SEV Biblia, Chapter 18:17
¶ Y el rey de Asiria envió a Tartán y a Rabsaris y a Rabsaces desde Laquis al rey Ezequías con un grande ejército contra Jerusalén; y subieron, y vinieron a Jerusalén. Y subieron, y vinieron, y pararon junto al conducto del estanque de arriba, que es en el camino de la heredad del lavador.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 18:17
Verse 17. The king of Assyria sent Tartan, &c.] Calmet has very justly remarked that these are not the names of persons, but of offices. Tartan, trt 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] syrs br , the chief of the eunuchs. Rab-shakeh, hqŤ br 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 Ethiopia, had invaded the Assyrian territories. Being obliged therefore to hasten, in order to succour his own dominions, he sent a considerable force under the aforementioned officers against Jerusalem, with a most fearful and bloody manifesto, commanding Hezekiah to pay him tribute, to deliver up his kingdom to him, and to submit, he and his people, to be carried away captives into Assyria! This manifesto was accompanied with the vilest insults, and the highest blasphemies. God interposed and the evils threatened against others fell upon himself.
Manifestoes of this kind have seldom been honourable to the senders. The conduct of Rab-shakeh was unfortunately copied by the Duke of Brunswick, commander-in-chief of the allied army of the center, in the French revolution, who was then in the plains of Champagne, August 27, 1792, at the head of ninety thousand men, Prussians, Austrians, and emigrants, on his way to Paris, which in his manifesto he threatened to reduce to ashes! This was the cause of the dreadful massacres which immediately took place. And shortly after this time the blast of God fell upon him, for in Sept. 20 of the same year, (three weeks after issuing the manifesto,) almost all his army was destroyed by a fatal disease, and himself obliged to retreat from the French territories with shame and confusion. This, and some other injudicious steps taken by the allies, were the cause of the ruin of the royal family of France, and of enormities and calamities the most extensive, disgraceful, and ruinous, that ever stained the page of history. From all such revolutions God in mercy save mankind! Conduit of the upper pool] The aqueduct that brought the water from the upper or eastern reservoir, near to the valley of Kidron, into the city.
Probably they had seized on this in order to distress the city.
The fuller's field.] The place where the washermen stretched out their clothes to dry.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem , etc.] 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-37 - Rabshakeh tries to convince the Jews, that it was to no purpose for them to stand it out. What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? I were well if sinners would submit to the force of this argument, is seeking peace with God. It is, therefore, our wisdom to yield to him because it is in vain to contend with him: what confidence is tha which those trust in who stand out against him? A great deal of ar there is in this speech of Rabshakeh; but a great deal of pride malice, falsehood, and blasphemy. Hezekiah's nobles held their peace There is a time to keep silence, as well as a time to speak; and ther are those to whom to offer any thing religious or rational, is to cas pearls before swine. Their silence made Rabshakeh yet more proud an secure. It is often best to leave such persons to rail and blaspheme; decided expression of abhorrence is the best testimony against them The matter must be left to the Lord, who has all hearts in his hands committing ourselves unto him in humble submission, believing hope, an fervent prayer __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
וישׁלח 7971 מלך 4428 אשׁור 804 את 853 תרתן 8661 ואת 853 רב סריס 7249 ואת 853 רב שׁקה 7262 מן 4480 לכישׁ 3923 אל 413 המלך 4428 חזקיהו 2396 בחיל 2426 כבד 3515 ירושׁלם 3389 ויעלו 5927 ויבאו 935 ירושׁלם 3389 ויעלו 5927 ויבאו 935 ויעמדו 5975 בתעלת 8585 הברכה 1295 העליונה 5945 אשׁר 834 במסלת 4546 שׂדה 7704 כובס׃ 3526
