2 Kings 18:20

You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me?

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Assyrian commander Rabshakeh speaks to King Hezekiah’s officials during the siege of Jerusalem, directly questioning their confidence in military alliances and divine protection.

The words — The text records אַךְ דְּבַר שְׂפָתַיִם ('akh de.var se.fa.tayim), which literally means "only a word of lips," to dismiss Hezekiah’s war preparations as empty talk.

The thread — This rejection of human strategy aligns with Proverbs 21:30, which declares that no wisdom or counsel can prevail against the LORD.

Why it lands — The passage forces a reader to identify whether their current stability depends on visible resources or on the authority that ultimately directs historical events.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙'a.Mar.tayou have said אַךְ־'akh-only דְּבַר־de.var-a word of שְׂפָתַ֔יִםse.fa.Ta.yimlips עֵצָ֥ה'e.Tzahcounsel וּגְבוּרָ֖הu./ge.vu.Rahand/ strength לַמִּלְחָמָ֑הla./mil.cha.Mahfor <the>/ war עַתָּה֙'a.Tahnow עַל־'al-on מִ֣יmiwhom?בָטַ֔חְתָּva.Tach.tado you rely כִּ֥יkithat מָרַ֖דְתָּma.Rad.tayou have rebelledבִּֽי׃B/iagainst/ me

King James Version

Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

Cross-references

Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.