2 Kings 19:4
WEB
It may be Yahweh your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’”
BSB
Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”
KJV
It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H194
adv — if not
Derivation: or (shortened) אֻלַי; from 176;
if not; hence perhaps
KJV: if so be, may be, peradventure, unless.
adv — if not
אוּלַי 44 and (Gn 24:39) אֻלַי adv.
1. peradventure, perhaps; usually expressing a hope
2. followed by another clause, it expresses virtually the protasis = if peradventure
3. unless
H8085
v — hear, tell
Derivation: a primitive root;
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
KJV: × attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
vb — hear
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
1. subj. pers. hum.
2. י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42
1. be heard, of voice, sound
2. be heard of
3. be regarded, obeyed
4. = (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
1. of man
2. י׳ subj.
H3068
n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah
Derivation: from 1961;
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God
KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
n.pr.dei — God
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
II.
1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
H430
n-m — gods, God, magistrates
Derivation: plural of 433;
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.
n.m.pl — gods
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
1. pl. in number.
a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
c. angels
d. gods
2. pl. intensive
a. god or goddess
b. godlike one
c. works of God, or things belongng to him
d. God
3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
4. אֱלֹהִים = God
H853
prt — self, even, namely
Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].
mark of the accusative
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
H3605
n-m — whole, all, any, every
Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).
n.m — the whole
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
2. Absolutely:
a. without the art., all things, all
b. with the art. הַכֹּל
(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
H1697
n-m — word, matter, spoken, thing, cause
Derivation: from 1696;
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
KJV: act, advice, affair, answer, × any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, chronicles, commandment, × commune(-ication), concern(-ing), confer, counsel, dearth, decree, deed, × disease, due, duty, effect, eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, glory, harm, hurt, iniquity, judgment, language, lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, × ought, × parts, pertaining, please, portion, power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, × (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, sign, so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, song, speech, × spoken, talk, task, that, × there done, thing (concerning), thought, thus, tidings, what(-soever), wherewith, which, word, work.
n.m — speech
דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word
I. sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
II. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
III. sg. a word, words
IV. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
H7262
n-m — Rabshakeh
Derivation: from 7227 and 8248; chief butler;
Rabshakeh, a Babylonian official
KJV: Rabshakeh.
n.m — chief
רַב 49 n.m. chief
H834
r — who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that
Derivation: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
KJV: × after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
part. of relation — who
אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.
adv — in which
בַאֲשֶׁר
a. in (that) which
b. adv. in (the place) where
c. conj. in that, inasmuch as
d. on account of whom?
conj — according as
כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when
1. according to that which, according as, as
2. with a causal force, in so far as, since
3. with a temporal force, when
adv — who
מֵאֲשֶׁר
a. from (or than) that which
b. adv. from (the place) where
c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since
H7971
v — send
Derivation: a primitive root;
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
KJV: × any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).
vb — send
שָׁלַח 814 vb. send
Qal
1. send: human subj.
2. send: subj. י׳ (God)
3. stretch out, esp. acc. hand
4. rarely send away: human subj.
5. let loose
Niph. letters were sent
Pi.
1. send off, away, human subj.
2.
a. send away, subj. י׳
b. give over
c. cast out
d. send out, forth
3. let go, set free
4. shoot forth branches
5. let down
6. shoot
7. Phrases
Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
Hiph. and I (י׳) will send
H4428
n-m — king
Derivation: from 4427;
a king
KJV: king, royal.
n.m — king
מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king
H804
n-pr-m n-pr-loc — Ashshur
Derivation: or אַשֻּׁר; apparently from 833 (in the sense of successful);
Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria), its region and its empire
KJV: Asshur, Assur, Assyria, Assyrians. See 838.
n.pr.gent — Asshur
אַשּׁוּר n.pr.gent. & terr. Asshur, Assyria
H113
n-m — sovereign, controller
Derivation: or (shortened) אָדֹן; from an unused root (meaning to rule);
sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)
KJV: lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'.
n.m — lord
אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)
H2778
v — pull off, expose, betroth, carp at, defame, spend the winter
Derivation: a primitive root; also denominative (from 2779)
to pull off, i.e. (by implication) to expose (as by stripping); specifically, to betroth (as if a surrender); figuratively, to carp at, i.e. defame; to spend the winter
KJV: betroth, blaspheme, defy, jeopard, rail, reproach, upbraid.
vb — reproach
[חָרַף] vb. reproach
Qal
Piel. reproach,—prop. say sharp things against,—taunt
H2416
a n-m n-f — alive, raw, fresh, strong, life
Derivation: from 2421;
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV: age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, merry, multitude, (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
adj — alive
חַי adj. alive, living
1.
a. of God, as the living one, the fountain of life
b. of man
c. of animals, alive, living
d. animals and man
e. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green
f. of water, fresh
2. (dub.) lively, active
3. reviving
n.f — living thing
חַיָּה n.f. living thing, animal
1. animal
a. in general
b. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity
c. living beings, of the cherubic chariot
2. life, only in late poetry
3. appetite, activity of hunger
4. revival, renewal
n.f — community
חַיָּה n.f. community
n.m — life
חַיִּים n.m. pl. abstr. emph. life
1. life: physical
2. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence
3. sustenance, maintenance
H3198
v — be right, argue, decide, justify, convict
Derivation: a primitive root;
to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict
KJV: appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove(-r), surely, in any wise.
vb — decide
[יָכַח] vb. Hiph. decide, adjudge, prove
Hiph.
1. decide, judge
2. adjudge, appoint
3. shew to be right, prove
4. convince, convict
5. reprove, chide
6. correct, rebuke
Hoph. he is chastened also with pain
Niph. come now and let us reason together; there an upright man might reason with him; and thou art set right, righted, justified
Hithp. with Israel he will argue
H5375
v — lift
Derivation: or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 [7]), a primitive root;
to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
KJV: accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ( man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, × needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, swear, take (away, up), × utterly, wear, yield.
vb — lift
נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take
Qal
1. lift, lift up
2. Bear, carry
3. Take, take away
Niph.
1. be lifted up
2. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment
3. be borne, carried
4. be taken away, carried off
Pi.
1. lift up = exalt
2. fig. = desire, long
3. carry, bear continuously
4. take, take away
Hithp. lift oneself up
Hiph.
1. cause one to bear iniquity
2. appar. cause to bring, have brought
H8605
n-f — intercession, supplication, hymn
Derivation: from 6419;
intercession, supplication; by implication, a hymn
KJV: prayer.
n.f — prayer
תְּפִלָּה 77 n.f. prayer
H1157
prep — in up to, over against, at, beside, among, behind, for
Derivation: from 5704 with prepositional prefix;
in up to or over against; generally at, beside, among, behind, for, etc.
KJV: about, at by (means of), for, over, through, up (-on), within.
subst — separation
בַּ֫עַד subst. prop. separation, with a gen., in separation from, in usage a prep. away from, behind, about, on behalf of
H7611
n-f — remainder
Derivation: from 7604;
a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion
KJV: that had escaped, be left, posterity, remain(-der), remnant, residue, rest.
n.f — rest
שְׁאֵרִית n.f. rest, residue, remnant, remainder
H4672
v — come, appear, exist, attain, find, acquire, occur, meet, be present
Derivation: a primitive root;
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
KJV: be able, befall, being, catch, × certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), × have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), × occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
vb — attain to
מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find
Qal
1. find
2. find out
3. = come upon, light upon
4. noteworthy phrases
Niph. pass. of Qal, be found
Hiph.
1. cause to find, attain
2. cause to light upon, come upon, come
3. cause to encounter
4. present unto
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Verses 1–7
2 Kings 19:1–7
The contents of Rabshakeh's speech being brought to Hezekiah, one would have expected (and it is likely Rabshakeh did expect) that he would call a council of war and it would be debated whether it was best to capitulate or no. Before the siege, he had taken counsel with his princes and his mighty men, Ch2 32:3. But that would not do now; his greatest relief is that he has a God to go to, and what passed between him and his God on this occasion we have here an account of.
I. Hezekiah discovered a deep concern at the dishonour done to God by Rabshakeh's blasphemy. When he heard it, though at second hand, he rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth, Kg2 19:1. Good men were wont to do so when they heard of any reproach cast on God's name; and great men must not think it any disparagement to them to sympathize with the injured honour of the great God. Royal robes are not too good to be rent, nor royal flesh too good to be clothed with sackcloth, in humiliation for indignities done to God and for the perils and terrors of his Jerusalem. To this God now called, and was displeased with those who were not thus affected. Isa 22:12-14, Behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, though it was a day of trouble and perplexity in the valley of vision (Kg2 19:5), which refers to this very event. The king was in sackcloth, but many of his subjects were in soft clothing.
II. He went up to the house of the Lord, according to the example of the psalmist, who, when he was grieved at the pride and prosperity of the wicked, went into the sanctuary of God and there understood their end, Psa 73:17. He went to the house of God, to meditate and pray, and get his spirit into a sedate composed frame, after this agitation. He was not considering what answer to return to Rabshakeh, but refers the matter to God. "Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me." - Herbert. In the house of the Lord he found a place both of rest and refuge, a treasury, a magazine, a council-chamber, and all he needed, all in God. Note, When the church's enemies are very daring and threatening it is the wisdom and duty of the church's friends to apply to God, appeal to him, and leave their cause with him.
III. He sent to the prophet Isaiah, by honourable messengers, in token of the great respect he had for him, to desire his prayers, Kg2 19:2-4. Eliakim and Shebna were two of those that had heard the words of Rabshakeh and were the better able both to acquaint and to affect Isaiah with the case. The elders of the priests were themselves to pray for the people in time of trouble (Joe 2:17); but they must go to engage Isaiah's prayers, because he could pray better and had a better interest in heaven. The messengers were to go in sackcloth, because they were to represent the king, who was so clothed.
1. Their errand to Isaiah was, "Lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left, that is, for Judah, which is but a remnant now that the ten tribes are gone - for Jerusalem, which is but a remnant now that the defenced cities of Judah are taken." Note, (1.) It is very desirable, and what we should be desirous of when we are in trouble, to have the prayers of our friends for us. In begging to have them we honour God, we honour prayer, and we honour our brethren. (2.) When we desire the prayers of others for us we must not think we are excused from praying for ourselves. When Hezekiah sent to Isaiah to pray for him he himself went into the house of the Lord to offer up his own prayers. (3.) Those who speak from God to us we should in a particular manner desire to speak to God for us. He is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, Gen 20:7. The great prophet is the great intercessor. (4.) Those are likely to prevail with God that lift up their prayers, that is, that lift up their hearts in prayer. (5.) When the interests of God's church are brought very low, so that there is but a remnant left, few friends, and those weak and at a loss, then it is time to lift up our prayer for that remnant.
2. Two things are urged to Isaiah, to engage his prayers for them: - (1.) Their fears of the enemy (Kg2 19:3): "He is insolent and haughty; it is a day of rebuke and blasphemy. We are despised. God is dishonoured. Upon this account it is a day of trouble. Never were such a king and kingdom so trampled on and abused as we are: our soul is exceedingly filled with the contempt of the proud, and it is a sword in our bones to hear them reproach our confidence in God, and say, Where is now your God? and, which is worst of all, we see not which way we can help ourselves and get clear of the reproach. Our cause is good, our people are faithful; but we are quite overpowered with numbers. The children are brought to the birth; now is the time, the critical moment, when, if ever, we must be relieved. One successful blow given to the enemy would accomplish our wishes. But, alas! we are not able to give it: There is not strength to bring forth. Our case is as deplorable, and calls for as speedy help, as that of a woman in travail, that is quite spent with her throes, so that she has not strength to bear the child. Compare with this Hos 13:13. We are ready to perish; if thou canst do any thing, have compassion upon us and help us." (2.) Their hopes in God. To him they look, on him they depend, to appear for them. One word from him will turn the scale, and save the sinking remnant. If he but reprove the words of Rabshakeh (that is, disprove them, Kg2 19:4) - if he undertake to convince and confound the blasphemer - all will be well. And this they trust he will do, not for their merit's sake, but for his own honour's sake, because he has reproached the living God, by levelling him with deaf and dumb idols. They have reason to think the issue will be good, for they can interest God in the quarrel. Psa 74:22, Arise O God! plead thy own cause. "He is the Lord thy God," say they to Isaiah - "thine, whose glory thou art concerned for, and whose favour thou art interested in. He has heard and known the blasphemous words of Rabshakeh, and therefore, it may be, he will hear and rebuke them. We hope he will. Help us with thy prayers to bring the cause before him, and then we are content to leave it with him."
IV. God, by Isaiah, sent to Hezekiah, to assure him that he would glorify himself in the ruin of the Assyrians. Hezekiah sent to Isaiah, not to enquire concerning the event, as many did that sent to the prophets (Shall I recover? or the like), but to desire his assistance in his duty. It was this that he was solicitous about; and therefore God let him know what the event should be, in recompence of his care to do his duty, Kg2 19:6, Kg2 19:7. 1. God interested himself in the cause: They have blasphemed me. 2. He encouraged Hezekiah, who was much dismayed: Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard; they are but words (though swelling and fiery words), and words are but wind. 3. He promised to frighten the king of Assyria worse than Rabshakeh had frightened him: "I will send a blast upon him (that pestilential breath which killed his army), upon which terrors shall seize him and drive him into his own country, where death shall meet him." This short threatening from the mouth of God would do execution, when all the impotent menaces that came from Rabshakeh's mouth would vanish into air.
Cross-references: 2Chr 32:3 · 2Kgs 19:1 · Isa 22:12 · 2Kgs 19:5 · Ps 73:17 · 2Kgs 19:2 · Joel 2:17 · Gen 20:7 · 2Kgs 19:3 · Hos 13:13 · 2Kgs 19:4 · Ps 74:22 · 2Kgs 19:6 · 2Kgs 19:7