The Rabshakeh said to them: For the Rabshakeh, see the comments on verse 17. Comparison with ancient Assyrian records shows that the message of the Assyrian official is couched in the usual language of diplomacy of the period.

Say to Hezekiah: Revised Standard Version does not reflect the fact that the Hebrew has a particle of entreaty following the verb Say (see the comments on 1 Kgs 1.12). In verse 26 Revised Standard Version translates this same particle as “Pray.” But like most other modern translations, Revised Standard Version does not attempt to translate this particle here. If a weakened form of a polite request can be expressed naturally in the receptor language, it may be used here.

The great king, the king of Assyria: While these words may be considered somewhat redundant, they reflect the extravagant respect that the speaker had for his king. The great king was a title given to Assyrian kings beginning in the eighteenth century B.C., and for this reason it should be capitalized in translation as in Revised English Bible and American Bible. Good News Translation does not translate these words, but since they are a title, they should be translated. If the direct quotation is retained in translation, this element of respect should also be reflected. At the same time, the speaker refers to the king of Judah simply as Hezekiah, without the use of his title, which may indicate a lack of respect.

On what do you rest this confidence of yours?: This confidence of yours may be rendered “your certainty.” The Hebrew noun rendered confidence is translated “hope” in Eccl 9.4. Some languages may require a clearer statement of what Hezekiah was confident of. While his confidence was in Yahweh, he was confident that he could remain independent of the Assyrian king. Both the verb rest and the noun confidence come from the same Hebrew root word, which is translated elsewhere in this chapter as “trusted” (verse 5) and “rely” (verse 20) and constitutes a major theme of the passage (see the comments on verse 5). The second person pronouns you and yours are singular since the message is for Hezekiah. They are also singular in verses 20-21 and 23-24.

The three levels of quotation in this verse will make it difficult to translate it literally in many languages. The sense of the whole verse may be rendered indirectly as in Good News Translation or by adopting the following model:

• One of the Assyrian officials explained to them that the great ruler of Assyria wanted to learn why Hezekiah was so certain that he could remain independent.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .