Rab-Shakeh
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [1]
Rab-Shakeh . The title of an Assyr. [Note: Assyrian.] officer, who with the Tartan and the Rab-saris was sent by Sennacherib to Hezekiah to demand the surrender of Jerusalem ( 2 Kings 18:1-37 f., Isaiah 36:1-22 f.). The word is the Heb. transcription of the Assyr. [Note: Assyrian.] rab-shaqç a title borne by a military officer of high rank, subordinate to the Tartan.
L. W. King.
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary [2]
Chief butler or cup-bearer, an officer sent from Lachish by Sennacherib king of Assyria, to summon Hezekiah to surrender; which message he delivered in a most audacious and insolent manner. The history is told in 2 Kings 19:17 2 Chronicles 32:9 Isaiah 36:22 . See Nineveh and Sennacherib .
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [3]
(Heb. Rabshakeh', רִבְשָׁקֵה; Sept. ῾Ραψᾶκης v. r. ῾Ραβσάκης ), an Aramaic name, signifying Chief Cup-Bearer , but applied to an Assyrian general ( 2 Kings 18:17; 2 Kings 18:19; 2 Kings 18:26; 2 Kings 18:28; 2 Kings 18:37; 2 Kings 19:4; 2 Kings 19:8; Isaiah 36:2; Isaiah 36:4; Isaiah 36:12-13; Isaiah 36:22; Isaiah 37:4; Isaiah 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 ( 2 Kings 18:17; Isaiah 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, 2 Kings 25:8; 2 Kings 25:20; Jeremiah 39:11; Daniel 2:14 (רִבאּטִבָּחַים ), Rab-Tabbachin , "captain of the guard" — in the margin, "chief marshal," "chief of the executioners;" Daniel 1:3, Rab-Sarisin , "master of the eunuchs;" 2:48 (רִבאּסַגְנַין ), Rab-Signin , "chief of the governors;" 4:9; 5:11 (רִבאּחִרטֻמַּין ), Rab-Chartummin , "master of the magicians;' Jonah 1:6 (רִב הִחֹבֵל ), Rab-Hachobel , "ship-master." It enters into the titles Rabbi, Rabboni, and the name Rabbah. (See Rabbi).
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature [4]
Rab´-shakeh (chief-cup-bearer). 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. He is the last named of three Assyrian generals who appeared before Jerusalem; and was the utterer of the insulting speeches addressed to the besieged.;;;;;;;;;;;; .
