Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Isaiah 36
Isaiah 36:10Have I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, “Go up against this land and destroy it.”
The Assyrian official cunningly claims that Judah's own God authorized this invasion, a twisted half-truth designed to create confusion and despair among the listeners.Isaiah 36:18Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
Isaiah 36:21But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."
In a powerful act of defiance and obedience, Hezekiah's officials refuse to engage in the war of words, showing that their loyalty lies with their king and his command.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Siege Begins: An Empire at the Gates
The chapter opens with the Assyrian empire, the superpower of the day, at the height of its power. King Sennacherib has already swept through the region, conquering all of Judah's fortified cities, leaving the capital, Jerusalem, isolated and vulnerable. The brutal Assyrian army is encamped outside the city walls, creating immense fear and pressure. This is not a distant threat. It is an existential crisis on Jerusalem's doorstep.
A War of Words: The Psychological Assault
Instead of an immediate assault, the Assyrians begin with a psychological attack. Sennacherib sends his chief official, the Rabshakeh, to negotiate terms of surrender, but his real mission is to demoralize the city's defenders. He strategically stands at a public water source, a place where his words can be heard by the soldiers on the wall. His speech is a calculated mix of arrogance, tempting offers, and theological manipulation, aimed at breaking the will of the people and their leaders.
A Breakdown of Assyria's Intimidation Tactics
The drama of Isaiah 36 unfolds in a single, tense confrontation outside the walls of Jerusalem. An Assyrian envoy, the Rabshakeh, delivers a series of arguments aimed at convincing King Hezekiah and the people of Judah to surrender. His speech is a masterclass in manipulation, attacking every possible source of hope Judah might have.
The Setting of the Confrontation (Isaiah 36:1-3)
1 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
2 And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field.
3 Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours?
Commentary:
The mighty Assyrian army arrives at Jerusalem, and leaders from both sides meet for a tense negotiation.
Questioning Every Source of Trust (Isaiah 36:4-10)
4 And the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours?
5 "I say, 'Your counsel and strength for the war are only empty words.' Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me?"
6 Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
7 But if you say to me, "We trust in the Lord our God," is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You shall worship before this altar"?
8 Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
9 How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
10 Have I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, “Go up against this land and destroy it.”
Commentary:
The Assyrian official mocks Judah's military plans, their alliance with Egypt, and even their trust in God.
An Appeal to the People's Fear (Isaiah 36:11-20)
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall."
12 But the Rabshakeh said, "Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?"
13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: "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 make you trust in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”
16 Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern,
17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
18 Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has 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 Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”
Commentary:
Ignoring the leaders, the official shouts in Hebrew to the people on the wall, offering a false peace and mocking God's power to save them.
Related Verse Analysis
A Response of Silent Grief (Isaiah 36:21-22)
21 But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."
22 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.
Commentary:
Obeying their king's command, the officials remain silent and return to Hezekiah in distress to report the threats.
Core Truths Revealed in the Crisis
The Battle for Trust
This chapter is fundamentally about the question, 'On what do you rest this trust of yours?' The Rabshakeh systematically attacks every potential source of security - military plans, political alliances, and even faith in God. It forces Judah, and the reader, to decide what their ultimate foundation is when everything else is shaken.
God's Sovereignty vs. Human Arrogance
Sennacherib is called 'the great king,' and his spokesman boasts of an undefeated record. Their words drip with pride, placing human might and military success as the ultimate power in the world. This sets up a direct conflict with the biblical truth of God's supreme authority over all nations and kings.
The Power of Words to Build or Destroy
The primary weapon used in this chapter is not a sword but a speech. The Rabshakeh's words are carefully crafted to instill fear, create division, and twist the truth. This demonstrates that spiritual and psychological battles are often fought in the realm of ideas and narratives, challenging believers to hold on to God's truth in the face of convincing lies.
Applying Ancient Wisdom to Modern Life
Isaiah 36 teaches the power of disciplined silence. Hezekiah's officials obeyed his command to 'not answer him' (v. 21), refusing to legitimize the enemy's accusations with an argument. Instead of engaging in a public debate they couldn't win, they brought the problem to their leader, who in turn brought it to God. This shows us that sometimes the wisest response is not to fight back with words, but to turn inward and upward in prayer.
We can recognize these tempting compromises by looking at their ultimate cost. The Assyrian offer sounded good - food, water, security - but it led to exile and slavery. Any offer that requires you to set aside your ultimate trust in God for a short-term comfort is a bad deal. Resisting starts with remembering God's long-term promises are far greater than any temporary peace the world can offer.
Discernment grows from being grounded in God's truth. The Rabshakeh correctly stated that Hezekiah had removed altars (v. 7), but he twisted it to mean Hezekiah had offended God. Because Hezekiah's actions were based on God's law, his officials could see the lie. By knowing God's Word and character for yourself, you can more easily spot when truth is being manipulated to create fear or doubt.
On What Do You Rest Your Trust?
Isaiah 36 stages a dramatic confrontation between overwhelming human power and quiet faith in God. The Assyrian king, through his spokesman, uses fear, logic, and blasphemy to argue that trusting in the Lord is foolish. The chapter's core message is a question posed to every believer under pressure: will you listen to the voice of fear and doubt, or will you hold fast to God's promises, even when deliverance seems impossible?
What This Means for Us Today
The silence of Hezekiah's men was not weakness. It was an act of trust. They refused to engage with the enemy's narrative and instead brought the crisis to their king, who would bring it to God. This chapter invites us to do the same: to quiet the intimidating voices around us and carry our fears to the one true King.
- What intimidating 'voice' is trying to undermine your trust in God right now?
- Instead of arguing with that voice, how can you bring the situation to God in prayer?
- Who in your life can you support as they face their own 'Rabshakeh'?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter provides a beautiful prophecy of hope and restoration, serving as a promise of God's faithfulness before the crisis of the siege begins.
The story continues as Hezekiah takes the Rabshakeh's threats to God in prayer, leading to God's direct response and miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem.
Connections Across Scripture
This is a parallel historical account of the same event, offering complementary details about Sennacherib's invasion and Hezekiah's response.
This account also covers the siege but places a stronger emphasis on Hezekiah's faithful leadership and his efforts to encourage the people.
Paul's description of the 'full armor of God' provides a New Testament framework for understanding and withstanding the kind of spiritual and psychological attacks seen in Isaiah 36.
Discussion Questions
- The Rabshakeh tried to make God seem small and powerless, similar to the gods of other nations (v. 18-20). When have you felt tempted to believe that God is unable to handle a situation you're facing?
- Hezekiah commanded his officials, 'Do not answer him' (v. 21). What is the wisdom in silence when faced with accusations or intimidation, and when is it right to speak up?
- The Assyrian envoy's speech was designed to create fear and division between the leaders and the people. How do fear and misinformation work to undermine faith and unity today?
Glossary
places
Jerusalem
The capital city of Judah and the center of worship for the Israelite people, where the Temple was located.
Lachish
A major fortified city in Judah that was conquered by Sennacherib before he moved on to Jerusalem.
Judah
The southern kingdom of the Israelite people, ruled by descendants of King David.
language
figures
Hezekiah
A righteous king of Judah known for his religious reforms and his trust in the Lord.
Sennacherib
The powerful and ruthless king of the Assyrian empire who invaded Judah.
Rabshakeh
A title for a high-ranking Assyrian military official and envoy, not a personal name.
Eliakim
The manager of King Hezekiah's palace and one of his most trusted officials.