The Meaning of 2 Kings 18:27 Explained

2 Kings 18:27

KJV: But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

YLT: And the chief of the butlers saith unto them, 'For thy lord, and unto thee, hath my lord sent me to speak these words? is it not for the men, those sitting on the wall to eat their own dung and to drink their own water, with you?'

Darby: And Rab-shakeh said to them, Is it to thy master and to thee that my master sent me to speak these words? Is it not to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?

ASV: But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not'sent me to the men that sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But Rabshakeh  said  unto them, Hath my master  sent  me to thy master,  and to thee, to speak  these words?  [hath he] not [sent me] to the men  which sit  on the wall,  that they may eat  their own dung,  and drink  their own piss  with you? 

What does 2 Kings 18:27 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 18:26-37 - Silent Before The Boaster
The Jews met the taunts of Rabshakeh with silence. It was wise policy. It is infinitely better to hand over our cause to God, and leave Him to answer for us and avenge our wrongs. He will undertake our case, if we will but leave it unreservedly in His hands. The only exception is when some simple explanation will relieve the cause we love from any evil imputation. Rabshakeh could not have been made to understand the attitude of king and people. See Isaiah 37:22. Men of the world cannot read the secrets of the heart that is stayed upon Jehovah. God's hidden ones are as great a mystery as was our Lord. Their life is hid with Christ in God, but some day He will be manifested, and they shall be manifested with Him in glory.
When our Lord was threatened, He remained calm and quiet. "As a sheep that before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth," Isaiah 53:7, r.v. We are bidden to follow His steps and to do as He did, silently committing our cause to Him who never fails to vindicate those who put their trust in Him. [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 18:27 mean?

But said to them - the Rabshakeh Has to your master and to you sent me my master to speak - words these and not to the men who sit on the wall who will eat - - dove dung and drink - - their own waste with you
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רַב־ שָׁקֵ֗ה הַעַ֨ל אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲדֹנִ֔י לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־ ؟ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה הֲלֹ֣א עַל־ הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ עַל־ הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה לֶאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת‪‬ [חריהם] (צוֹאָתָ֗ם) וְלִשְׁתּ֛וֹת [שיניהם] (מימֵ֥י‪‬) (רַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם) עִמָּכֶֽם

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  But  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
רַב־  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
שָׁקֵ֗ה  the  Rabshakeh 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רַב־שָׁקֵה  
Sense: chief cupbearer, chief of the officers?.
הַעַ֨ל  Has  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ  your  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙  and  to  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
שְׁלָחַ֣נִי  sent  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֲדֹנִ֔י  my  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
לְדַבֵּ֖ר  to  speak 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
؟ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים  words 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֵ֑לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
הֲלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים  the  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙  who  sit 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה  the  wall 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֹומָה  
Sense: wall.
לֶאֱכֹ֣ל  who  will  eat 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
אֶת‪‬  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
[חריהם]  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
(צוֹאָתָ֗ם)  dove  dung 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חִרְייׄונִים  
Sense: dung, doves’ dung.
וְלִשְׁתּ֛וֹת  and  drink 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
[שיניהם]  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
(מימֵ֥י‪‬)  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
(רַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם)  their  own  waste 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: שַׁיִן  
Sense: urine.
עִמָּכֶֽם  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.