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Isaiah 36
Expanded Bible
Isaiah 36
Expanded Bible
The Assyrians Invade Judah(A)
36 During Hezekiah’s fourteenth year as king [C 701 bc], Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities of Judah and captured them. 2 The king of Assyria sent out ·his field commander [or chief advisor; or the Rabshakeh] with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem [2 Chr. 32:9]. When the commander came near the ·waterway [aqueduct; conduit] from the upper pool on the road ·where people do their laundry [or to the Launderer’s/T Fuller’s Field], he stopped. 3 Eliakim son of Hilkiah [22:20], ·the palace manager [L who was over the house], Shebna [22:15], the ·royal secretary [scribe], and Joah son of Asaph, the ·recorder [royal historian] went out to meet him.
4 The ·field commander [chief advisor; or Rabshakeh] said to them, “Tell Hezekiah this:
“‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says: ·What can you trust in now [On what do you base your confidence; Where does this confidence come from]? 5 You say you have ·battle plans [strategy; counsel] and ·power [strength] for war, but your words ·mean nothing [are empty]. Whom are you ·trusting [relying/counting on] for help so that you ·turn [rebel] against me? 6 Look, you are depending on Egypt to help you, but Egypt is like a ·splintered [broken] ·walking stick [reed]. If you lean on it for help, it will stab your hand and ·hurt [pierce] you. So it will be with the king of Egypt for all those who depend on him. 7 You might say, “We are depending on the Lord our God,” but ·Hezekiah destroyed [L did not Hezekiah destroy…?] the Lord’s altars and ·the places of worship [L high places; 2 Kin. 18:4; 2 Chr. 30:14; 31:1]. Hezekiah told Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship only at this one altar [C at the temple in Jerusalem; the Assyrian official wrongly assumes that the other altars and high places were dedicated to the Lord and that restricting worship to Jerusalem would offend him; Deut. 12].”
8 “‘Now make an ·agreement [pledge; deal] with my ·master [lord], the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses if you can find enough men to ride them [C a taunt that Judah’s army is too small even if Assyria were to supply it]. 9 You cannot ·defeat [repel] one of my ·master’s [lord’s] least important officers, so why do you depend on Egypt to give you chariots and ·horsemen [charioteers]? 10 ·I have not [L Do you think I have…?] come to attack and destroy this country without ·an order from the Lord [L the Lord]. The Lord himself told me to come ·to [against] this country and destroy it [C echoing Isaiah’s prophecy that this is judgment from the Lord].’”
11 Then Eliakim [22:20], Shebna [22:15], and Joah said to the ·field commander [chief advisor; or Rabshakeh], “Please speak to ·us [L your servants] in the Aramaic language [C the language of trade and diplomacy]. We understand it. Don’t speak to us in ·Hebrew [L Judean], because the people on the city wall can hear you.”
12 But the commander said, “My master did not send me to tell these ·things [words] only to you and your ·king [L master; lord]. He sent me to speak also to those people sitting on the wall who will have to eat their own ·dung [excrement] and drink their own urine like you [C because of shortages caused by the upcoming siege].”
13 Then the commander stood and shouted loudly in ·the Hebrew language [L Judean], “·Listen to what [L Hear the word of] the great king, the king of Assyria, says. 14 The king says you should not let Hezekiah ·fool [deceive; delude] you, because he can’t ·save [rescue; T deliver] you. 15 Don’t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting the Lord by saying, ‘The Lord will surely ·save [rescue; T deliver] us. This city won’t be handed over to the king of Assyria.’
16 “Don’t listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria says, ‘Make peace with me, and come out of the city to me. Then everyone will be free to eat the fruit from his own grapevine and fig tree and to drink water from his own ·well [cistern; C symbols of freedom and prosperity]. 17 ·After that [L …until] I will come and take you to a land like your own—a land with grain and new wine, bread and vineyards.’
18 “Don’t let Hezekiah ·fool [mislead] you, saying, ‘The Lord will save us.’ Has a god of any other nation saved his people from the ·power [L hand] of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad [C cities conquered by Assyria; 10:9]? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim [C city in northern Syria conquered by Assyria]? They did not save Samaria from my ·power [L hand]. 20 ·Not one [L Which…?] of all the gods of these countries has ·saved [rescued; T delivered] his people from me. Neither can the Lord ·save [rescue; T deliver] Jerusalem from my ·power [L hand].”
21 ·The people [L They] were silent. They didn’t answer the commander at all, because King Hezekiah had ordered, “Don’t answer him.”
22 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah [22:20], ·the palace manager [L who was over the house], Shebna [22:15], the ·royal secretary [scribe], and Joah son of Asaph, the ·recorder [royal historian], went to Hezekiah. They tore their clothes [C a sign of grief, anguish or despair] and went in and told him what the field commander had said.
Isaiah 36
New Catholic Bible
Isaiah 36
New Catholic Bible
Historical Appendix[a]
Chapter 36
Sennacherib’s Challenge.[b] 1 In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria attacked all the fortified towns of Judah and captured them. 2 From Lachish the king of Assyria sent his chief officer to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem with a great army. When the chief officer took up his position near the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field 3 there came out to meet him Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was master of the palace, as well as Shebna the secretary, and the recorder Joah, son of Asaph.
4 The chief officer said to them, “Tell King Hezekiah: This is the message of the great king, the king of Assyria. On what do you base this great confidence of yours? 5 Do you think that mere words can overcome strategy and military strength? On whom are you relying for help that you dare to rebel against me? 6 This Egypt, the staff on whom you rely, is a broken reed that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely upon him. 7 And if you say to me that you are relying on the Lord, your God, is he not the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, commanding Judah and Jerusalem to worship at this altar?
8 “Now I challenge you to make a wager with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses if you can find riders for them. 9 But how could you repulse even a single one of my master’s soldiers, even though you are depending upon Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 10 Moreover, do you believe that I have come to attack this land and destroy it without the consent of the Lord? The Lord himself said to me, ‘Go forth against this land and destroy it.’ ”
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the chief officer, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic,[c] for we understand it. Do not speak to us in Judean within earshot of the people on the ramparts.” 12 The chief officer replied, “Has my master sent me here to speak these words only to your master and to you, and not also to the people sitting on the wall who along with you will be doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?”
13 Then the chief officer stood up and shouted loudly in the Judean language, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. 14 Thus says the king: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. 15 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to rely on the Lord by saying, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us. This city will not fall into the power of the king of Assyria.’ 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘Make peace with me and surrender. Then each of you will be free to eat the fruit of his own vine and drink the water of his own cistern 17 until I come to take you to a land like your own, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Do not let Hezekiah mislead you by saying that the Lord will save you. Have any of the gods of the nations saved their lands from the power of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my clutches?[d] 20 Which of all the gods of these countries has saved his country from my hand? Will the Lord then save Jerusalem from my power?’ ”
21 However, the people remained silent and did not respond with even a single word, for the king had ordered them not to reply to him. 22 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was the master of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and the recorder Joah son of Asaph, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and reported the words of the chief officer.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 36:1 Some disciples of Isaiah took and adapted a part of the Second Book of Kings (18:13—20:19), in order to show that in two or three dramatic instances Isaiah had spoken truly. During the same period, there were other less favorable developments: the independence of Judah became increasingly precarious; pagan divinities continued to make their way even into the temple in Jerusalem. But the editors passed over these facts of general history.
- Isaiah 36:1 This event, to which Isaiah often refers, occurred in 701 B.C. Sennacherib spread his armies across Palestine, invaded Judah, and besieged Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 36:11 Aramaic: a Semitic language that spread throughout the entire Near East; after the Exile it became, even in Palestine, the language of the people, replacing Hebrew.
- Isaiah 36:19 People from Arpad and Sepharvaim were introduced into Samaria, which had been occupied by Sargon; the two places were, like Hamath, cities of Syria (see 10:9).
Isaiah 36
King James Version
Isaiah 36
King James Version
36 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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?
5 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?
6 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.
7 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?
8 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.
9 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?
10 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.
11 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.
12 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?
13 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.
14 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
15 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.
16 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;
17 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.
18 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?
19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20 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?
21 But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
22 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.
Isaiah 36
New International Version
Isaiah 36
New International Version
Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem(A)
36 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s(B) reign, Sennacherib(C) king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.(D) 2 Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish(E) to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,(F) 3 Eliakim(G) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator,(H) Shebna(I) the secretary,(J) and Joah(K) son of Asaph the recorder(L) went out to him.
4 The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah:
“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 5 You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel(M) against me? 6 Look, I know you are depending(N) on Egypt,(O) that splintered reed(P) of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. 7 But if you say to me, “We are depending(Q) on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed,(R) saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”?(S)
8 “‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses(T)—if you can put riders on them! 9 How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt(U) for chariots(V) and horsemen[a]?(W) 10 Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told(X) me to march against this country and destroy it.’”
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah(Y) said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic,(Z) since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”
12 But the commander replied, “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?(AA)”
13 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew,(AB) “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!(AC) 14 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive(AD) you. He cannot deliver you! 15 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver(AE) us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’(AF)
16 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree(AG) and drink water from your own cistern,(AH) 17 until I come and take you to a land like your own(AI)—a land of grain and new wine,(AJ) a land of bread and vineyards.
18 “Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?(AK) Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?(AL) Have they rescued Samaria(AM) from my hand? 20 Who of all the gods(AN) of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”(AO)
21 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”(AP)
22 Then Eliakim(AQ) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder(AR) went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn,(AS) and told him what the field commander had said.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 36:9 Or charioteers
Expanded Bible (EXB)
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