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Isaiah 36

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Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.

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And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field.

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Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah’s son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph’s son, the recorder.

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And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

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I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

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Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

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But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

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Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

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How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

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And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? the Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

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Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews’ language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

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But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

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Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.

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Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.

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Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

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Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;

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Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

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Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

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Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

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Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

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But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

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Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

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Isaiah 36

This chapter marks the transition to the historical narrative section (chapters 36-39), describing the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in the days of King Hezekiah as the Assyrian field commander Rabshakeh comes to demand surrender. The narrative emphasizes that Hezekiah and his officials respond with fear and dismay to the threats of the Assyrian military power, establishing the historical and political crisis that provides the occasion for divine intervention. The Assyrian commander's taunting speech challenges Judah's reliance on Egypt and even on their God, claiming that no god has been able to deliver any land from Assyrian hands. The narrative establishes that the political threat was severe and immediate, that Jerusalem faced a powerful enemy with a seemingly invincible military record. The passage shows Hezekiah's representatives responding to the Assyrians in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, indicating the seriousness and secrecy of the negotiations and the fear that the people will hear the threatening message. The chapter ends with the representatives reporting to Hezekiah, communicating the Assyrian demands and establishing the context for the prophetic intervention that follows. Isaiah 36 demonstrates that the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies depends on historical crises and that the people's faith is tested through threats and challenges. The chapter establishes that political and military crises provide the occasion for God's redemptive action and that trust in God must be tested through opposition and fear.

Isaiah 36:1

The reference to Sennacherib king of Assyria invading Judah and capturing all its fortified cities establishes the historical background for the narrative of divine deliverance that follows. This verse grounds the subsequent narrative in a concrete historical context, indicating that the prophecies of Isaiah will be demonstrated through the actual events of history. The extent of the invasion—capturing fortified cities—emphasizes the military power arrayed against Judah. The verse establishes that the deliverance described in the subsequent narrative occurs in the context of genuine military threat.

Isaiah 36:2

The reference to the king of Assyria sending the Rabshakeh, a high official, with a large force from Lachish to Jerusalem indicates that the Assyrian king has sent a representative to demand the city's surrender. This verse establishes the diplomatic dimension of the conflict, in which the Assyrian king attempts to secure Jerusalem's submission through communication rather than immediate military assault. The specific reference to Lachish, a city whose capture has been documented archaeologically, grounds the narrative in historical reality. The verse indicates that the Assyrian king believes that a show of strength and demand for surrender will be sufficient to convince Jerusalem to capitulate.

Isaiah 36:3

The reference to King Hezekiah's officials coming out to meet the Rabshakeh indicates that the Judean leadership responds to the Assyrian delegation in an attempt to negotiate or assess the situation. This verse indicates that the Judean leadership recognizes the gravity of the threat and takes it seriously by sending officials to meet the invading army's representative. The formal protocol of meeting to discuss terms establishes the diplomatic context in which the Assyrian demand will be presented. The verse indicates that Hezekiah's officials are not yet aware of God's determination to deliver the city.

Isaiah 36:4

The Rabshakeh's demand for them to tell Hezekiah that the great king of Assyria says to put trust in confidence establishes the Assyrian king's attempt to use psychological pressure and the demonstration of power to convince Jerusalem to surrender. This verse presents the opening gambit of Assyrian diplomacy, which will be to challenge Hezekiah's confidence and suggest the futility of resistance. The reference to the great king emphasizes the power and status of the Assyrian monarch. The verse indicates that the Assyrian strategy involves attempting to shake the confidence of the Judean leadership through demonstration of strength and offer of terms.

Isaiah 36:5

The Rabshakeh presents Egypt as unreliable, comparing it to a broken reed that cannot support weight but collapses, piercing the hand of one who relies upon it. The metaphor emphasizes that Egypt, despite appearances of strength, will prove dangerous and destructive to any who depend upon it. This critique mirrors Isaiah's earlier condemnation of reliance on Egypt, establishing that both the prophet and the Assyrian official recognize Egypt's fundamental unreliability. The oracle demonstrates that the Rabshakeh engages with the very theological and political arguments that Isaiah had made, adding credibility to the prophet's warnings by showing that even Assyrian enemies acknowledge Egyptian weakness. The Rabshakeh uses the reed metaphor not to discourage Judah but to suggest that all hope is futile.

Isaiah 36:6

The Rabshakeh challenges Hezekiah's trust in the LORD, asserting that Hezekiah himself has removed the high places and altars, thereby weakening the religious basis for confidence. The suggestion is that the destruction of local altars has alienated the people from their gods and rendered them defenseless against Assyrian power. The oracle suggests that Hezekiah's centralizing religious reform, while theologically sound, had provoked resistance among those who preferred traditional worship at local high places. The Rabshakeh attempts to exploit potential religious divisions by suggesting that Hezekiah's reforms have weakened rather than strengthened Judah. The psychological strategy attempts to undermine both the king's religious authority and the people's confidence in centralized worship.

Isaiah 36:7

The Rabshakeh offers a wager demonstrating Assyrian military superiority: he will provide two thousand horses if Judah can provide riders for them. The offer is designed to emphasize the absurdity of resistance; Judah lacks the military capacity to mount such forces. The wager format transforms military strategy into a contest of capabilities, designed to persuade surrender through the demonstration of overwhelming disparity. The oracle shows the Rabshakeh's rhetorical skill in presenting military facts in a format that maximizes their psychological impact. The offer suggests that even if Judah had horses, it would lack the personnel and training to use them effectively against Assyrian forces.

Isaiah 36:8

The Rabshakeh escalates the psychological pressure by asking how Judah can resist even a single Assyrian official, let alone the entire army, and by questioning whether Egypt can provide any meaningful assistance. The rhetorical questions are structured to suggest the logical impossibility of Judean resistance. The reference to Egyptian chariots reduces Egypt to mere military equipment, stripping away any dignity or power. The Rabshakeh's repeated return to Egypt's inadequacy attempts to establish that all hope for external assistance is baseless. The oracle demonstrates the cumulative effect of repeated rhetorical attacks designed to wear down resistance.

Isaiah 36:9

The Rabshakeh claims divine authorization for the Assyrian assault, asserting that the LORD himself has commanded the destruction of Judah. The claim is theologically provocative and blasphemous, suggesting that God is allied with Assyria against God's own people. The assertion attempts to undermine faith in divine protection by suggesting that even God stands against Judah. The oracle records a false claim that will be explicitly refuted in chapter 37, establishing the theological stake of the narrative: whether God will indeed defend Jerusalem or allow Assyrian conquest. The Rabshakeh's invocation of divine authorization demonstrates the religious dimensions of political warfare.

Isaiah 36:10

Judah's officials request a shift to private negotiation using Aramaic, the diplomatic language, rather than continuing in Judean before the assembled people. The request reflects strategic wisdom: containing the Rabshakeh's propaganda to diplomatic channels would prevent public panic and demoralization. The oracle shows Judean leadership attempting to limit damage through communication control. The distinction between public and private discourse suggests awareness that the Rabshakeh's words are propaganda designed for maximum impact on the general population rather than genuine negotiation with leadership.

Isaiah 36:11

The Rabshakeh deliberately refuses the request and continues addressing the assembled people in Judean, using crude imagery of siege starvation to terrify the broader population. The refusal reveals the Rabshakeh's strategy: direct communication with the people to spread terror rather than diplomatic negotiation with leadership. The graphic imagery of eating dung and drinking urine represents the ultimate humiliation and desperation of siege conditions. The oracle demonstrates that the Rabshakeh recognizes the propaganda value of his words and deliberately chooses public over private address to maximize their impact.

Isaiah 36:12

The Rabshakeh stands and addresses the assembled people with a loud voice in their native language, establishing public address as his chosen strategy. The volume and language choice maximize accessibility and emotional impact. The oracle shows the Rabshakeh's deliberate escalation of psychological warfare from diplomatic negotiation to propaganda broadcast. The public setting and the use of native language suggest that the Rabshakeh recognizes the importance of reaching the common people and shaking their confidence in leadership.

Isaiah 36:13

The Rabshakeh's public address begins with an attempt to undermine confidence in Hezekiah's leadership, claiming that the king deceives the people with false promises of divine deliverance. The charge of deception is designed to drive a wedge between king and people. The assertion that Hezekiah cannot deliver creates doubt about both the king's credibility and his competence. The oracle shows the Rabshakeh's strategy of attacking leadership credibility as a prelude to breaking the will to resist.

Isaiah 36:14

The Rabshakeh directly challenges religious faith in the LORD's ability to deliver, using the failure of other nations' gods to suggest the universal pattern of divine impotence before Assyrian power. The rhetorical question invites the listeners to draw the logical conclusion that Israel's God will likewise prove unable to help. The oracle shows the Rabshakeh engaging with religious claims not through refutation but through empirical examples of apparent divine failure. The strategy attempts to use historical precedent to undermine faith.

Isaiah 36:15

The Rabshakeh enumerates specific examples of conquered nations and their failed gods: Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, and Samaria. The specificity of the examples gives weight to the argument; these are not abstract possibilities but historical facts. The oracle demonstrates the Rabshakeh's knowledge of regional history and his use of historical pattern to establish the futility of resistance. The enumeration suggests that Assyrian conquest is universal and inevitable, that all nations and all gods prove powerless before Assyrian might.

Isaiah 36:16

The Rabshakeh offers conditional mercy: surrender will result in peace, with each person allowed to eat from their own vine and fig tree and drink from their own cistern. The offer of basic agricultural livelihood is designed to suggest that surrender brings security and normalcy. The oracle shows the Rabshakeh combining threats with positive inducements, offering both the stick of destruction and the carrot of peace. The specificity of the agricultural imagery makes the offer concrete and appealing.

Isaiah 36:17

The Rabshakeh adds to the offer by promising deportation to a land of similar fertility, where grain, wine, bread, and vineyards are abundant. The promise of pleasant exile is designed to make surrender seem like an attractive alternative to destruction. The oracle demonstrates the Rabshakeh's sophistication in offering what appears to be a reasonable solution to an impossible situation. The deceptive promise obscures the reality of deportation and diaspora.

Isaiah 36:18

The Rabshakeh repeats his warning against believing Hezekiah's promise of divine deliverance, returning to the question about gods' inability to protect their lands. The repetition reinforces the central argument and suggests the Rabshakeh's confidence in its persuasive power. The oracle shows the Rabshakeh's reliance on iterative rhetorical strategy, returning to key arguments multiple times to drive them home.

Isaiah 36:19

The Rabshakeh again enumerates the conquered nations and their failed gods, repeating the examples of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, and Samaria. The repetition is intensional, designed to establish through reiteration the pattern of divine impotence. The oracle demonstrates that the Rabshakeh trusts in the power of repeated assertion and accumulated examples to persuade.

Isaiah 36:20

The Rabshakeh's climactic rhetorical question asks directly whether the LORD can protect Jerusalem when all other gods have failed to protect their lands. The question is logically structured to suggest the impossibility of Judean deliverance. The oracle records the pinnacle of Assyrian psychological warfare: the attempt to establish through reason and historical precedent the futility of faith in God's protection. The question invites listeners to draw the conclusion that resistance is not merely difficult but logically impossible.

Isaiah 36:21

The Judean officials and people maintain silence, having been commanded by the king not to respond to the Rabshakeh. The silence represents disciplined restraint, a refusal to engage in rhetorical contest with the Assyrian representative. The oracle shows that strategic wisdom sometimes involves silence rather than speech, recognizing that engagement would only spread propaganda. The silence also represents a kind of trust, an implicit commitment to allow the king and God to respond rather than to try to counter the Rabshakeh's arguments.

Isaiah 36:22

Hezekiah's officials return to the king with torn clothes, expressing distress and grief at the Assyrian threats and ultimatums. The tearing of clothes represents traditional expression of mourning and distress. The reporting of the Rabshakeh's words establishes that the king now faces full knowledge of the threat. The oracle concludes the narrative of public confrontation and establishes the transition to Hezekiah's response: prayer and seeking divine guidance. Chapter 36 concludes by establishing the crisis that will provoke Hezekiah's prayer and Isaiah's prophecy of deliverance.