2Ki 18:19-19:13 | 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.

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).
18:37 ^k tore their clothes in despair: This action could have been both a sign of sorrow over the situation in Jerusalem (see 6:30 ^l) and an indication of grief over the blasphemous insults of the Assyrian official (see 19:4-6 ^m).

‏ 2 Kings 19:1-13

19:1 ⁿ Hezekiah showed his grief in the same way his representatives had (see Joel 1:13 ^o). He wisely went to the Temple, where he laid bare his soul before God in heartfelt worship and supplication (see Pss 5:7 ^p; 48:9-10 ^q; 63:1-3 ^r).
Summary for 2Kgs 19:2-3: 19:2-3 ^s Leaders often consulted prophets like Isaiah in emergencies (3:11-12 ^t) or before going into battle (1 Kgs 22:8-10 ^u); Isaiah was active throughout Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kgs 20:1 ^v, 14 ^w).

• The expression a day of trouble describes the heart-wrenching distress the king was experiencing because of the blasphemous insults and disgrace that God and his people were being forced to endure. Hezekiah realized that he and the people were powerless without God’s intervention.
19:4 ^x Hezekiah was not denying his own relationship to the Lord by referring to him as your God; rather, he was acknowledging God’s special call upon Isaiah.
19:8 ^y Sennacherib had dispatched his officers and forces to Jerusalem while he was attacking Lachish (18:14 ^z, 17 ^aa). He had now moved eight miles to the northeast, to Libnah.
19:9 ^ab King Tirhakah of Ethiopia would later become pharaoh over Egypt. At this time he was a commander in his brother Shebitku’s army.
Summary for 2Kgs 19:10-13: 19:10-13 ^ac Sennacherib’s second message reminded the people of Jerusalem of the Assyrians’ ruthless victories; it was common knowledge that the kings of Assyria had plundered, tortured, mutilated (see 19:28 ^ad), and completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way. No nation, king, or god had been able to resist them. In the face of this threat, the people would be wiser to trust their common sense and surrender rather than trust Hezekiah and his deceptive piety.