Introduction: Timewise we are now talking about the turn from the eighth to the seventh century BC. Sennacherib’s father had conquered Judah but had died about 3 years prior to this historical event occurring. Isaiah prophesied for about 60-65 years, being alive for about 20 years after the historical events which are here recorded for us. Plenty of time to write this occurrence fulfilling his earlier prophecies! Obviously Isaiah’s prophecies about Assyria’s future had occurred before the actual fulfillment occurred! Hezekiah trying to break free from Assyria’s occupation of their land, had sought agreements with Egypt and Ethiopia! Rabshakeh may be the person’s name but translated means ‘Chief negotiator’, a title.
1 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 2 And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field. 3 And there came out to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. – Here heads of state are meeting, their names are recorded and the place of meeting described!
4 And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours? 5 Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? – (‘Is a signed agreement enough to win a war?’ the Assyrian negotiator says.) – In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me? 6 Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. – (Leaning on Egypt for help is like using a reed cane to walk with! It will only break and splinter into you!) – 7 But if you say to me, “We trust in the LORD our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”? – (‘Remember what Hezekiah did to Jerusalem {2 Kings 18}, your so-called God has no power!’ Rabshakeh says) 8 Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 9 How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master’s servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? – ‘Let’s have a bet! I’ll give you 2,000 horses, and if you are able to find enough trained cavalry soldiers in your whole army to mount them, I’ll bet that one of my captain’s (a relatively low rank of soldier) can beat your whole army! That’s the bet – you win the war and you win your freedom! I’ll bet that your army’ll be beaten by my captain!’ – 10 Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The LORD said to me, “Go up against this land and destroy it.”’ – Hadn’t Assyria won the initial victory over Judea because ‘God had ordered it’, he said. (Isaiah 10: 5,6 – Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!
6 Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.)
Habakkuk 1: 5-6 – “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.
Prayer: Help to remember that we walk by faith not by sight, and that for You, my God, don’t always take us on a straight line to the end.