The Meaning of 2 Kings 18:18 Explained

2 Kings 18:18

KJV: And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

YLT: And they call unto the king, and go out unto them doth Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who is over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the remembrancer.

Darby: And they called to the king. Then came forth to them Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler.

ASV: And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when they had called  to the king,  there came out  to them Eliakim  the son  of Hilkiah,  which [was] over the household,  and Shebna  the scribe,  and Joah  the son  of Asaph  the recorder. 

What does 2 Kings 18:18 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 18:18 mean?

And when they had called to the king and came out to them Eliakim son of Hilkiah who [was] over the household and Shebna the scribe and Joah of Asaph the recorder
וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ אֶל־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיֵּצֵ֧א אֲלֵהֶ֛ם אֶלְיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־ חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־ הַבָּ֑יִת וְשֶׁבְנָה֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְיוֹאָ֥ח אָסָ֖ף הַמַּזְכִּֽיר

וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙  And  when  they  had  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וַיֵּצֵ֧א  and  came  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֲלֵהֶ֛ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶלְיָקִ֥ים  Eliakim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְיָקִים  
Sense: the son of Hilkiah, master of Hezekiah’s household.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ  of  Hilkiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִלְקִיָּה 
Sense: father of Eliakim, an officer of Hezekiah.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  who  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עַל־  over 
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.
הַבָּ֑יִת  the  household 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְשֶׁבְנָה֙  and  Shebna 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבְנָא 
Sense: a person of high position in the court of king Hezekiah of Judah; subsequently the secretary of Hezekiah.
הַסֹּפֵ֔ר  the  scribe 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
וְיוֹאָ֥ח  and  Joah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָח  
Sense: son of Asaph and chronicler to Hezekiah.
אָסָ֖ף  of  Asaph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָסָף  
Sense: the father of Hezekiah’s secretary.
הַמַּזְכִּֽיר  the  recorder 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.