But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
But the Assyrian commander said to them, 'Do you think my master sent me to speak these words only to your master and to you? Hasn't he sent me to speak to the men sitting on the wall, who will have to eat their own waste and drink their own urine along with you?'
The Assyrian commander is threatening that everyone in Jerusalem - not just the leaders - will face starvation and desperation during the coming siege.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC under King Sennacherib. The Assyrian Rabshakeh (field commander) was using psychological warfare, speaking loudly in Hebrew so all the people on the city walls could hear his threats. Siege warfare often led to extreme famine conditions where people would be reduced to consuming anything available.
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