2Ki 18:34 | KingComments | STEP | The word “then”, which begins with , makes it clear that the enormous tribute given by Hezekiah to the king of Assyria had been of no use. The king of Assyria continued to rob, even breaking the covenant Hezekiah had made with him. He sent high ranking officers with a large army to Jerusalem. The place where the enemy gathered ( ) was the place where Isaiah had previously met king Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father ( ). Isaiah had his little son with him on that occasion. There Ahaz was shown a way out, but he refused to accept it in faith. A promise was given at that place of water and a fuller’s field. Water speaks of cleansing, and the fuller’s field of washing of clothes. The name of the son of Isaiah, Shear-jashub, means ‘a rest will repent’. There was also mention of the birth of the Messiah at this place. This is where the enemy came up with a message that put Hezekiah to the test. Hezekiah sent a delegation to hear what the men of Assyria wanted ( ). It became a one-sided conversation. In , the commander began an impressive speech with much rhetoric. There was a lot of truth in this but also a lot of falsehoods. Everything he said was meant to frighten Hezekiah and the men of Judah. He began by presenting the king of Assyria as “the great king”. The question in is a penetrating and justified question. In Hezekiah had to hear from the mouth of a heathen that his trust was not in the LORD, but in an earthly king. This was a correct and sad observation. Egypt was not to be relied on. The LORD himself compares Egypt to a broken reed ( ). But, the commander went on, that if Hezekiah would say that he trusted in the LORD, it also meant nothing ( ). Hezekiah may have taken away the high places, but what had that yielded? Had that brought any good to the people? Were they grateful for that? The commander tried to create discord between Hezekiah and the people, because the people were able to hear everything the commander said. Another argument for breaking the resistance was to point out the weakness of Hezekiah’s army ( ); he had none to speak of. Hezekiah would not even be able to supply the horsemen for two thousand horses if the king of Assyria gave them to him. Another argument to impress the men of Judah was a reference to a command from the LORD, for the commander to come up and destroy the land ( ). He said that without any faith, but at the same time there was truth in it, because the Assyrians were God’s rod of discipline for His people. This statement would turn against him, because while he said what was true, he did nothing to change his relationship with God. It seems that the commander was silent for a moment to see how the people reacted to his words. Hezekiah’s delegation did react ( ), but without any resistance. They gave no sign of trust in the all-powerful God, the God of His people. Their reaction was one of fear. They did not want the people to have heard this, because it would only discourage them more. But that was precisely the intention of the commander. The reaction elicited another tirade from the commander. Encouraged by what the delegation had said in their fear, he spoke to all the people who were there. They were exhorted to listen carefully to his words, otherwise, together with their leaders, they would feed themselves with their own excrements and quench their thirst with their own urine ( ). When he had painted this picture in front of them, the commander, in Judean and with a loud voice, started again with the representation of “the great king” ( ; cf. ). The people had to understand well that Hezekiah was a worthless and misleading king. Hezekiah was powerless, as was the LORD, to whom Hezekiah referred ( ). No, it was better for them to surrender to the king of Assyria. Instead of feeding on their excrement and quenching their thirst with their own urine, they would eat the delicious fruits of their own vine and fig tree and drink water from their own well ( ). The commander, clever and misleading as he was, made it very attractive to surrender by presenting the country where he would lead God’s people, as the same as their own ( ). Faith would see immediately that that land was not the land of God; for his temple was not there, where He dwells. It all seemed to look beautiful, but the LORD was not there. Let us also hold on to what God has given and not exchange it for false promises. The deeds he mentioned ( ) were right, but he committed folly to lower the LORD to an idol. He regarded the LORD as one of the idols of the other countries. This foolish and low view would therefore ultimately lead to his disgraced downfall. The reaction of Hezekiah’s delegation to this second speech by the commander was one of silence ( ). They remained silent because Hezekiah had told them to. It is sometimes good and important not to respond to certain statements. Silence sometimes speaks more clearly and louder than speaking. Not that the mission was silent because of their faith. The threat had brought them into deep dismay. They tore their clothes and went to Hezekiah to tell him what the commander had said ( ).

‏ 2 Kings 18:34

Bluster Against the LORD

The word “then”, which begins with 2Kgs 18:17, makes it clear that the enormous tribute given by Hezekiah to the king of Assyria had been of no use. The king of Assyria continued to rob, even breaking the covenant Hezekiah had made with him. He sent high ranking officers with a large army to Jerusalem.

The place where the enemy gathered (2Kgs 18:17b) was the place where Isaiah had previously met king Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father (Isa 7:3). Isaiah had his little son with him on that occasion. There Ahaz was shown a way out, but he refused to accept it in faith. A promise was given at that place of water and a fuller’s field. Water speaks of cleansing, and the fuller’s field of washing of clothes. The name of the son of Isaiah, Shear-jashub, means ‘a rest will repent’. There was also mention of the birth of the Messiah at this place. This is where the enemy came up with a message that put Hezekiah to the test.

Hezekiah sent a delegation to hear what the men of Assyria wanted (2Kgs 18:18). It became a one-sided conversation. In 2Kgs 18:19, the commander began an impressive speech with much rhetoric. There was a lot of truth in this but also a lot of falsehoods. Everything he said was meant to frighten Hezekiah and the men of Judah.

He began by presenting the king of Assyria as “the great king”. The question in 2Kgs 18:20 is a penetrating and justified question. In 2Kgs 18:21 Hezekiah had to hear from the mouth of a heathen that his trust was not in the LORD, but in an earthly king. This was a correct and sad observation. Egypt was not to be relied on. The LORD himself compares Egypt to a broken reed (Eze 29:6-7).

But, the commander went on, that if Hezekiah would say that he trusted in the LORD, it also meant nothing (2Kgs 18:22). Hezekiah may have taken away the high places, but what had that yielded? Had that brought any good to the people? Were they grateful for that? The commander tried to create discord between Hezekiah and the people, because the people were able to hear everything the commander said.

Another argument for breaking the resistance was to point out the weakness of Hezekiah’s army (2Kgs 18:23-24); he had none to speak of. Hezekiah would not even be able to supply the horsemen for two thousand horses if the king of Assyria gave them to him.

Another argument to impress the men of Judah was a reference to a command from the LORD, for the commander to come up and destroy the land (2Kgs 18:25). He said that without any faith, but at the same time there was truth in it, because the Assyrians were God’s rod of discipline for His people. This statement would turn against him, because while he said what was true, he did nothing to change his relationship with God.

It seems that the commander was silent for a moment to see how the people reacted to his words. Hezekiah’s delegation did react (2Kgs 18:26), but without any resistance. They gave no sign of trust in the all-powerful God, the God of His people. Their reaction was one of fear. They did not want the people to have heard this, because it would only discourage them more. But that was precisely the intention of the commander.

The reaction elicited another tirade from the commander. Encouraged by what the delegation had said in their fear, he spoke to all the people who were there. They were exhorted to listen carefully to his words, otherwise, together with their leaders, they would feed themselves with their own excrements and quench their thirst with their own urine (2Kgs 18:27). When he had painted this picture in front of them, the commander, in Judean and with a loud voice, started again with the representation of “the great king” (2Kgs 18:28; cf. 2Kgs 18:19).

The people had to understand well that Hezekiah was a worthless and misleading king. Hezekiah was powerless, as was the LORD, to whom Hezekiah referred (2Kgs 18:29-30). No, it was better for them to surrender to the king of Assyria. Instead of feeding on their excrement and quenching their thirst with their own urine, they would eat the delicious fruits of their own vine and fig tree and drink water from their own well (2Kgs 18:31).

The commander, clever and misleading as he was, made it very attractive to surrender by presenting the country where he would lead God’s people, as the same as their own (2Kgs 18:32). Faith would see immediately that that land was not the land of God; for his temple was not there, where He dwells. It all seemed to look beautiful, but the LORD was not there. Let us also hold on to what God has given and not exchange it for false promises.

The deeds he mentioned (2Kgs 18:33-35) were right, but he committed folly to lower the LORD to an idol. He regarded the LORD as one of the idols of the other countries. This foolish and low view would therefore ultimately lead to his disgraced downfall.

The reaction of Hezekiah’s delegation to this second speech by the commander was one of silence (2Kgs 18:36). They remained silent because Hezekiah had told them to. It is sometimes good and important not to respond to certain statements. Silence sometimes speaks more clearly and louder than speaking. Not that the mission was silent because of their faith. The threat had brought them into deep dismay. They tore their clothes and went to Hezekiah to tell him what the commander had said (2Kgs 18:37).