Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 18

Assyria’s commander says that God will not save Judah

2 Kings 18:22

Hezekiah sent his three most important government officials to hear the king of Assyria’s demands. They were: Eliakim, the ruler of the palace; Shebna the royal secretary and formerly the palace ruler; and Joah, who was in charge of the government’s records.

There is some evidence that these three men had different opinions about religion, in Isaiah 22:15-24. Eliakim is called a servant of God. Clearly, he was loyal to the true God; he approved of what Hezekiah had done to bring right religion back to Judah. However, that passage describes Shebna as a proud man who wanted to impress people by his greatness. So, perhaps he did not really approve of the changes that Hezekiah had made.

The army commander from Assyria may have been trying to separate them by his next argument. Hezekiah had destroyed the high places in the hills where people gathered to pray. He also destroyed the many shrines, the places for religion that Ahaz built on the street corners in Jerusalem. On the high places, people had sometimes prayed to the true God. However, more often, and especially during Ahaz’s rule, people used the high places and shrines to serve false gods. Hezekiah destroyed those places because he wanted to obey God’s law in Deuteronomy 12:1-14. That passage directs God’s people to gather for prayer at the temple, God’s house in Jerusalem. That was the only proper place to offer sacrifices (the gift of animals to God).

The commander from Assyria boldly argued that Judah’s people were wrong to trust God to protect them. He said that God would, in fact, be angry with them. His reason was that Hezekiah had destroyed so many places for religion.

Eliakim clearly would not agree with that. However, perhaps the commander thought that Shebna might agree.

Next part: Reasons why Hezekiah should accept defeat (2 Kings 18:23-25)

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