2 Kings 18 · Verse 37

2 Kings 18:37

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 Rab–shakeh.
2 Kings 18:37, King James Version

2 Kings 18:37 in other translations

BSBThen Hilkiah’s son Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Asaph’s son Joah the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they relayed to him the words of the Rabshakeh.
WEBThen Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, came with Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him Rabshakeh’s words.
ASVThen 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.
YLTAnd 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.
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEThen Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah, with their clothing parted as a sign of grief, and gave him an account of what the Rab-shakeh had said.
WebsterThen 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 Rab-shakeh.

What does 2 Kings 18:37 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 37 Then came Eliakim - and Shebna - and Joah - to Hezekiah with their clothes rent - It was the custom of the Hebrews, when they heard any blasphemy, to rend their clothes, because this was the greatest of crimes, as it immediately affected the majesty of God, and it was right that a religious people should have in the utmost abhorrence every insult offered to the object of their religious worship. These three ambassadors lay the matter before the king as God's representative; he lays it before the prophet, as God's minister; and the prophet lays it before God, as the people's mediator.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 18:17-37

Rabshakeh tries to convince the Jews, that it was to no purpose for them to stand it out. What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? It were well if sinners would submit to the force of this argument, in seeking peace with God. It is, therefore, our wisdom to yield to him, because it is in vain to contend with him: what confidence is that which those trust in who stand out against him? A great deal of art there…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 18:17-37 →

2 Kings 18:37 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּבֹ֣אvai.ya.Vo'and he wentH935
אֶלְיָקִ֣ים'el.ya.KimEliakimH471
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
חִלְקִיָּ֣הchil.ki.YahHilkiahH2518
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whoH834
עַל\־'al-[was] overH5921
הַ֠בַּיִתHa.ba.yitthe houseH1004
וְשֶׁבְנָ֨אve.shev.Na'and ShebnaH7644
הַסֹּפֵ֜רha.so.Ferthe scribeH5608
וְיוֹאָ֨חve.yo.'Achand JoahH3098
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
אָסָ֧ף'a.SafAsaphH623
הַמַּזְכִּ֛ירha.maz.Kirthe recorderH2142
אֶל\־'el-toH413
חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּchiz.ki.Ya.huHezekiahH2396
קְרוּעֵ֣יke.ru.'Eitorn ofH7167
בְגָדִ֑יםve.ga.DimclothesH899
וַיַּגִּ֣דוּvai.ya.Gi.duand they toldH5046
ל֔וֹloto him
דִּבְרֵ֖יdiv.Rei[the] words ofH1697
רַב\־rav-[the] chiefH7262
שָׁקֵֽה\׃sha.KehcommanderH7262

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 18:37

  • Genesis 37:29

    And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

  • Jeremiah 36:24

    Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

  • 2 Kings 22:19

    Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

  • Isaiah 36:21-22

    But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not. Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that 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.

  • 2 Kings 5:7

    And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

  • Genesis 37:34

    And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

  • 2 Kings 18:26

    Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab–shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

  • 2 Kings 6:30

    And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

  • Matthew 26:65

    Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

  • Job 1:20

    Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

  • 2 Kings 22:11

    And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

  • Isaiah 33:7

    Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
with their clothes rent.
5:7; 22:11,19; Ge 37:29,34; Job 1:20; Isa 33:7; 36:21,22; Jer 36:24
Mt 26:65

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 18:36

    But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

  • 2 Kings 18:37

    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 Rab–shakeh.

Read all of 2 Kings 18

2 Kings 18:37 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Eliacim hijo de Hilcías, que era mayordomo, y Sebna el escriba, y Joah hijo de Asaph, canciller, vinieron á Ezechîas, rotos sus vestidos, y recitáronle las palabras de Rabsaces.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Éliakim, fils de Hilkija, qui était préposé sur la maison, et Shebna, le scribe, et Joakh, fils d’Asaph, rédacteur des chroniques, vinrent vers Ézéchias, leurs vêtements déchirés, et ils lui rapportèrent les paroles du Rab-Shaké.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Eljakim, der Sohn Hilkijas, der über das Haus war, und Schebna, der Schreiber, und Joach, der Sohn Asaphs, der Geschichtsschreiber, kamen zu Hiskia mit zerrissenen Kleidern und berichteten ihm die Worte des Rabsake.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Venitque Eliacim filius Helciæ, præpositus domus, et Sobna scriba, et Joahe filius Asaph a commentariis ad Ezechiam scissis vestibus, et nuntiaverunt ei verba Rabsacis.