Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
Then Eliakim (son of Hilkiah, who managed the royal household), Shebna the secretary, and Joah (son of Asaph, the royal recorder) came to King Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they reported to him everything the Assyrian commander had said.
The king's top officials came to Hezekiah with torn clothes (showing their distress) to report the threatening words of the enemy commander.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred around 701 BC when the Assyrian Empire, led by King Sennacherib, was besieging Jerusalem during King Hezekiah's reign. The Assyrian field commander (Rabshakeh) had just delivered threatening propaganda to Jerusalem's people, trying to convince them to surrender. Tearing one's clothes was a traditional expression of grief, shock, or distress in ancient Hebrew culture.
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