Then the Rab-shakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: 'Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!' — the Rab-shakeh's shift to Hebrew, speaking loudly for the populace, initiates his direct appeal to the Jerusalem populace. The formula 'Hear the words of the great king' echoes prophetic speech formulas ('Hear the word of the LORD'), yet inverts them by replacing the LORD with the Assyrian king. This rhetorical appropriation of Yahwistic speech patterns demonstrates sophisticated propaganda technique.

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