Rabshakeh

An important Assyrian official. This role was first a cupbearer or household manager. But later, it was a powerful palace official. The “rabshakeh” was the ambassador of King Sennacherib. He demanded with insults that Hezekiah and Jerusalem abandon their reliance on both Egypt and God and surrender to Assyria. Hezekiah refused. The rabshakeh returned to Assyria to find his king at war against Libnah (2 Kings 18:17–37; 19:4, 8; Isaiah 36:2–22; 37:4, 8).