The Meaning of 2 Kings 18:13 Explained

2 Kings 18:13

KJV: Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.

YLT: And in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah hath Sennacherib king of Asshur come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and seizeth them,

Darby: And in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.

ASV: Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now in the fourteenth  year  of king  Hezekiah  did Sennacherib  king  of Assyria  come up  against all the fenced  cities  of Judah,  and took  them. 

What does 2 Kings 18:13 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 18:13-25 - Threatened By Worldly Might
It is an interesting fact that this siege of Lachish is mentioned on the Assyrian monuments, and Sennacherib is depicted as giving orders for its destruction. Also the names and Jewish physiognomy of these ambassadors are clearly recognizable. It was a mistake to bribe the foe; the bribes only excited his cupidity. You may as well come to blows with Apollyon as soon as he straddles across your path; sooner or later the conflict will have to come to a head. Three years afterward, Rabshakeh appeared before the gates of Jerusalem.
It has been suggested that this bold blasphemer was an apostate Jew. He drew a false inference from the recent destructions of altars, etc., which had been reported to him. His taunts were barbed with biting satire. He spoke contemptuously of the little army that was absolutely unable to cope with the disciplined troops of Assyria. It seemed a most unequal conflict which could end only in one way. But he failed to take into account the covenant mercy of God and the heavenly forces which were allied with Hezekiah. [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 18:13 mean?

And in four [and] ten the year of King Hezekiah came up Sennacherib king of Assyria against all cities of Judah the fortified and took them
וּבְאַרְבַּע֩ עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה שָׁנָ֜ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֗ה עָלָ֞ה סַנְחֵרִ֤יב מֶֽלֶךְ־ אַשּׁוּר֙ עַ֣ל כָּל־ עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת וַֽיִּתְפְּשֵֽׂם

וּבְאַרְבַּע֩  And  in  four 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Number, feminine singular
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
שָׁנָ֜ה  the  year 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ  of  King 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
חִזְקִיָּ֗ה  Hezekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִזְקִיָּה 
Sense: 2th king of Judah, son of Ahaz and Abijah; a good king in that he served Jehovah and did away with idolatrous practices.
עָלָ֞ה  came  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
סַנְחֵרִ֤יב  Sennacherib 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: סַנְחֵרִיב  
Sense: son of Sargon, father of Esarhaddon, and king of Assyria from 705–68 BC; attacked Judah during the reign of king Hezekiah and Judah was delivered when in response to the prayer of Hezekiah an angel smote 85,000 Assyrian soldiers.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁוּר֙  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
עַ֣ל  against 
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.
עָרֵ֧י  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
יְהוּדָ֛ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת  the  fortified 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine plural
Root: בָּצַר 
Sense: to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible, enclose.
וַֽיִּתְפְּשֵֽׂם  and  took  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּפַשׂ  
Sense: to catch, handle, lay hold, take hold of, seize, wield.