This verse is part of a speech given by the Assyrian king Sennacherib's emissary (likely Rabshakeh) to the people of Jerusalem during Sennacherib's siege. It's a propaganda tactic meant to demoralize the city and convince them to surrender. Let's break it down:
"Doesn’t Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst...": The Assyrian official is accusing King Hezekiah of misleading the people. He's saying Hezekiah's policies and resistance will lead to starvation and dehydration within the city walls due to the siege. He's playing on their fears and implying Hezekiah is incompetent or uncaring.
"...saying, ‘Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?’": Here, the Assyrian emissary is mocking Hezekiah's reliance on God. He's questioning the faith of the people in Yahweh, the God of Israel. He's suggesting that Hezekiah's belief that God will save them is a false hope and that relying on divine intervention is foolish in the face of the mighty Assyrian army.
In essence, the Assyrian official is using psychological warfare:
Creating Doubt: He's planting seeds of doubt about Hezekiah's leadership and the wisdom of resisting Assyria.
Exploiting Fear: He's capitalizing on the very real fear of starvation and thirst that would result from a prolonged siege.
Challenging Faith: He's attempting to undermine their religious beliefs by questioning the power of their God to protect them.
The Assyrians were known for this kind of tactic. They often tried to break the morale of besieged cities before resorting to full-scale attacks. This verse showcases their understanding of how to manipulate people's fears and beliefs for political and military advantage.
This verse is part of a speech given by the Assyrian king Sennacherib's emissary (likely Rabshakeh) to the people of Jerusalem during Sennacherib's siege. It's a propaganda tactic meant to demoralize the city and convince them to surrender. Let's break it down:
"Doesn’t Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst...": The Assyrian official is accusing King Hezekiah of misleading the people. He's saying Hezekiah's policies and resistance will lead to starvation and dehydration within the city walls due to the siege. He's playing on their fears and implying Hezekiah is incompetent or uncaring.
"...saying, ‘Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?’": Here, the Assyrian emissary is mocking Hezekiah's reliance on God. He's questioning the faith of the people in Yahweh, the God of Israel. He's suggesting that Hezekiah's belief that God will save them is a false hope and that relying on divine intervention is foolish in the face of the mighty Assyrian army.
In essence, the Assyrian official is using psychological warfare:
Creating Doubt: He's planting seeds of doubt about Hezekiah's leadership and the wisdom of resisting Assyria.
Exploiting Fear: He's capitalizing on the very real fear of starvation and thirst that would result from a prolonged siege.
Challenging Faith: He's attempting to undermine their religious beliefs by questioning the power of their God to protect them.
The Assyrians were known for this kind of tactic. They often tried to break the morale of besieged cities before resorting to full-scale attacks. This verse showcases their understanding of how to manipulate people's fears and beliefs for political and military advantage.