The Meaning of 2 Kings 18:19 Explained

2 Kings 18:19

KJV: And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

YLT: And the chief of the butlers saith unto them, 'Say, I pray you, unto Hezekiah, Thus said the great king, the king of Asshur, What is this confidence in which thou hast confided?

Darby: And Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

ASV: And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Rabshakeh  said  unto them, Speak  ye now to Hezekiah,  Thus saith  the great  king,  the king  of Assyria,  What confidence  [is] this wherein thou trustest? 

What does 2 Kings 18:19 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 18:13-25 - Threatened By Worldly Might
It is an interesting fact that this siege of Lachish is mentioned on the Assyrian monuments, and Sennacherib is depicted as giving orders for its destruction. Also the names and Jewish physiognomy of these ambassadors are clearly recognizable. It was a mistake to bribe the foe; the bribes only excited his cupidity. You may as well come to blows with Apollyon as soon as he straddles across your path; sooner or later the conflict will have to come to a head. Three years afterward, Rabshakeh appeared before the gates of Jerusalem.
It has been suggested that this bold blasphemer was an apostate Jew. He drew a false inference from the recent destructions of altars, etc., which had been reported to him. His taunts were barbed with biting satire. He spoke contemptuously of the little army that was absolutely unable to cope with the disciplined troops of Assyria. It seemed a most unequal conflict which could end only in one way. But he failed to take into account the covenant mercy of God and the heavenly forces which were allied with Hezekiah. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 18

1  Hezekiah's good reign
4  He destroys idolatry, and prospers
9  The inhabitants of Samaria are carried captive for their sins
13  Sennacherib invading Judah, is pacified by a tribute
17  Rabshakeh, by blasphemous persuasions, solicits the people to revolt

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 18:19 mean?

And said to them - the Rabshakeh Say now to Hezekiah thus says the king great the king of Assyria what confidence [is] this in which you trust
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ רַב־ שָׁקֵ֔ה אִמְרוּ־ נָ֖א אֶל־ חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֞ר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ הַגָּדוֹל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר מָ֧ה הַבִּטָּח֛וֹן הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר ؟ בָּטָֽחְתָּ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶם֙  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
רַב־  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
שָׁקֵ֔ה  the  Rabshakeh 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רַב־שָׁקֵה  
Sense: chief cupbearer, chief of the officers?.
אִמְרוּ־  Say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נָ֖א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ  Hezekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִזְקִיָּה 
Sense: 2th king of Judah, son of Ahaz and Abijah; a good king in that he served Jehovah and did away with idolatrous practices.
כֹּֽה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֞ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
הַגָּדוֹל֙  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁ֔וּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
הַבִּטָּח֛וֹן  confidence  [is] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּטָּחֹון  
Sense: trust, confidence, hope.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  in  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
؟ בָּטָֽחְתָּ  you  trust 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּטוּחַ 
Sense: to trust.