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Commentary on Isaiah 36 verses 11–22
We may hence learn these lessons: - 1. That, while princes and counsellors have public matters under debate, it is not fair to appeal to the people. It was a reasonable motion which Hezekiah's plenipotentiaries made, that this parley should be held in a language which the people did not understand (Isa 36:11), because reasons of state are secret things and ought to be kept secret, the vulgar being incompetent judges of them. It is therefore an unfair practice, and not doing as men would be done by, to incense subjects against their rulers by base insinuations. 2. Proud and haughty scorners, the fairer they are spoken to, commonly speak the fouler. Nothing could be said more mildly and respectfully than that which Hezekiah's agents said to Rabshakeh. Besides that the thing itself was just which they desired, they called themselves his servants, they petitioned for it: Speak, we pray thee; but this made him the more spiteful and imperious. To give rough answers to those who give us soft answers is one way of rendering evil for good; and those are wicked indeed, and it is to be feared incurable, with whom that which usually turns away wrath does but make bad worse. 3. When Satan would tempt men from trusting in God, and cleaving to him, he does so by insinuating that in yielding to him they may better their condition; but it is a false suggestion, and grossly absurd, and therefore to be rejected with the utmost abhorrence. When the world and the flesh say to us, "Make an agreement with us and come out to us, submit to our dominion and come into our interests, and you shall eat every one of his own vine," they do but deceive us, promising liberty when they would lead us into the basest captivity and slavery. One might as well take Rabshakeh's word as theirs for kind usage and fair quarter; therefore, when they speak fair, believe them not. Let them say what they will, there is no land like the land of promise, the holy land. 4. Nothing can be more absurd in itself, nor a greater affront to the true and living God, than to compare him with the gods of the heathen; as if he could do no more for the protection of his worshippers than they can for the protection of theirs, and as if the God of Israel could as easily be mastered as the gods of Hamath and Arphad, whereas they are vanity and a lie. They are nothing; he is the great I AM: they are the creatures of men's fancy and the works of men's hands; he is the Creator of all things. 5. Presumptuous sinners are ready to think that, because they have been too hard for their fellow-creatures, they are therefore a match for their Creator. This and the other nation they have subdued, and therefore the Lord himself shall not deliver Jerusalem out of their hand. But, though the potsherds may strive with the potsherds of the earth, let them not strive with the potter. 6. It is sometimes prudent not to answer a fool according to his folly. Hezekiah's command was, "Answer him not; it will but provoke him to rail and blaspheme yet more and more; leave it to God to stop his mouth, for you cannot." They had reason enough on their side, but it would be hard to speak it to such an unreasonable adversary without a mixture of passion; and, if they should fall a railing like him, Rabshakeh would be much too hard for them at that weapon. 7. It becomes the people of God to lay to heart the dishonour done to God by the blasphemies of wicked men, though they do not think it prudent to reply to those blasphemies. Though they answered him not a word, yet they rent their clothes, in a holy zeal for the glory of God's name and a holy indignation at the contempt put upon it. They tore their garments when they heard blasphemy, as taking no pleasure in their own ornaments when God's honour suffered.
Immediately then, he supplemented this threat with an enticement in order to deceive with counterpromises and temptations those whom he had not conquered with terror, saying on behalf of the king of the Assyrians: “Make peace with me and come to me,” or as we read in the book of Kings: “Do with me what is useful and come to me.” Both have the same meaning. Do, he said, what is to your own advantage and it will accrue to your blessing. In other words: Bless the king of Assyria and praise him, and confess him to be your lord that you might receive a reward. Also, live in your cities and enjoy your crops until I return from Egypt or until I restore captured Libnah. After I come, I will take you to a land much like your own, with grain and wine and oil. But he did not give a name for this land because he could not find an equal to the Promised Land. Yet he promised it nevertheless, for everyone desires to be in the land of his birth. Some think the land that he promised was Media, which has terrain similar in both location and foliage to that of Judea. Then he added: “Where is the god of Hamath and of Arpad and of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?” This shows that Samaria will be subject to them for all of its days and therefore that it should be taken. If, he said, we were easily victorious over the ten tribes who had the protection of so many gods, how much more easily will we conquer you, even lonely Jerusalem, which has the protection of only one God?
(Verse 11 and following) And Eliakim, Sobna, and Joah said to Rabshakeh, 'Speak to your servants in the Aramaic language, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in Judahite in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.' But Rabshakeh said to them, 'Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words? Has he not sent me to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?' And Rabsaces stood and cried with a loud voice in the language of Judah and said, Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. Thus says the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand. Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah. For the king of Assyria says: The testimony of Rabshakeh is that he relies on the Lord, who has captured all the cities of Judah and said to the people: Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the multitude that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; with us is the Lord our God, our helper, who fights for us. And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah. But Sennacherib wants to destroy what Hezekiah has built; and he speaks to the people, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not put your trust in the Lord our God.' And as Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah humbly implore, 'Speak to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand; and do not speak to us in the language of Judah in the hearing of the people who are on the wall,' it means: 'Why is it necessary to stir up the people with false terrors and boast of empty power?' Speak the language that the people do not understand. For if we have knowledge of your language: and we know the Syrian language, which is common to both. To which Rabshakeh replied arrogantly: Did my master send me to your lord and to you, and not rather to the men who sit on the wall? And he increased the threat, saying that they should eat their own feces and drink the urine of their own feet with them? By these means he showed that they were to be taken by hunger, scarcity, and thirst. At the same time he joins enticement with fear, so that he may deceive those whom he did not conquer with terror, with promises and persuasion, saying from the speech of the king Assyrians.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 36:14 captures a critical moment during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, as Sennacherib's field commander, the Rabshakeh, delivers a chilling message designed to shatter the morale of King Hezekiah and the people of Judah. This verse, presented as a direct quote from the formidable Assyrian king, emphatically warns the besieged inhabitants not to be swayed by Hezekiah's assurances of divine protection or human resistance, unequivocally stating that their king utterly lacks the power to deliver them from the overwhelming might of the Assyrian Empire. It functions as a potent weapon of psychological warfare, meticulously crafted to sow deep seeds of doubt, fear, and despair, thereby compelling Judah to surrender without a costly fight.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The Rabshakeh's speech, particularly this verse, is a masterful display of Psychological Warfare and Propaganda. The message is a direct Ad Hominem attack on King Hezekiah's credibility and capability, meticulously crafted to erode the people's trust in their leader and the God he represents. The Rabshakeh employs forceful Assertion and Categorical Statement ("he shall not be able") to project an image of absolute certainty and overwhelming, irresistible power, leaving no room for doubt about the inevitable outcome if Judah resists. There is also a profound element of Dramatic Irony at play, though entirely unbeknownst to the arrogant Rabshakeh, as his confident boast of Hezekiah's inability to deliver will be dramatically and miraculously overturned by God's intervention. This sets up a stark Contrast between human arrogance and divine omnipotence, powerfully highlighting the ultimate futility of trusting in earthly might over the power of the living God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 36:14, though spoken by an enemy of God's people, inadvertently sets the stage for a profound theological truth: the ultimate inability of finite human power to deliver in the face of overwhelming spiritual or physical threats, and conversely, the exclusive and limitless capacity of God to bring true salvation. The Rabshakeh's declaration, intended to instill fear and despair, paradoxically highlights the very point where human strength ends and divine power must begin. It forces a crucial choice upon the besieged people: will they trust in the limited arm of flesh, which is demonstrably weak, or in the limitless, unfailing power of the living God? This moment becomes a pivotal test of faith, revealing that genuine deliverance stems not from human ingenuity, military might, or political maneuvering, but solely from the sovereign and miraculous intervention of the Lord.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In our contemporary lives, we frequently encounter "Rabshakeh moments"—situations, voices, or internal narratives that seek to undermine our faith, sow doubt, and declare our ultimate inability to overcome challenges. These voices might manifest as overwhelming financial burdens, daunting health diagnoses, complex relational conflicts, pervasive societal pressures, or even insidious internal fears and anxieties that whisper messages of inadequacy and hopelessness. Just as the Rabshakeh sought to isolate Judah from their king and, more importantly, from their God, these modern "voices" attempt to sever our trust in divine provision, power, and faithfulness. This verse challenges us to discern truth from falsehood, to recognize precisely where true power and deliverance lie, and to steadfastly resist the temptation to succumb to despair when human efforts or resources seem utterly insufficient. Like King Hezekiah, our faithful response to such overwhelming odds should be to turn to the Lord in humble, earnest prayer, placing our hope not in the strength or wisdom of man, which is fleeting, but in the unfailing, omnipotent power of God, who alone can deliver us from seemingly impossible situations and bring about His perfect will.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is "the king" in this verse, and why is his message significant?
Answer: "The king" refers to Sennacherib, the powerful and ruthless king of Assyria, who was actively besieging Jerusalem. His message, delivered through his high-ranking field commander, the Rabshakeh, was profoundly significant because it represented a direct and public challenge to King Hezekiah's authority and, by extension, to God's ability to protect Judah. It was a calculated and strategic act of psychological warfare, meticulously designed to demoralize the people of Jerusalem and persuade them to surrender without a fight, leveraging the Assyrian Empire's fearsome reputation for overwhelming military might and brutality.
What was the Rabshakeh's main objective in delivering this message?
Answer: The Rabshakeh's main objective was to break the will and resolve of the besieged people of Jerusalem and force their surrender without the need for a costly and potentially difficult full-scale military assault. By publicly denouncing Hezekiah as a deceiver and emphatically declaring his inability to deliver them, the Rabshakeh aimed to sow deep disunity, fear, and despair among the populace, convincing them that continued resistance was futile and that their only hope lay in capitulating to Assyrian demands. This tactic was a core component of a broader Assyrian strategy to conquer cities through psychological pressure as much as through raw military force.
How did King Hezekiah respond to this intimidating message?
Answer: King Hezekiah's response to this intimidating message was a model of faithful leadership in crisis, demonstrating profound humility and trust in God. Instead of panicking, engaging in political maneuvering, or immediately surrendering, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and immediately went into the house of the Lord. He then sent his trusted officials to the prophet Isaiah to seek the Lord's word and counsel regarding the Assyrian threats. His primary response was one of profound humility, earnest prayer, and seeking divine guidance, as powerfully recorded in Isaiah 37:1-7. This decisive act of turning to God, rather than relying on human strength or political strategy, proved to be the pivotal moment for Jerusalem's miraculous deliverance.
Was Hezekiah truly unable to deliver his people, as the Rabshakeh claimed?
Answer: From a purely human and military perspective, Hezekiah and the people of Judah were indeed vastly outmatched by the formidable and overwhelming Assyrian army. Humanly speaking, Hezekiah would not have been able to deliver them. However, the Rabshakeh's confident claim proved ultimately and spectacularly false because he fundamentally underestimated the power of the living God. While Hezekiah himself could not deliver his people by his own strength, the Lord God could and did. In a dramatic and awe-inspiring display of divine power, the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night, as vividly detailed in Isaiah 37:36. This miraculous intervention unequivocally demonstrated that true deliverance comes from God alone, not from human might, political strategy, or military prowess.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The Rabshakeh's arrogant boast that King Hezekiah was utterly unable to deliver his people, though intended to instill despair and secure surrender, ultimately foreshadows a profound and timeless truth about human incapacity and the absolute necessity of divine deliverance—a truth perfectly and gloriously fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Just as Hezekiah, a good and righteous king, was ultimately powerless to save Judah from the overwhelming Assyrian threat by his own strength, so too is fallen humanity utterly unable to deliver itself from the far greater spiritual enemies of sin, death, and the devil. The world, much like besieged Jerusalem, faces a spiritual enemy it cannot overcome through its own strength, wisdom, moral effort, or religious rituals. Yet, into this seemingly hopeless situation steps the ultimate and eternal King, Jesus, who is truly, uniquely, and perfectly "able to deliver." He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, accomplishing what no human king, priest, or sacrifice could ever achieve. Through His perfect life of obedience, His atoning death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection from the dead, Christ has decisively conquered these spiritual foes, disarming the powers and authorities and triumphing over them by the cross. He is the one who, through His own death, destroyed him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered all those who were held in slavery by their fear of death. Thus, the Rabshakeh's empty boast against Hezekiah becomes a powerful historical backdrop against which the absolute, unparalleled, and eternal ability of Christ to deliver us, not merely from physical enemies but from eternal condemnation and spiritual bondage, shines forth as the ultimate and everlasting fulfillment. In Christ, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.