taken away: This was artfully malicious. Many of the people had sacrificed to Jehovah on high places (2Ch 31:1); and Hezekiah had removed them, as incentives to idolatry. Hence Rabshakeh insinuates that by so doing he had offended Jehovah, deprived the people of their religious rights, and that, consequently, he could neither expect the blessing of God, nor the cooperation of the people.