The recurring theme of Isaiah thus far has been a call to trust in God, to return with full faith to the Covenant. He warned Judah would be ravaged by Assyria, but would be saved by God's intervention. To the degree Judah renewed their covenant faithfulness, they would also enjoy the fruits of that salvation. It was all part of the Covenant Blessings: prosperity, health and security from enemies. Here now begins a section where Isaiah narrates the fulfillment of God's promise to destroy Assyria's troops at the very gates of Jerusalem. Scholars note how similar this and next few chapters are to portions of 2 Kings, speculating Isaiah wrote both. This is quite reasonable, given Isaiah's status not only as court prophet but in the royal administration.
When Sennacherib came to power in about 705 BC, he spent quite some years simply squashing rebellions so common in large empires when there is a change on the throne. He regarded Judah as in rebellion to his rule. Sennacherib's troops worked their way through some 46 forts belonging to Judah, by their own reckoning. While part of the vast Assyrian army was camped around Lachish, the Judean fortress down southwest of Jerusalem, blocking passage to Egypt, the Emperor sent his Chief of Staff with some troops to the City. Sennacherib was saving the best for last, in part because it was better defended than other cities. His Chief of Staff came to warn Hezekiah: As soon as Lachish fell, the army would lay siege to Jerusalem (in 701 BC).
This official stood near the wall on an open spot, pretty much where Isaiah stood when he accused Ahaz of misleading Judah away from the Covenant some 23 years before. The protocols of the day allowed some of the Judean officials to meet Sennacherib's mouthpiece without threat to either side there before the gate. This was not really an official negotiation, but political grandstanding. The visitors spoke in the common Hebrew of the day, rather than the official diplomatic language of Aramaic. Further, Rabshakeh appeals to the opposition party at court. This is good psychological warfare, calculated to bring despair.
The Rabshakeh wonders aloud what makes Hezekiah think he can withstand the coming siege. He repeats the warnings Isaiah made about trusting Egypt to carry out their promises to war effectively against Assyria, or at least tie up her troops. The picture of Egypt as a poor, splintering reed claiming to be a strong staff is quite apt.
The great mistake Rabshakeh makes is to blaspheme Jehovah. It is not from ignorance he speaks of the reforms of Hezekiah. The scholars in Assyria had long known the details of the Mosaic Covenant, knew quite well the Canaanite variations on Baal bore only a superficial resemblance to ancient Hebrew worship of Jehovah. They knew Jehovah did not tolerate this mixing of ritual, of multiple altars all over the place, all of which had long been used for other gods. However, the Rabshakeh knew religion and politics were deeply mixed, that there was a strong party in the Judean court disaffected by Hezekiah's destruction of those scattered altars. Quite frankly, those altars were also a source of revenue, and that would obviously add to the anger of those whose favorite altar was destroyed. The Rabshakeh's choice to mock this zeal of Hezekiah is a direct insult to Jehovah, and he knew that.
Then he compares relative military might. It's no secret Assyrian troops outnumbered anything Hezekiah might have drafted from within the kingdom. There is an unsubtle reference to Egypt as a primary source for chariots and horses. Assyria had picked up where the ancient Hittites left off, raising their own stables and producing even better chariots. He finishes with reminding them of the half-truth Jehovah had sent them to conquer the land, so there was no point resisting.
Hezekiah's officials wanted to keep this a discussion among bureaucrats in the Aramaic tongue, but the Rabshakeh makes clear he came to spread fear. He shouts loudly to the guards on the wall, knowing many of their senior commanders would be there to hear. He attempted to provoke discussion of terms of surrender with them, bypassing the official delegation. He made all sorts of wild promises about a better land. He mentions all the patron deities which had failed to protect their various domains in the empire. Naturally, the guards on the wall knew better than to answer.
However, it was not the fine discipline of the Judean army which made the difference here. It was how Hezekiah responded.
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By Ed Hurst
05 March 2009
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