices (II Kings 18:4-6). He destroyed the high places, forbidden centers of worship, and cut down the Asherah poles. Perhaps most striking was his destruction of the bronze snake, called Nehushtan, that Moses had made centuries earlier (Numbers 21:8-9). This object, once a symbol of God's deliverance, had become an idol. Hezekiah recognized that even objects with a sacred history can become hindrances to true worship if they become objects of veneration themselves. His actions set him apart as a king exceptionally faithful to God's commands. The book of II Chronicles 29-31 provides further details regarding his spiritual reforms.
After the accounts of unfaithful and vile kings, Hezekiah's reign is a breath of fresh air (II Kings 18:7-8). Because Hezekiah honored God, the Lord was with him, bringing prosperity to all his endeavors. Hezekiah demonstrated his faith by rebelling against the king of Assyria and defeating the Philistines. His trust in God as his source of deliverance led to success in his endeavors.
The Fall of the Northern Kingdom (II Kings 18:9-12)
II Kings 18:9-12 briefly revisits the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel and the deportation of its inhabitants, events that occurred during Hezekiah's reign. This serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and sets the stage for the threat Judah now faces. The fall of Israel was a direct result of their persistent idolatry and rejection of God's covenant.
Sennacherib's Invasion and Hezekiah's Response (II Kings 18:13-16)
The narrative in II Kings 18:13-20:19 closely parallels Isaiah 36:1-39:8, offering a dual perspective on these critical events. Sennacherib, the Assyrian king and successor to Shalmaneser, attacked and captured the fortified cities of Judah (II Kings 18:13), leaving only Jerusalem standing.
Faced with this overwhelming force, Hezekiah initially attempted to appease Sennacherib by offering a ransom (II Kings 18:14). He admitted his wrongdoing and sought to save his people from the fate of Israel. The demanded tribute was immense, requiring Hezekiah to deplete the royal treasury and even strip gold from the temple (II Kings 18:15-16). This act reveals Hezekiah's initial reliance on earthly solutions rather than solely trusting in God. However, this was not the end of the story. God would use the Assyrian threat to test Hezekiah's faith and demonstrate His power to His people.
The Assyrian Demand for Surrender (II Kings 18:17-37)
Despite receiving the ransom, Sennacherib sent a delegation and a large army to Jerusalem, demanding unconditional surrender (II Kings 18:17-18). The Assyrian king's representatives sought to intimidate the people of Jerusalem into submission.
Sennacherib's royal spokesman presented a compelling, albeit deceitful, argument for surrender (II Kings 18:19-25). He argued that Egypt was a useless ally (II Kings 18:21), that the people of Judah had angered their God by destroying the high places (II Kings 18:22), and that Judah's army was too weak to resist the Assyrian forces (II Kings 18:24). The spokesman even blasphemously claimed that the Lord had commanded him to attack and destroy Judah (II Kings 18:25), attempting to undermine the people's faith in God's protection. This psychological warfare was designed to demoralize the inhabitants of Jerusalem and break their will to resist.
Hezekiah's officials requested that the negotiations be conducted in Aramaic to prevent the people on the wall from understanding the Assyrian threats (II Kings 18:26). However, the Assyrian spokesman refused, instead shouting his demands in Hebrew to maximize the impact of his intimidation tactics (II Kings 18:27). He warned the people not to trust Hezekiah's promises of divine deliverance (II Kings 18:30), seeking to sow doubt and division among the population.
The Assyrian spokesman offered the people peace and prosperity in exchange for surrender, promising them a life of ease in a new land (II Kings 18:31-32). This tactic mirrors the temptations offered by Satan, which often appear appealing but ultimately lead to destruction. Just as sin never delivers on its promises, the Assyrian's offer was a deceptive attempt to lure the people away from their loyalty to God and their king.
The speech concluded with a series of rhetorical questions, challenging the people to name a god who had been able to rescue their nation from the power of Assyria (II Kings 18:33-35). The implication was clear: if other gods had failed, so too would the Lord fail to protect Jerusalem. This direct challenge to God's power and sovereignty was a calculated attempt to break the spirit of the people.
Hezekiah's officials, overwhelmed and distressed by the Assyrian threats, returned to the king with their clothes torn (II Kings 18:37). This act of mourning and grief signifies the gravity of the situation and sets the stage for Hezekiah's response in the following chapter, where he turns to God in prayer and seeks divine intervention.
Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did.
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.
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.
For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.
And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house.
At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab–shakeh 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.
And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
And Rab–shakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
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?
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.
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?
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.
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
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.
Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab–shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
But Rab–shakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
Then Rab–shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
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.
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:
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.
Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
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?
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?
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab–shakeh.
II Kings 18 recounts the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and the Assyrian invasion led by Sennacherib. This chapter highlights Hezekiah's righteous reforms and his initial response to Assyrian aggression, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation and divine intervention.
Hezekiah's Righteous Reign (II Kings 18:1-8)
II Kings 18:1-3 introduces Hezekiah, a king who stands in stark contrast to his wicked father, Ahaz. While Judah would eventually succumb to judgment, Hezekiah's reign provided a period of blessing. He is commended for doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, following the example of his ancestor David. This rare praise underscores the significance of his reign as a time of spiritual renewal.
Hezekiah's commitment to God was demonstrated by his active removal of idolatrous practices (II Kings 18:4-6). He destroyed the high places, forbidden centers of worship, and cut down the Asherah poles. Perhaps most striking was his destruction of the bronze snake, called Nehushtan, that Moses had made centuries earlier (Numbers 21:8-9). This object, once a symbol of God's deliverance, had become an idol. Hezekiah recognized that even objects with a sacred history can become hindrances to true worship if they become objects of veneration themselves. His actions set him apart as a king exceptionally faithful to God's commands. The book of II Chronicles 29-31 provides further details regarding his spiritual reforms.
After the accounts of unfaithful and vile kings, Hezekiah's reign is a breath of fresh air (II Kings 18:7-8). Because Hezekiah honored God, the Lord was with him, bringing prosperity to all his endeavors. Hezekiah demonstrated his faith by rebelling against the king of Assyria and defeating the Philistines. His trust in God as his source of deliverance led to success in his endeavors.
The Fall of the Northern Kingdom (II Kings 18:9-12)
II Kings 18:9-12 briefly revisits the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel and the deportation of its inhabitants, events that occurred during Hezekiah's reign. This serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and sets the stage for the threat Judah now faces. The fall of Israel was a direct result of their persistent idolatry and rejection of God's covenant.
Sennacherib's Invasion and Hezekiah's Response (II Kings 18:13-16)
The narrative in II Kings 18:13-20:19 closely parallels Isaiah 36:1-39:8, offering a dual perspective on these critical events. Sennacherib, the Assyrian king and successor to Shalmaneser, attacked and captured the fortified cities of Judah (II Kings 18:13), leaving only Jerusalem standing.
Faced with this overwhelming force, Hezekiah initially attempted to appease Sennacherib by offering a ransom (II Kings 18:14). He admitted his wrongdoing and sought to save his people from the fate of Israel. The demanded tribute was immense, requiring Hezekiah to deplete the royal treasury and even strip gold from the temple (II Kings 18:15-16). This act reveals Hezekiah's initial reliance on earthly solutions rather than solely trusting in God. However, this was not the end of the story. God would use the Assyrian threat to test Hezekiah's faith and demonstrate His power to His people.
The Assyrian Demand for Surrender (II Kings 18:17-37)
Despite receiving the ransom, Sennacherib sent a delegation and a large army to Jerusalem, demanding unconditional surrender (II Kings 18:17-18). The Assyrian king's representatives sought to intimidate the people of Jerusalem into submission.
Sennacherib's royal spokesman presented a compelling, albeit deceitful, argument for surrender (II Kings 18:19-25). He argued that Egypt was a useless ally (II Kings 18:21), that the people of Judah had angered their God by destroying the high places (II Kings 18:22), and that Judah's army was too weak to resist the Assyrian forces (II Kings 18:24). The spokesman even blasphemously claimed that the Lord had commanded him to attack and destroy Judah (II Kings 18:25), attempting to undermine the people's faith in God's protection. This psychological warfare was designed to demoralize the inhabitants of Jerusalem and break their will to resist.
Hezekiah's officials requested that the negotiations be conducted in Aramaic to prevent the people on the wall from understanding the Assyrian threats (II Kings 18:26). However, the Assyrian spokesman refused, instead shouting his demands in Hebrew to maximize the impact of his intimidation tactics (II Kings 18:27). He warned the people not to trust Hezekiah's promises of divine deliverance (II Kings 18:30), seeking to sow doubt and division among the population.
The Assyrian spokesman offered the people peace and prosperity in exchange for surrender, promising them a life of ease in a new land (II Kings 18:31-32). This tactic mirrors the temptations offered by Satan, which often appear appealing but ultimately lead to destruction. Just as sin never delivers on its promises, the Assyrian's offer was a deceptive attempt to lure the people away from their loyalty to God and their king.
The speech concluded with a series of rhetorical questions, challenging the people to name a god who had been able to rescue their nation from the power of Assyria (II Kings 18:33-35). The implication was clear: if other gods had failed, so too would the Lord fail to protect Jerusalem. This direct challenge to God's power and sovereignty was a calculated attempt to break the spirit of the people.
Hezekiah's officials, overwhelmed and distressed by the Assyrian threats, returned to the king with their clothes torn (II Kings 18:37). This act of mourning and grief signifies the gravity of the situation and sets the stage for Hezekiah's response in the following chapter, where he turns to God in prayer and seeks divine intervention.