2 Kings 18:35 kjv
Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
2 Kings 18:35 nkjv
Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?' "
2 Kings 18:35 niv
Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"
2 Kings 18:35 esv
Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'"
2 Kings 18:35 nlt
What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the LORD can rescue Jerusalem from me?"
2 Kings 18 35 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:35 | To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord He is God; there is no other besides Him. | Uniqueness of God affirmed. |
| 1 Sam 2:2 | "There is none holy like the Lord; for there is none besides You..." | God's incomparability. |
| Psa 86:8 | There is none like you among the gods, O Lord... | God's supremacy over other gods. |
| Isa 44:6 | Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God." | God as the only true God. |
| Isa 45:5 | I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides me there is no God. | Exclusive nature of God. |
| Jer 10:10 | But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. | Contrast between the true God and idols. |
| Psa 115:4-8 | Their idols are silver and gold... they have mouths, but do not speak... | Folly of trusting powerless idols. |
| Psa 135:15-18 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths... ears... but no breath. | Idols are lifeless and unable to save. |
| Isa 46:1-2 | Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts... cannot save. | Impotence of pagan deities. |
| Jer 10:3-5 | The customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree from the forest... | Futility of idol worship. |
| 2 Chr 32:21 | And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors... Assyrian army. | God's ultimate deliverance of Jerusalem. |
| Psa 3:8 | Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! | Deliverance comes from God alone. |
| Psa 33:16-19 | A king is not saved by his great army... behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him... | God delivers, not military might. |
| Psa 44:3-8 | For not by their own sword did they win the land... but by your right hand... | God as the source of Israel's victories. |
| Dan 3:17-28 | Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace... | God's ability to deliver from certain death. |
| Exod 14:30-31 | Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians... | Historical precedent of God's deliverance. |
| 2 Kgs 19:15-19 | Hezekiah prayed... O Lord... You alone are God... save us from his hand... | Hezekiah's prayer for deliverance. |
| Isa 36:20 | (Parallel passage) Has any of the gods of these nations delivered his land...? | Direct parallel to this challenge. |
| Isa 37:22-38 | (Prophecy of Assyrian fall) | Fulfillment: God delivers and judges Assyria. |
| Rom 8:31 | If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's omnipotence and protection. |
| Matt 27:42 | "He saved others; he cannot save himself..." | Echo of taunting language against divine power. |
| Heb 13:6 | The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid; what can man do to me? | Trust in God's help. |
2 Kings 18 verses
2 Kings 18 35 Meaning
This verse presents a sarcastic rhetorical question posed by Rabshakeh, the Assyrian field commander, to the officials of King Hezekiah during the siege of Jerusalem. He asserts that none of the gods of the other nations conquered by Assyria were able to deliver their people from the hand of the king of Assyria. Therefore, he implies, it is absurd to believe that the Lord, the God of Israel, could deliver Jerusalem from the mighty Assyrian army, equating Him to the powerless idols of other lands. This statement is a direct challenge to the uniqueness, power, and sovereignty of the God of Israel.
2 Kings 18 35 Context
This verse is embedded within Rabshakeh's speech to the Judean officials outside the walls of Jerusalem, intended to undermine the morale of King Hezekiah and his people during the Assyrian siege around 701 BCE. Sennacherib, the mighty king of Assyria, had already conquered many nations and their fortified cities. The Assyrian empire was at the height of its power, boasting of irresistible might and a superior army. Rabshakeh's strategy was to induce surrender by convincing the Judeans that resistance was futile and that their God, YHWH, was no more powerful than the gods of the vanquished nations. Hezekiah had trusted in the Lord and refused to bow down fully to Assyria. This taunt serves as a theological and psychological attack, questioning YHWH's ability to intervene against such overwhelming human force, a common Assyrian tactic to shatter an enemy's religious confidence.
2 Kings 18 35 Word analysis
- Who among all the gods: This rhetorical opening challenges the uniqueness and sovereignty of YHWH. "Gods" (אֱלֹהִים - elohim) here refers specifically to the various pagan deities worshipped by the nations conquered by Assyria. Rabshakeh groups YHWH with these defeated, impotent idols.
- of the countries: Emphasizes the vast geographical reach of the Assyrian conquests and the widespread nature of their apparent invincibility. It highlights that the claim covers all known nations and their respective divine protectors.
- have delivered (הִצִּילוּ - hitzilu): From the Hebrew root נָצַל (natsal), meaning "to snatch away, rescue, deliver, pull out." It highlights the central concept of salvation and protection, precisely what YHWH claimed to do for Israel. The use of the past tense "have delivered" reinforces the historical track record of failure in Rabshakeh's argument.
- their country: Points to the intrinsic link between the pagan god and its specific territory or people. These gods were seen as patrons or protectors of a specific region, and their defeat implied their impotence or the victory of the Assyrian gods.
- from the hand of the king of Assyria: "Hand" (יָד - yad) signifies power, authority, and control. It highlights the perceived overwhelming power and inescapable grasp of Sennacherib, implying divine power is no match for human military might.
- that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem: This is the sarcastic core of the question. "Lord" (יְהוָה - YHWH) is the covenant name of God, deliberately used by Rabshakeh in his taunt. By asking "that the Lord should deliver," he mocks the idea, placing YHWH in the same category as the failed pagan deities.
- from my hand: Rabshakeh here speaks as the direct representative and extension of Sennacherib's authority and military power. It brings the threat to a personal, immediate level.
Words-group analysis
- "Who among all the gods of the countries have delivered their country... that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem": This juxtaposes the proven failure of pagan gods with the expected failure of YHWH. It's a classic polemical challenge: "If their gods failed, why would yours be different?" It aims to remove YHWH from His unique, incomparable position and place Him among the pantheon of weak, regional deities who couldn't stand against Assyrian might.
- "from the hand of the king of Assyria... from my hand": This repetition underscores the human agency of Assyrian power as the seemingly insurmountable force. It sets up the central conflict: the apparent overwhelming might of an earthly king versus the claimed power of a spiritual God. This contrast sets the stage for the dramatic display of YHWH's actual power in the subsequent chapter, proving the Assyrian boasts false.
2 Kings 18 35 Bonus section
The supreme irony of Rabshakeh's taunt lies in its absolute reversal by divine intervention. His very challenge about YHWH's inability to deliver provides the backdrop for the Lord's most profound display of unique power and sovereignty, distinguishing Him irrevocably from all pagan gods. The taunt was not merely human arrogance but ultimately became an unwitting prophecy that exposed the limits of human might and elevated the boundless power of the Living God. This episode powerfully illustrates the foolishness of those who try to measure God by human standards or compare Him to created things.
2 Kings 18 35 Commentary
2 Kings 18:35 encapsulates a pivotal theological confrontation. Rabshakeh's taunt is not merely a psychological tactic; it's a direct assault on the exclusivity and omnipotence of the Lord God of Israel. In the ancient world, military conquest was often interpreted as the superiority of the conqueror's gods over the defeated gods. Rabshakeh uses this worldview to dismantle the Judeans' faith in YHWH, reducing Him to a mere national deity, impotent against Assyrian might like all others. This verse brilliantly sets the stage for YHWH's majestic response in the very next chapter (2 Kgs 19), where He acts precisely as the one true God, not as a regional idol, supernaturally delivering Jerusalem and humiliating Sennacherib. This act emphatically nullifies Rabshakeh's claim and underscores that YHWH is utterly unique and incomparable, the true and living God who alone can deliver.