“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
Parallel translations
- WEB Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, “In whom do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
- KJV Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
- BSB “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: What is the basis of your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?
- NASB “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: ‘On what are you trusting that you are staying in Jerusalem under siege?
- NLT “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive my siege of Jerusalem?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Sennacherib taunts the people, asking in whom they trust that they remain under siege in Jerusalem. It matters because he attacks the very foundation of their faith.
Overview
The Assyrian's message aims to undermine the people's confidence by mocking their trust. By questioning the basis of their hope, he seeks to break their will to resist. The challenge exposes the true issue: whether the people will trust the Lord against overwhelming odds.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- 2 Kgs 18:19Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What confidence is this in which you trust?
- Isa 36:4Rabshakeh said to them, “Now tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What confidence is this in which you trust?
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Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 32:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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