Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? Did any of them rescue Samaria from my power?
The Assyrian king is mocking other nations' gods, claiming none of them could save their cities from his conquest, including Samaria (Israel's capital).
📚 Historical Context
In the 8th century BC, the Assyrian Empire under King Sennacherib was aggressively expanding and had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, including Samaria. The Assyrian official Rabshakeh delivered this mocking speech during the siege of Jerusalem to intimidate King Hezekiah and the people of Judah, pointing to the failure of other nations' gods to protect them. This taunt highlighted Assyria's military dominance and challenged the faith of Judah in their God.
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