McClintock Biblical Encyclopedia: Rab-shakeh

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McClintock Biblical Encyclopedia: Rab-shakeh


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(Heb. Rabshakeh', øִáְùָׁ÷ֵä ; Sept. ῾Ñáøᾶêçò v. r. ῾ÑáâóÜêçò ), an Aramaic name, signifying chief cup-bearer, but applied to an Assyrian general (2Ki_18:17; 2Ki_18:19; 2Ki_18:26; 2Ki_18:28; 2Ki_18:37; 2Ki_19:4; 2Ki_19:8; Isa_36:2; Isa_36:4; Isa_36:12-13; Isa_36:22; Isa_37:4; Isa_37:8). B.C. 713. Notwithstanding its seemingly official significance, it appears to have been used as a proper name, as Butler with us; for the person who bore it was a military chief in high command under Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Yet it is not impossible, according to Oriental usages, that a royal cup-bearer should hold a military command; and the office itself was one of high distinction, in the same way as Rab-saris denotes the chief eunuch, and Rab-mag, possibly, the chief priest. See Rawlinson, Ancient Monarchies, 2, 440. Luther, in his version, is not quite consistent, sometimes (2Ki_18:17; Isa_36:2) giving Rab- shakeh as a proper name, but ordinarily translating it as a title of office — arch-cupbearer (der Erzschenke). The word Rab may be found translated in many places of the English version; for instance, 2Ki_25:8; 2Ki_25:20; Jer_39:11; Dan_2:14 ( øִáàּèִáָּçַéí ), Rab-tabbachin, “captain of the guard” — in the margin, “chief marshal,” “chief of the executioners;” Dan_1:3, Rab-sarisin, “master of the eunuchs;” 2:48 ( øִáàּñַâְðַéï ), Rab-signin, “chief of the governors;” 4:9; 5:11 ( øִáàּçִøèֻîַּéï ), Rab-chartummin, “master of the magicians;' Jon_1:6 ( øִá äִçֹáֵì ), Rab-hachobel, “ship-master.” It enters into the titles Rabbi, Rabboni, and the name Rabbah. SEE RABBI.