Bible Strands
2 Kings 18:24
For how can you repel a single officer among the least of my master’s servants when you depend on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — An Assyrian commander addresses King Hezekiah’s envoys during the siege of Jerusalem, challenging their military viability while demanding they surrender to the king of Assyria.
The words — The Hebrew phrase תָּשִׁיב פְּנֵי פַחַת אַחַד (ta.shiv pe.nei fa.chat 'a.chad) literally renders "will you turn back the face of one governor." This idiom denotes repelling or successfully resisting a single military officer.
The thread — The text’s condemnation of Egyptian chariots and horsemen directly parallels Isaiah 10:8’s portrayal of Assyrian arrogance and echoes the Deuteronomy 17:16 prohibition against seeking Egyptian military aid. This same dependency was previously labeled a splintered reed in 2 Kings 18:21.
Why it lands — It demands readers evaluate whether their security rests on fragile political alliances or on the explicit command of God. The verse forces a direct comparison between human military posturing and divine authority.
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
King James Version
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
Cross-references
- Isaiah 10:8 “Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.
- Deuteronomy 17:16 But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’
- 2 Kings 18:21 Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
- Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
- Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.
- Isaiah 31:3 But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish together.
- Isaiah 36:6 Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
- Isaiah 36:9 For how can you repel a single officer among the least of my master’s servants when you depend on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
- Jeremiah 37:7 “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says that you are to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt.
- Jeremiah 42:14 and if you say, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for bread,’