Isaiah 36:14

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

Thus saith {H559} the king {H4428}, Let not Hezekiah {H2396} deceive {H5377} you: for he shall not be able {H3201} to deliver {H5337} you.

This is what the king says: 'Don't let Hizkiyahu deceive you, because he won't be able to save you.

This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he cannot deliver you.

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

Context

Isaiah 36:14 is part of a crucial historical narrative found in Isaiah chapters 36-39, which largely parallels 2 Kings 18-20. This specific verse takes place during the Assyrian invasion of Judah, led by King Sennacherib, around 701 BC. Jerusalem, the capital city, is under siege, and Sennacherib has sent his field commander, the Rabshakeh, to deliver a message to King Hezekiah and the people of Judah. The Rabshakeh's speech is a masterclass in psychological warfare, designed to undermine the people's trust in their king and their God, and to persuade them to surrender without a fight. This verse directly quotes the Assyrian king's warning, delivered through the Rabshakeh, aiming to sow doubt and fear among the besieged inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Propaganda and Psychological Warfare: The Rabshakeh's words are a clear attempt to demoralize the people of Jerusalem. By directly accusing King Hezekiah of deception and declaring his inability to save them, the Assyrians sought to break the will of the city before a full assault. This tactic highlights the ancient practice of using words as weapons.
  • The Futility of Trust in Human Power: The Assyrian message, "Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you," is a bold assertion that human leadership, even that of a righteous king like Hezekiah, is ultimately powerless against a superior military force. This challenges the people to reconsider their allegiance and their hope for deliverance.
  • A Call to Discernment: For the people of Judah, this verse represents a moment of crisis where they had to discern whose voice to trust—the intimidating threats of the Assyrian king or the promises of their own king and, more importantly, of the Lord God. This echoes the broader biblical theme of not putting trust in man.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "deceive" is nasha' (נָשָׁא), which means to beguile, mislead, or delude. The Rabshakeh uses this strong term to imply that Hezekiah's assurances of deliverance are false promises. The word for "deliver" is hitzil (הִצִּיל), meaning to rescue, save, or snatch away, often implying a powerful act of intervention. The Assyrian claim is that no such intervention, from Hezekiah, is possible.

Related Scriptures

This verse sets the stage for God's dramatic intervention. Despite the Assyrian's confident boasts and threats, King Hezekiah responded with prayer and humility, turning to the prophet Isaiah and ultimately to the Lord. As a result, the Lord delivered Jerusalem miraculously, as recorded in Isaiah 37:36, where the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. This event powerfully refuted the Rabshakeh's claim that Hezekiah (and by extension, his God) could not deliver them.

Practical Application

In our own lives, we often face "Rabshakeh moments"—situations or voices that seek to undermine our faith, sow doubt, and declare our ultimate inability to overcome challenges. These voices might come from external pressures, societal narratives, or even internal fears. This verse reminds us of the importance of discerning truth from falsehood and recognizing where true power and deliverance lie. While human leaders and resources are important, ultimate security and salvation rest in God. When faced with overwhelming odds, like Hezekiah, our response should be to turn to the Lord, trusting in His ability to deliver, even when human efforts seem insufficient. It encourages us to place our hope not in the strength of man, but in the unfailing power of God.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Daniel 6:20

    And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: [and] the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:4

    Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

  • 2 Kings 19:10

    Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

  • 2 Kings 19:13

    Where [is] the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?

  • Daniel 7:25

    And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

  • 2 Chronicles 32:11

    Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

  • 2 Chronicles 32:13

    Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of [other] lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?

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