The Meaning of 2 Kings 18:31 Explained

2 Kings 18:31

KJV: Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:

YLT: 'Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for thus said the king of Asshur, Make with me a blessing, and come out unto me, and eat ye each of his vine, and each of his fig-tree, and drink ye each the waters of his own well,

Darby: Hearken not to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: Make peace with me, and come out to me; and eat every one of his vine and every one of his fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern;

ASV: Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Hearken  not to Hezekiah:  for thus saith  the king  of Assyria,  Make  [an agreement] with me by a present,  and come out  to me, and [then] eat  ye every man  of his own vine,  and every one  of his fig tree,  and drink  ye every one  the waters  of his cistern: 

What does 2 Kings 18:31 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 18:26-37 - Silent Before The Boaster
The Jews met the taunts of Rabshakeh with silence. It was wise policy. It is infinitely better to hand over our cause to God, and leave Him to answer for us and avenge our wrongs. He will undertake our case, if we will but leave it unreservedly in His hands. The only exception is when some simple explanation will relieve the cause we love from any evil imputation. Rabshakeh could not have been made to understand the attitude of king and people. See Isaiah 37:22. Men of the world cannot read the secrets of the heart that is stayed upon Jehovah. God's hidden ones are as great a mystery as was our Lord. Their life is hid with Christ in God, but some day He will be manifested, and they shall be manifested with Him in glory.
When our Lord was threatened, He remained calm and quiet. "As a sheep that before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth," Isaiah 53:7, r.v. We are bidden to follow His steps and to do as He did, silently committing our cause to Him who never fails to vindicate those who put their trust in Him. [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 18:31 mean?

Not do listen to Hezekiah for thus says the king of Assyria Make [peace] with me by a present and come out to me and eat every one of you from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree and drink every one of you the waters of his own cistern
אַֽל־ תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־ חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֗וּר עֲשֽׂוּ־ אִתִּ֤י בְרָכָה֙ וּצְא֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאִכְל֤וּ אִישׁ־ גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְאִ֣ישׁ תְּאֵֽנָת֔וֹ וּשְׁת֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ מֵֽי־ בוֹרֽוֹ

תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ  do  listen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ  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.
כֹ֨ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֜ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁ֗וּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
עֲשֽׂוּ־  Make  [peace] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אִתִּ֤י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
בְרָכָה֙  by  a  present 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרָכָה  
Sense: blessing.
וּצְא֣וּ  and  come  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֵלַ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וְאִכְל֤וּ  and  eat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
אִישׁ־  every  one  of  you 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
גַּפְנוֹ֙  from  his  own  vine 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: גֶּפֶן  
Sense: vine, vine tree.
וְאִ֣ישׁ  and  every  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
תְּאֵֽנָת֔וֹ  from  his  own  fig  tree 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: תְּאֵנָה  
Sense: fig, fig tree.
וּשְׁת֖וּ  and  drink 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
אִ֥ישׁ  every  one  of  you 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מֵֽי־  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
בוֹרֽוֹ  of  his  own  cistern 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.