2 Kings 18:17 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
2 Kings 18:17
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.
a king · noun, common masculine singular construct
Assyria
אַשּׁ֡וּר'a.Shur
H804
Ashshur · proper noun, a place name
sent
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣חvai.yish.Lach
H7971
to send away · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
Tartan
תַּרְתָּ֥ןtar.Tan
H8661
Tartan · noun, masculine singular absolute
Rabsaris
רַבrav-
H7249
Rab-Saris · noun, common masculine singular construct
Rab-shakeh
רַבrav-
H7262
Rabshakeh · noun, masculine singular absolute
Lachish
לָכִ֜ישׁ
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
2 Kings 20:20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they no…
Isaiah 7:3 Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in th…
Isaiah 20:1 In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;
Isaiah 36:2 And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the up…
2 Chronicles 32:9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power wit…
Isaiah 22:9-11 Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 18:17–end
Here is, I. Jerusalem besieged by Sennacherib's army, Kg2 18:17. He sent three of his great generals with a great host against Jerusalem. Is this the great king, the king of Assyria? No, never call him so; he is a base, false, perfidious man, and worthy to be made infamous to all ages; let him never be named with honour that could do such a dishonourable thing as this, to take Hezekiah's money, which he gave him upon condition he should withdraw his army, and then, instead of quitting his country according to the agreement, to advance against his capital city, and not send him his money again either. Those are wicked men indeed, and, let them be ever so great, we will call them so, whose pri…
SENNACHERIB BESIEGES JERUSALEM. (2Ki. 18:17-37)
king of Assyria sent Tartan--general (Isa 20:1).
Rab-saris--chief of the eunuchs.
Rab-shakeh--chief cupbearer. These were the great officers employed in delivering Sennacherib's insulting message to Hezekiah. On the walls of the palace of Sennacherib, at Khorsabad, certain figures have been identified with the officers of that sovereign mentioned in Scripture. In particular, the figures, Rab-shakeh, Rab-saris, and Tartan, appear as full-length portraits of the persons holding those offices in the reign of Sennacherib. Probably they represent the very individuals sent on this embassy.
with a great host to Jerusalem--Engaged in a campaign…
The king of Assyria sent Tartan, etc. - Calmet has very justly remarked that these are not the names of persons, but of offices. Tartan, תרתן tartan or tantan, as in the parallel place in Isaiah, in the Greek version, signifies he who presides over the gifts or tribute; chancellor of the exchequer.
Rabsaris - רב סריס, the chief of the eunuchs. Rab-shakeh, רב שקה master or chief over the wine cellar; or he who had the care of the king's drink.
From Lachish - It seems as if the Assyrian troops had been worsted before Lachish, and were obliged to raise the siege, from which they went and sat down before Libnah. While Sennacherib was there with the Assyrian army, he heard that Tirhakah, king of…
Dictionary and topics
Conduit — A water-course or channel (Job 38:25). The “conduit of the upper pool” (Isa. 7:3) was formed by Hezekiah for the purpose of conveying the waters from the upper pool in the valley of Gihon to the west…
Cup-bearer — An officer of high rank with Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian, and Jewish monarchs. The cup-bearer of the king of Egypt is mentioned in connection with Joseph’s history (Gen. 40:1-21; 41:9). Rabshakeh…
Fuller — The word “full” is from the Anglo-Saxon fullian, meaning “to whiten.” To full is to press or scour cloth in a mill. This art is one of great antiquity. Mention is made of “fuller’s soap” (Mal. 3:2),…
Fuller’s field — A spot near Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:17; Isa. 36:2; 7:3), on the side of the highway west of the city, not far distant from the “upper pool” at the head of the valley of Hinnom. Here the fullers pursued…
Fullers Field, The — a spot near Jerusalem, (2 Kings 8:17; Isaiah 7:3; 36:2) so close to the walls that a person speaking from there could be heard on them. (2 Kings 18:17,26) One resort of the fullers of Jerusalem would…
Gihon — A stream. (1.) One of the four rivers of Eden (Gen. 2:13). It has been identified with the Nile. Others regard it as the Oxus, or the Araxes, or the Ganges. But as, according to the sacred narrative,…
Hezekiah — Whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1.) Son of Ahaz (2 Kings 18:1; 2 Chr. 29:1), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B.C. 726-697). The history of this…
Lachish — Impregnable, a royal Canaanitish city in the Shephelah, or maritime plain of Palestine (Josh. 10:3, 5; 12:11). It was taken and destroyed by the Israelites (Josh. 10:31-33). It afterwards became,…
Pool — A pond, or reservoir, for holding water (Heb. berekhah; modern Arabic, birket), an artificial cistern or tank. Mention is made of the pool of Gibeon (2 Sam. 2:13); the pool of Hebron (4:12); the…
Rabmag — Assyrian Rab-mugi, “chief physician,” “who was attached to the king (Jer. 39:3, 13), the title of one of Sennacherib’s officers sent with messages to Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem (2 Kings…
la.Khish
H3923
Lakish · proper noun, a place name
king
הַמֶּ֧לֶךְha.Me.lekh
H4428
a king · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
Hezekiah
חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּchiz.ki.Ya.hu
H2396
Chizkijah · proper noun, a man's name
great
כָּבֵ֖דka.Ved
H3515
heavy · adjective, masculine singular absolute
host
חֵילchêyl
H2426
an army
Jerusalem
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑םye.ru.sha.Lim
H3389
Jerushalaim or Jerushalem · proper noun, a place name
up
וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙vai.ya.'a.Lu
H5927
to ascend · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
came
וַיָּבֹ֣אוּvai.ya.Vo.'u
H935
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
Jerusalem
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔םye.ru.sha.Lim
H3389
Jerushalaim or Jerushalem · proper noun, a place name
up
וַיַּעֲל֣וּvai.ya.'a.Lu
H5927
to ascend · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
came
וַיָּבֹ֗אוּvai.ya.Vo.'u
H935
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
stood
וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙vai.ya.'am.Du
H5975
to stand · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
conduit
בִּתְעָלַת֙bit.'a.Lat
H8585
a channel (into which water is raised for irrigation) · preposition + noun, common feminine singular construct
upper
הָֽעֶלְיוֹנָ֔הha.'el.yo.Nah
H5945
an elevation · definite article + adjective, feminine singular absolute
pool
הַבְּרֵכָ֣הha.be.re.Khah
H1295
a reservoir (at which camels kneel as a resting-place) · definite article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
highway
בִּמְסִלַּ֖תbim.si.Lat
H4546
a thoroughfare (as turnpiked) · preposition + noun, common feminine singular construct
fuller’s
כוֹבֵֽסkho.Ves
H3526
to trample · verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
field
שְׂדֵ֥הse.Deh
H7704
a field (as flat) · noun, common masculine singular construct
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem,.... Notwithstanding he took the above large sum of money of him, so false and deceitful was he: these were three generals of his army, whom he sent to besiege Jerusalem, while he continued the siege of Lachish; only Rabshakeh is mentioned in Isaiah 36:2 he being perhaps chief general, and the principal speaker; whose speech, to the end of this chapter, intended to intimidate Hezekiah, and dishearten his people, with some circumstances which attended it, are recorded word for word in Isaiah 36:1 throughout; See Gill on Isaiah 36:1 and notes on that chapter.
Keil & Delitzsch on 2 Kings 18:13–end
Sennacherib invades Judah and threatens Jerusalem.
(Note: We have a parallel and elaborate account of this campaign of Sennacherib and his defeat (2 Kings 18:13-19:37), and also of Hezekiah's sickness and recovery and the arrival of the Babylonian embassy in Jerusalem (2 Kings 20:1-19), in Isa 36-39, and a brief extract, with certain not unimportant supplements, in 2 Chron 32. These three narratives, as is now generally admitted, are drawn independently of one another from a collection of the prophecies of Isaiah, which was received into the annals of the kingdom (Ch2 32:32), and serve to confirm and complete one another.)
- Sennacherib, סנחריב (Sanchērı̄bh), Σενναχηρίμ (lxx), Σεναχήριβος…
sent . . . a huge army: In spite of Hezekiah’s lavish payment, Sennacherib had no intention of being sidetracked from invading Jerusalem. • beside the aqueduct: The meeting place of the two delegations is believed to be a location on Jerusalem’s northwestern wall; this spot had also served as the meeting place between Isaiah and Ahaz (Isa 7:3-16).
Rashi on 2 Kings 18:17
Tarton [and] Rav Soris. We learned in Seder Olam that the three of them did not come together,9The king of Ashur dealt falsely with Chizkiyoh because he sent his officers to attack Yerusholayim even though Chizkiyoh paid the tribute that was imposed upon him.—Metzudas Dovid Or, Sancheiriv took the tribute and left. However, in the ensuing years Chizkiyohu failed to meet his demands and he therefore attacked again.—Radak rather but Ravshokei [came] alone, as it is written in the Book of Yeshayohu,1036:2. and Tarton and Rav Soris came on a second mission, when he received word concerning Tirhokoh king of Cush, ”and he heard and sent emissaries to Chizkiyohu … ”11Yeshayohu 37:9.
Near the chann…
Rabsaris — Chief of the Heads, one of the three officers whom Sennacherib sent from Lachish with a threatening message to Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:17; Jer. 39:3, 13).
Rabshakeh — Chief of the princes, the name given to the chief cup-bearer or the vizier of the Assyrian court; one of Sennacherib’s messengers to Hezekiah. See the speech he delivered, in the Hebrew language, in…
River — (1.) Heb. ‘aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Sam. 22:16), translated “brook,” “river,” “stream,” but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek. 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13). (2.)…
Sennacherib — Sin (the god) sends many brothers, son of Sargon, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria (B.C. 705), in the 23rd year of Hezekiah. “Like the Persian Xerxes, he was weak and vainglorious, cowardly…
Tartan — An Assyrian word, meaning “the commander-in-chief.” (1.) One of Sennacherib’s messengers to Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:17). (2.) One of Sargon’s generals (Isa. 20:1).
Armies · Were led by: Experienced captains — Were led by: Experienced captains
Arts Of The · Fuller — Fuller
Assyria · Sennacherib — Sennacherib
Cities · Artificial mode of supplying water to — Artificial mode of supplying water to
Diplomacy · harangue — harangue
Fuller’s Field · A spot near — A spot near
Hezekiah · .Conducts the Gihon Brook into — .Conducts the Gihon Brook into
Jerusalem · Calamities of, mentioned: Besieged but not taken by Sennacherib — Calamities of, mentioned: Besieged but not taken by Sennacherib
Lachish · Besieged by Sennacherib — Besieged by Sennacherib
Pool · .Upper pool — .Upper pool
Pools And Ponds · Mentioned in scripture: The upper pool — Mentioned in scripture: The upper pool
Rab-Shakeh (Rabshakeh) · to Hezekiah and the surren — to Hezekiah and the surren
Rabsaris · .Sent by Sennacherib against — .Sent by Sennacherib against
Sennacherib · and returns to Assyria — and returns to Assyria
Tartan · An Assyrian general — An Assyrian general
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
