Isaiah 36:2

Sennacherib was still with his army that was attacking the strong city called Lachish (see 2 Chronicles 11:9).

• Lachish was in the hills, south-west of *Jerusalem. To *seize Lachish would free Sennacherib’s forces to attack other cities in the mountains. Those cities included Hezekiah’s capital called *Jerusalem.

• Sennacherib’s *messengers, the *Rabshakeh and those with him, stopped at the *aqueduct outside *Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 18:17). This was the same place where Isaiah had given king Ahaz a message from God (see Isaiah 7:3).

• On the earlier occasion (Isaiah 7:3) Isaiah had told Ahaz to trust the *Lord. But Ahaz refused to follow the advice. Now the *Assyrian *Rabshakeh was telling Hezekiah not to trust the *Lord. But Hezekiah will refuse to follow the *Assyrian’s advice.

v3 King Hezekiah sent three of his officials to meet the *Rabshakeh. One was Hilkiah’s son called Eliakim. He managed Hezekiah’s palace. Shebna was Chief Minister in the government. Joah son of Asaph looked after the official records.