2Ki 18:19-35 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Kgs 18:19-22: 18:19-22 In earlier days, the term great king was reserved for the kings of the leading military powers, but it had become a standard epithet for Assyrian kings. • What are you trusting in? The Assyrian officer asserted that the citizens of Jerusalem, faced with Assyria’s overwhelming military superiority, would be foolish to trust in Hezekiah’s words. Similarly, soliciting help from Egypt would be foolish. Finally, the chief of staff argued that trust in the Lord would also be misplaced. Perhaps the officer hoped to gain the loyalty of citizens who had worshiped at the shrines and altars that Hezekiah had destroyed.

a18:19-22►

b18:23-24►

c18:25►

d18:26►

e18:27►

f18:28-30►

g18:31-32►

h18:32-35►

iIsa 10:9►

jJer 49:23►

‏ 2 Kings 18:19-35

Summary for 2Kgs 18:19-22: 18:19-22 ^a In earlier days, the term great king was reserved for the kings of the leading military powers, but it had become a standard epithet for Assyrian kings.

• What are you trusting in? The Assyrian officer asserted that the citizens of Jerusalem, faced with Assyria’s overwhelming military superiority, would be foolish to trust in Hezekiah’s words. Similarly, soliciting help from Egypt would be foolish. Finally, the chief of staff argued that trust in the Lord would also be misplaced. Perhaps the officer hoped to gain the loyalty of citizens who had worshiped at the shrines and altars that Hezekiah had destroyed.
Summary for 2Kgs 18:23-24: 18:23-24 ^b The officer next turned to taunting, suggesting that Jerusalem would be unable to field sufficient manpower and strength to withstand even the weakest contingent of Assyrian troops.
18:25 ^c The chief of staff concluded his argument by claiming that Jerusalem’s situation was hopeless because the Assyrians had come at the Lord’s direction to destroy Judah. To oppose the great king was to oppose God himself!
18:26 ^d Hezekiah’s representatives wanted the Assyrian delegation to speak ... in Aramaic, the language of diplomacy, so that the people who were listening would not understand and be discouraged or frightened.
18:27 ^e my master ... wants all the people to hear: The Assyrians used the native tongue of a besieged city as part of their psychological warfare.
Summary for 2Kgs 18:28-30: 18:28-30 ^f The chief of staff ignored the request of Hezekiah’s delegation and shouted in Hebrew, hoping to arouse fear among the people of Jerusalem.
Summary for 2Kgs 18:31-32: 18:31-32 ^g The Assyrian chief of staff then detailed the generous terms Sennacherib was offering for their surrender. Why die? Choose life!
Summary for 2Kgs 18:32-35: 18:32-35 ^h The Lord will rescue us: The chief of staff continued his psychological taunting by asserting that the Lord was just like the gods of the other nations and could not save Judah.

• Arpad was a city-state located northwest of Aleppo. Like Hamath, it was a hub of Aramean activity and is mentioned on other occasions in the Old Testament (see Isa 10:9 ⁱ; Jer 49:23 ^j).