Some believe these figures refer to the same individual under different names.
As Jewish tradition holds, Rabsak, who communicated in Hebrew, is thought to be the son of the prophet Isaiah, whom they accuse of treachery, and the other son of Isaiah, named Jashuv, signifies “forsaken” in our language. Others argue that Rabsak was a Samaritan, thus explaining his fluency in Hebrew, permitting him to blaspheme God with audacity. It is essential to examine Rabsak’s statements. His claim that the people intended to rely on Egypt, calling it a feeble reed (1 Kings 18:21), is false since there are no records of Hezekiah seeking help from Egypt. However, he accurately remarked, ‘If you declare, “In the Lord our God we trust”’ (1 Kings 18:22), but he misrepresented the truth by alleging that Hezekiah had removed the high places and altars. In reality, Hezekiah acted not against God, but in His favor, striving to eradicate idolatry and insisting on worship centered in Jerusalem, where the temple was situated. It is noted that due to the people's errant habits, they constructed altars on hills to offer sacrifices.
Rabsak's claim regarding Hezekiah's inability to procure riders for the promised two thousand horses illustrates not the weakness of the Jewish people—their knowledge of horsemanship being foreign—but their adherence to God's commandments, which explicitly instructed kings against amassing horses or multiplying wives (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). Rabsak taunted that if Hezekiah's forces could not withstand his least servant, how would they endure against the might of a king? Yet when Rabsak challenged them on their trust in the Lord, he astutely acknowledged that his invasion was commanded by the Lord: ‘The Lord said to me, “Go into this land and ravage it”’ (1 Kings 18:25). This serves as evidence that his presence and conquest of many cities were according to divine will.
In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah's reign, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, attacked all the fortified cities of Judah, capturing them. He sent Rabsak from Lachish to Jerusalem with a formidable army, stopping at the upper pool's waterworks by the whitewashing field. Eliakim, son of Helkiin, the house steward, and Sobnah, the scribe, along with Joach, son of Asaph, came to encounter him. Rabsak conveyed to them a message from the Assyrian king, questioning their reliance and strategies: ‘What is this hope in which you trust? Or how do you prepare to renew your struggle?’ He accused them of relying on Egypt’s fragility, claiming that any who leaned upon it would be harmed, likening Pharaoh to a broken reed. Then he undermined their faith by stating that if they declared their trust in the Lord, it was the same God whose high places Hezekiah had removed, commanding worship at His altar in Jerusalem.
Rabsak further attempted to intimidate them, offering two thousand horses, insisting that they could not field riders, casting doubt on their capacities. He provocatively questioned how they could withstand the power behind his lord, the king of Assyria. He bellowed that he had come to plunder the land at the Lord’s command, emphasizing that his victories demonstrated divine endorsement. The records in the books of Days and Kings recount Hezekiah’s reign, detailing that he was twenty-five when he began his rule in Jerusalem, spanning twenty-nine years. He acted right in the Lord’s sight, following David’s legacy, and in his faithfulness to the Lord, he distinguished himself among the kings of Judah. His devotion led to a resistance against Assyrian dominance, yet he ultimately faced challenges (2 Kings 18:1-7). Seven years later, during the fourteenth year of Hezekiah, Sennacherib besieged Judah’s fortified cities. Hezekiah, eager for peace, humbled himself and promised to bear any charge (2 Kings 18:14). After paying tribute and stripping the temple doors of their adornments, Sennacherib sent Tartan and Rabsak from Lachish to confront Hezekiah in Jerusalem. They positioned themselves against the upper pond’s conduit, calling for the king, prompting Eliakim, Sobnah, and Joach to meet them. Rabsak mimicked the prophets, asserting authority by declaring, ‘Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria.’ Eliakim, pertinent to the prophecy’s vision, was to be entrusted with authority over Jerusalem and Judah (Isaiah 22:20-21). Some traditions suggest that upon facing Rabsak’s threats, Eliakim surrendered Jerusalem, save for the fortress of Zion and the temple. There is confusion regarding Sobnah; records mention him as an officer to be captured by Assyrians, but the Sobnah mentioned in this account serves as a scribe. Rabsak, credited with speaking Hebrew, is associated with Isaiah's lineage, further complicating interpretations regarding his origins and motives. His statements of blasphemy and accusations against Hezekiah serve to explore the depth of divine sovereignty and human worship amid trials.
THEOSIS