Bible Figure
Rabshakeh
Assyrian Officer
Rabshakeh was the title of a senior Assyrian official who delivered Sennacherib's threatening message to Jerusalem during Hezekiah's reign.
Biography
Second Kings 18-19 and Isaiah 36-37 describe the Rabshakeh speaking outside Jerusalem's walls in Hebrew so the population could hear. He mocked Hezekiah's trust in Egypt and, more seriously, challenged confidence in the Lord by comparing Him with the gods of nations Assyria had conquered. Hezekiah sought Isaiah's counsel and prayed. The Lord delivered Jerusalem, and the Assyrian army suffered catastrophic judgment.
Biblical Significance
The Rabshakeh episode turns an international military crisis into a direct challenge to God's honor. His arrogant speech provides the backdrop for Hezekiah's prayer and the Lord's dramatic deliverance of Jerusalem.