Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Did any of them save Samaria from my power?
The Assyrian commander is mocking other nations' gods, claiming they were powerless to protect their cities from Assyria's conquest.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of Isaiah 36, the Assyrian empire under King Sennacherib was invading Judah around 701 BC, with their forces besieging Jerusalem. The speaker, an Assyrian official called the Rabshakeh, is mocking the God of Judah by referencing the defeat of other nations, such as Hamath, Arphad, and Sepharvaim, whose gods failed to protect them from Assyrian conquest. This taunt was part of a psychological strategy to intimidate the people of Jerusalem and weaken their resolve to resist.
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