2 kings 18:32 - until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and of honey, that you may live, and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.”
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What does "2 kings 18:32" mean?
This verse is part of a speech given by the Assyrian King Sennacherib's emissary, the Rabshakeh, to the people of Jerusalem who were under siege. Let's break down its meaning:
"Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land...": This is a promise of exile, but couched in deceptive terms. The Rabshakeh is suggesting that the people will be taken to a new land, implying it will be similar to their own, which would be appealing to the people living in a city under siege.
"...a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and of honey...": This is a description of an idyllic, fertile land, very similar to Canaan (Israel). The Rabshakeh is attempting to entice the people with promises of prosperity and abundance if they surrender. He is trying to convince them that life in exile under Assyrian rule would be better than the hardship and potential death they face in Jerusalem.
"...that you may live, and not die.": This is a direct appeal to their survival instinct. The Rabshakeh is contrasting the promise of life in exile with the looming threat of death by starvation, disease, or Assyrian conquest if they continue to resist.
"Don’t listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.”": This is the core of the Rabshakeh's message. He wants to undermine the authority of King Hezekiah and the people's faith in Yahweh (God of Israel). He is directly challenging Hezekiah's promise of divine intervention and urging the people to abandon their trust in God for the immediate, albeit temporary, promise of survival offered by the Assyrians.
In essence, the verse is a piece of propaganda and psychological warfare. The Assyrian is using a combination of promises and fear to persuade the people of Jerusalem to surrender. He aims to:
Deceive: Make exile seem desirable and beneficial.
Intimidate: Highlight the threat of death if they resist.
Undermine: Discredit King Hezekiah and the people's faith in God.
The Rabshakeh is banking on the people's desperation and desire for survival to break their will to resist and force them to submit to Assyrian rule. The historical context is crucial here: Assyria was a powerful and ruthless empire known for its brutal conquests and deportations. The Rabshakeh's words carried significant weight and posed a serious challenge to Hezekiah's leadership and the people's faith.
2 kings 18:32 - until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and of honey, that you may live, and not die. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.”
What does "2 kings 18:32" mean?
This verse is part of a speech given by the Assyrian King Sennacherib's emissary, the Rabshakeh, to the people of Jerusalem who were under siege. Let's break down its meaning:
"Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land...": This is a promise of exile, but couched in deceptive terms. The Rabshakeh is suggesting that the people will be taken to a new land, implying it will be similar to their own, which would be appealing to the people living in a city under siege.
"...a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and of honey...": This is a description of an idyllic, fertile land, very similar to Canaan (Israel). The Rabshakeh is attempting to entice the people with promises of prosperity and abundance if they surrender. He is trying to convince them that life in exile under Assyrian rule would be better than the hardship and potential death they face in Jerusalem.
"...that you may live, and not die.": This is a direct appeal to their survival instinct. The Rabshakeh is contrasting the promise of life in exile with the looming threat of death by starvation, disease, or Assyrian conquest if they continue to resist.
"Don’t listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.”": This is the core of the Rabshakeh's message. He wants to undermine the authority of King Hezekiah and the people's faith in Yahweh (God of Israel). He is directly challenging Hezekiah's promise of divine intervention and urging the people to abandon their trust in God for the immediate, albeit temporary, promise of survival offered by the Assyrians.
In essence, the verse is a piece of propaganda and psychological warfare. The Assyrian is using a combination of promises and fear to persuade the people of Jerusalem to surrender. He aims to:
Deceive: Make exile seem desirable and beneficial.
Intimidate: Highlight the threat of death if they resist.
Undermine: Discredit King Hezekiah and the people's faith in God.
The Rabshakeh is banking on the people's desperation and desire for survival to break their will to resist and force them to submit to Assyrian rule. The historical context is crucial here: Assyria was a powerful and ruthless empire known for its brutal conquests and deportations. The Rabshakeh's words carried significant weight and posed a serious challenge to Hezekiah's leadership and the people's faith.