But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
The verse falls within the history of the remaining kingdom of Judah, after the ten tribes had been swept away. It stands in 2 Kings 17-18 as part of the continuing history of transgression, war, strife, defeat, captivity, and conspiracy of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. It is part of the account of Sennacherib's invasion of Palestine and siege of Jerusalem, an event also recorded on the Assyrian king's cylinder, with the biblical account confirming the historical setting described by the inscription.
Sennacherib sent Rabshakeh with Rabsaris and Tartan from Lachish to Jerusalem to demand Hezekiah's submission on condition that he remain in his land until Sennacherib came to carry all away captive. Hezekiah refused to hear Rabshakeh, by royal command forbade the people to answer him a word, and then sent a company to Isaiah to ask whether the Lord would hear Rabshakeh's words. The people obeyed Hezekiah's command and kept silent, answering the Assyrian officers' taunts and threats not a word. Their silence meant the attempt to frighten and discourage Jerusalem's defenders did not succeed.
The account to which the verse belongs shows that the Assyrian army was not near Jerusalem when the angel slew 185,000 men but was with the king of Assyria at Libnah, and therefore it does not support identifying the destruction of the Assyrian army with the fulfillment of Isaiah 30:33. The verse belongs to the story of Hezekiah when Jerusalem was threatened by Assyria and shows that God is a friend to his people when they are in trouble. The distress surrounding the verse led Hezekiah to spread Sennacherib's letter before the Lord and pray, teaching that troubles and letters may be spread before God and told to him in prayer.
The story teaches children to become acquainted with God before trouble comes and to learn faith and self-denial and how to trust God now, so they will not be overwhelmed in the coming time of trouble when God will deliver his trusting people while the wicked will pray without deliverance.
The verse falls within the history of the remaining kingdom of Judah, after the ten tribes had been swept away. It stands in 2 Kings 17-18 as part of the continuing history of transgression, war, strife, defeat, captivity, and conspiracy of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. It is part of the account of Sennacherib's invasion of Palestine and siege of Jerusalem, an event also recorded on the Assyrian king's cylinder, with the biblical account confirming the historical setting described by the inscription.
Sennacherib sent Rabshakeh with Rabsaris and Tartan from Lachish to Jerusalem to demand Hezekiah's submission on condition that he remain in his land until Sennacherib came to carry all away captive. Hezekiah refused to hear Rabshakeh, by royal command forbade the people to answer him a word, and then sent a company to Isaiah to ask whether the Lord would hear Rabshakeh's words. The people obeyed Hezekiah's command and kept silent, answering the Assyrian officers' taunts and threats not a word. Their silence meant the attempt to frighten and discourage Jerusalem's defenders did not succeed.
The account to which the verse belongs shows that the Assyrian army was not near Jerusalem when the angel slew 185,000 men but was with the king of Assyria at Libnah, and therefore it does not support identifying the destruction of the Assyrian army with the fulfillment of Isaiah 30:33. The verse belongs to the story of Hezekiah when Jerusalem was threatened by Assyria and shows that God is a friend to his people when they are in trouble. The distress surrounding the verse led Hezekiah to spread Sennacherib's letter before the Lord and pray, teaching that troubles and letters may be spread before God and told to him in prayer.
The story teaches children to become acquainted with God before trouble comes and to learn faith and self-denial and how to trust God now, so they will not be overwhelmed in the coming time of trouble when God will deliver his trusting people while the wicked will pray without deliverance.