The Meaning of 2 Kings 18:37 Explained

2 Kings 18:37

KJV: Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

YLT: And Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who is over the house, cometh in, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the remembrancer, unto Hezekiah, with rent garments, and they declare to him the words of the chief of the butlers.

Darby: And Eliakim the son of Hilkijah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the chronicler, came to Hezekiah with their garments rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.

ASV: Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then came  Eliakim  the son  of Hilkiah,  which [was] over the household,  and Shebna  the scribe,  and Joah  the son  of Asaph  the recorder,  to Hezekiah  with [their] clothes  rent,  and told  him the words  of Rabshakeh. 

What does 2 Kings 18:37 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 18:37 mean?

And came Eliakim son of Hilkiah who [was] over the household and Shebna the scribe and Joah of Asaph the recorder to Hezekiah with torn [their] clothes and told him the words of the Rabshakeh
וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־ חִלְקִיָּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־ עַל־ הַ֠בַּיִת וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א הַסֹּפֵ֜ר וְיוֹאָ֨ח אָסָ֧ף הַמַּזְכִּ֛יר אֶל־ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ קְרוּעֵ֣י בְגָדִ֑ים וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ דִּבְרֵ֖י רַב־ שָׁקֵֽה

וַיָּבֹ֣א  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶלְיָקִ֣ים  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.
חִלְקִיָּ֣ה  of  Hilkiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִלְקִיָּה 
Sense: father of Eliakim, an officer of Hezekiah.
אֲשֶׁר־  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.
הַ֠בַּיִת  the  household 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א  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.
הַסֹּפֵ֜ר  the  scribe 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
וְיוֹאָ֨ח  and  Joah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָח  
Sense: son of Asaph and chronicler to Hezekiah.
אָסָ֧ף  of  Asaph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָסָף  
Sense: the father of Hezekiah’s secretary.
הַמַּזְכִּ֛יר  the  recorder 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ  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.
קְרוּעֵ֣י  with  torn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural construct
Root: קָרַע  
Sense: to tear, tear in pieces.
בְגָדִ֑ים  [their]  clothes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ  and  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
דִּבְרֵ֖י  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
שָׁקֵֽה  the  Rabshakeh 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רַב־שָׁקֵה  
Sense: chief cupbearer, chief of the officers?.