MPV Commentary

17. The king of Assyria sent three high-ranking officials to Jerusalem: Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rab-shakeh. These officers were responsible for delivering Sennacherib's insulting message to Hezekiah. Archaeological discoveries have identified figures on the walls of Sennacherib's palace at Khorsabad that match these officials, likely representing the individuals sent on this embassy.

With a massive army, Sennacherib had been waging war in Egypt for three years but was forced to retreat by the king of Ethiopia. He then turned his attention to Jerusalem and sent an enormous force to demand its surrender (see 2 Chronicles 32:30).

The Assyrian officials arrived at the conduit of the upper pool, a waterway that connected the Upper Gihon reservoir to the lower pool, and the highway of the fuller's field, a public road that passed by the area where fullers conducted their business outside the city.

18. When they called for the king, Hezekiah did not appear in person but sent his three top officials – Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah – to meet with the Assyrian deputies outside the city walls.

19. Rab-shakeh spoke with great arrogance, boasting about his master's power and resources. His speech was a highly colored picture of Sennacherib's abilities, designed to intimidate Hezekiah into surrender. This type of message has been paralleled in other instances throughout history, where Eastern leaders have sent defiant messages to their enemies.

27. The Assyrians taunted the people of Jerusalem, saying they would be reduced to eating their own dung and drinking their own urine during the siege.