Isaiah 36:5

Translation
King James Version
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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KJV (with Strong's)
I say H559, sayest thou,(but they are but vain H8193 words H1697) I have counsel H6098 and strength H1369 for war H4421: now on whom dost thou trust H982, that thou rebellest H4775 against me?
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Complete Jewish Bible
I say: do mere words constitute strategy and strength for battle? In whom, then, are you trusting when you rebel against me like this?
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Berean Standard Bible
You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me?
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American Standard Version
I say, thy counsel and strength for the war are but vain words: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?
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World English Bible Messianic
I say that your counsel and strength for the war are only vain words. Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?
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Geneva Bible (1599)
I say, Surely I haue eloquence, but counsell and strength are for the warre: on whom then doest thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
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Young's Literal Translation
I have said: Only, a word of the lips! counsel and might are for battle: now, on whom hast thou trusted, that thou hast rebelled against me?
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See also
2 Kings 18:72 Kings 24:1Jeremiah 52:3Proverbs 24:5Proverbs 24:6Nehemiah 2:19Nehemiah 2:20
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The Defeat of Sennacherib
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In the KJVVerse 18,336 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Isaiah 36:5 captures the audacious and dismissive taunt of Rabshakeh, the Assyrian field commander, delivered to King Hezekiah and the people of Judah during Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem. In this calculated act of psychological warfare, Rabshakeh contemptuously dismisses any perceived strength or alliances of Judah as "vain words," asserting Assyria's overwhelming "counsel and strength for war," and directly challenging the object of Judah's trust and their rationale for rebelling against the formidable Neo-Assyrian Empire.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is intricately woven into the historical narrative found in Isaiah chapters 36 and 37, which meticulously document Sennacherib of Assyria's invasion of Judah around 701 BC. This pivotal account is also paralleled in 2 Kings 18:13-37 and 2 Kings 19:1-37 and 2 Chronicles 32:1-23. Isaiah 36 specifically details Rabshakeh's mission to Jerusalem, where he delivers a highly intimidating speech from outside the city walls, designed to undermine the morale of the besieged inhabitants. Verse 5 is a direct challenge, following Rabshakeh's initial dismissals of Judah's reliance on Egypt (implied in the "vain words" of verse 6) and his questioning of their military readiness. It sets the stage for King Hezekiah's profound response of prayer and unwavering trust in the Lord, which ultimately leads to a miraculous divine intervention.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The late 8th century BC was characterized by the brutal dominance of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, renowned for its formidable military prowess, efficient administration, and sophisticated psychological warfare tactics. Sennacherib's campaign against Judah was part of Assyria's broader strategy to establish absolute control over the Levant, securing trade routes and tribute. Rabshakeh, as a high-ranking official and likely a skilled diplomat, would have been proficient in Aramaic (the lingua franca of the time) and Hebrew, enabling him to communicate directly and effectively with the people of Jerusalem. His public address from the wall was a calculated act of intimidation, designed to induce surrender without the costly and time-consuming process of a full siege. The Assyrians frequently sought to demoralize their enemies by highlighting their own overwhelming power and mocking the gods or allies of their opponents, a tactic powerfully evident in Rabshakeh's arrogant words here.
  • Key Themes: Isaiah 36:5 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Isaiah and the broader biblical narrative. It starkly highlights the contrast between human boasting and divine sovereignty, as Rabshakeh's arrogant claims of "counsel and strength for war" are ultimately rendered impotent by God's intervention, demonstrating that true power belongs to the Lord. The verse also underscores the futility of misplaced trust, specifically in human alliances or military might, which Rabshakeh himself dismisses as "vain words." This sets up the crucial theme of the challenge of true trust, forcing Judah (and the reader) to confront the ultimate object of their reliance—whether it be human strength or the Lord God. This resonates deeply with the prophetic call to trust in God alone, as seen in Psalm 20:7 and the warnings against relying on foreign alliances in Isaiah 30:1-7. Furthermore, Rabshakeh's speech exemplifies psychological warfare, a deliberate tactic designed to break morale and instill fear, a theme that recurs throughout biblical accounts of conflict and divine deliverance.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Words (Hebrew, dâbâr', H1697): This highly versatile term refers to "a word," but also encompasses "a matter," "thing," "affair," or "speech." In the phrase "vain words" (which includes H8193, sâphâh, meaning "lip" or "speech," implying empty utterances), dâbâr here denotes any promises, plans, or counsel that Rabshakeh deems utterly devoid of substance, effectiveness, or truth. It dismisses any reliance on external aid or internal strategy as mere talk, lacking any real power or consequence against Assyrian might.
  • Strength (Hebrew, gᵉbûwrâh', H1369): Derived from the root for "mighty" or "hero," gᵉbûwrâh signifies force, valor, victory, might, or power. Rabshakeh asserts that Assyria possesses this superior military and strategic might, contrasting it sharply with Judah's perceived weakness. It encompasses both the physical prowess in battle and the inherent power that leads to conquest and mastery, implying an irresistible force.
  • Trust (Hebrew, bâṭach', H982): This primitive root properly means "to hide for refuge," and figuratively, "to trust," "be confident," or "be sure." Rabshakeh's pointed question, "now on whom dost thou trust," directly probes the foundation of Judah's confidence and their reason for resisting the mighty Assyrian Empire. It challenges the very source of their security, hope, and resolve, aiming to expose its perceived fragility.

Verse Breakdown

  • "I say, [sayest thou], (but [they are but] vain words)": Rabshakeh initiates his taunt by contemptuously dismissing any counter-argument, perceived strength, or potential alliance Judah might possess, particularly their reliance on Egypt. The parenthetical "but they are but vain words" is Rabshakeh's scornful interjection, asserting that any hope, counsel, or promise Judah might entertain is utterly empty, without substance, and completely ineffective against Assyrian might. This is a calculated psychological blow, designed to discredit any alternative to immediate surrender.
  • "[I have] counsel and strength for war": This clause represents Rabshakeh's arrogant boast, attributing superior strategic wisdom ("counsel," ʻêtsâh) and overwhelming military power ("strength," gᵉbûwrâh) to the Assyrian Empire. He presents Assyria as invincible, possessing both the intelligence to plan and the might to execute successful military campaigns, implicitly denying these attributes to Judah or its potential allies. This assertion is a direct and intimidating challenge to Judah's capacity for any meaningful resistance.
  • "now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?": This is the climactic rhetorical question of the verse, designed to expose Judah's perceived folly and isolate them. Rabshakeh forces Hezekiah and the people to confront the object of their confidence. By asking "on whom dost thou trust," he implies that any trust outside of Assyria's power is misplaced and futile. The follow-up "that thou rebellest against me" frames their resistance not as an act of courage or faith, but as a misguided, irrational act of rebellion against an unstoppable force, further aiming to instill fear and compel immediate surrender.

Literary Devices

Rabshakeh's speech in Isaiah 36:5 is replete with powerful literary techniques designed for maximum psychological impact. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, exemplified by "now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?". This question is not posed to elicit an answer but to make a forceful point, sow doubt, and expose the perceived futility of Judah's resistance. The entire address is a masterclass in Psychological Warfare, a deliberate strategy to demoralize the enemy through words rather than physical assault, aiming to break their will to fight. Rabshakeh's Boasting and Arrogance are palpable in his self-assured declaration of Assyria's "counsel and strength for war," which serves to intimidate and highlight the overwhelming disparity in power. Furthermore, the dismissive phrase "vain words" functions as potent Dismissal and Contempt, belittling any hope Judah might have had in external alliances and framing them as utterly worthless and delusional.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Isaiah 36:5 powerfully illustrates the profound biblical tension between human reliance and divine trust. Rabshakeh's taunt, though spoken by a formidable enemy, inadvertently serves to highlight the core theological question that confronts humanity in times of crisis: on whom do we truly depend when faced with overwhelming odds? His dismissal of "vain words" and his boast of Assyrian "counsel and strength" are ultimately contrasted with the true counsel and strength found only in the Lord. This narrative sets the stage for God's dramatic demonstration of His sovereignty, proving that human might, no matter how formidable or boastful, is ultimately subordinate to His divine purpose and omnipotent power. The passage implicitly calls believers across all generations to critically examine the object of their trust, urging them to place their complete confidence in God alone, rather than in fleeting human resources, strategic alliances, or personal capabilities.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Isaiah 36:5 challenges us to critically examine the foundations of our confidence when we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles in our own lives. In a world that often values human strength, strategic planning, and material resources above all else, Rabshakeh's taunt forces us to ask: "On whom do I truly trust when the pressure mounts?" Are our hopes and security rooted in our own abilities, worldly connections, or fleeting circumstances, which can prove to be "vain words" in times of profound crisis or spiritual attack? Or is our trust firmly anchored in the unwavering faithfulness and omnipotent power of God, who alone is truly sovereign? This verse calls us to resist the demoralizing voices of doubt and fear, whether they come from external pressures like a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, or personal challenges, or from internal anxieties and self-doubt. It reminds us that true strength and counsel for life's battles come not from our own limited resources, but from a steadfast relationship with the Lord, who alone can deliver and sustain us, even when all human options appear exhausted and the enemy's boasts seem overwhelming.

Questions for Reflection

  • What "vain words" or empty promises do I sometimes rely on instead of God's unchanging truth and promises?
  • When facing a significant challenge or a seemingly impossible situation, where do I instinctively place my trust first: in my own "counsel and strength" or in God's divine wisdom and power?
  • How do I respond to voices (whether internal doubts or external pressures) that seek to undermine my faith and confidence in God's ability to deliver and sustain me?

FAQ

What was Rabshakeh's primary goal in speaking these words, and how did Hezekiah respond?

Answer: Rabshakeh's primary goal in speaking these words, particularly Isaiah 36:5, was to demoralize King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem, thereby inducing them to surrender without a prolonged and costly siege. His speech was a calculated act of psychological warfare, designed to sow seeds of doubt regarding Judah's alliances (like Egypt), their own military capabilities, and even their trust in God. He aimed to present Assyria as an unstoppable force and resistance as futile and rebellious, intending to break their will to fight and force a capitulation. In response, King Hezekiah did not engage in a war of words or military might but turned directly to the Lord in humble prayer, seeking divine intervention, as recorded in Isaiah 37:1-4. This act of faith ultimately led to God's miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Isaiah 36:5 highlights the futility of human strength and the necessity of divine trust in the face of an earthly adversary, it ultimately points to the greater spiritual battle and the ultimate Deliverer in Christ. Rabshakeh's challenge to Judah's "counsel and strength for war" and their object of "trust" foreshadows humanity's inherent inability to overcome sin and death through its own wisdom or power. The "vain words" of human schemes, self-reliance, and worldly wisdom find their antithesis in the definitive and powerful "Word" of God, Jesus Christ, who is Himself the wisdom and power of God. Where Judah was challenged to trust, believers are called to place their complete confidence in the finished work of Christ, who, unlike any earthly ally, truly has the counsel and strength to overcome the ultimate enemies: sin, death, and Satan. His victory on the cross disarmed the principalities and powers, proving that true rebellion is against God, but true freedom, peace, and security are found in submission to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who reigns supreme, not through earthly might, but through redemptive love and sacrificial power. Therefore, the question "on whom dost thou trust" finds its ultimate and eternal answer in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the one in whom all true counsel, strength, and salvation eternally reside.

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Commentary on Isaiah 36 verses 1–10

We shall here only observe some practical lessons. 1. A people may be in the way of their duty and yet meet with trouble and distress. Hezekiah was reforming, and his people were in some measure reformed; and yet their country is at that time invaded and a great part of it laid waste. Perhaps they began to grow remiss and cool in the work of reformation, were doing it by halves, and ready to sit down short of a thorough reformation; and then God visited them with this judgment, to put life into them and that good cause. We must not wonder if, when we are doing well, God sends afflictions to quicken us to do better, to do our best, and to press forward towards perfection. 2. That we must never be secure of the continuance of our peace in this world, nor think our mountain stands so strong that it cannot be moved. Hezekiah was not only a pious king, but prudent, both in his administration at home and in his treaties abroad. His affairs were in a good posture, and he seemed particularly to be upon good terms with the king of Assyria, for he had lately made his peace with him by a rich present (Kg2 18:14), and yet that perfidious prince pours an army into his country all of a sudden and lays it waste. It is good for us therefore always to keep up an expectation of trouble, that, when it comes, it may be no surprise to us, and then it will be the less a terror. 3. God sometimes permits the enemies of his people, even those that are most impious and treacherous, to prevail far against them. The king of Assyria took all, or most, of the defenced cities of Judah, and then the country would of course be an easy prey to him. Wickedness may prosper awhile, but cannot prosper always. 4. Proud men love to talk big, to boast of what they are, and have, and have done, nay and of what they will do, to insult over others, and set all mankind at defiance, though thereby they render themselves ridiculous to all wise men and obnoxious to the wrath of that God who resists the proud. But thus they think to make themselves feared, though they make themselves hated, and to carry their point by great swelling words of vanity, Jde 1:16. 5. The enemies of God's people endeavour to conquer them by frightening them, especially by frightening them from their confidence in God. Thus Rabshakeh here, with noise and banter, runs down Hezekiah as utterly unable to cope with his master, or in the least to make head against him. It concerns us therefore, that we may keep our ground against the enemies of our souls, to keep up our spirits by keeping up our hope in God. 6. It is acknowledged, on all hands, that those who forsake God's service forfeit his protection. If that had been true which Rabshakeh alleged, that Hezekiah had thrown down God's altars, he might justly infer that he could not with any assurance trust in him for succour and relief, Isa 36:7, We may say thus to presuming sinners, who say that they trust in the Lord and in his mercy. Is not this he whose commandments they have lived in the contempt of, whose name they have dishonoured, and whose ordinances they have slighted? How then can they expect to find favour with him? 7. It is an easy thing, and very common, for those that persecute the church and people of God to pretend a commission from him for so doing. Rabshakeh could say, Have I now come up without the Lord? when really he had come up against the Lord, Isa 37:28. Those that kill the servants of the Lord think they do him service and say, Let the Lord be glorified. But, sooner or later, they will be made to know their error to their cost, to their confusion.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Chapter 36—Verse 1 and following) And it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the washer's field. And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to him. And 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?' By what plan and courage do you prepare to rebel? On whom do you have confidence, because you have turned away from me? Look, you trust in this broken reed staff, in Egypt: if a man leans on it, it will enter into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to all who trust in him. But if you say to me, 'We trust in the LORD our God,' is it not he whose heights and altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'You shall worship before this altar'? And now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, and you will not be able to provide riders for them. And how will you withstand the face of one judge from my lord's servants? And if you rely on Egypt: and on chariots, and on horsemen: and now, did I ascend to this land without the Lord, to destroy it? The Lord said to me: Go up on this land and destroy it. The history is clear and does not require interpretation: and this same thing is reported more fully in the volumes of Kings and Chronicles. In the third year of Hosea the son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. And afterwards: In the Lord God of Israel he trusted, and there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who came before him. He clung to the Lord and did not turn away from his commandments. He did the commandments that the Lord had given to Moses. Therefore, the Lord was with him, and he acted wisely in all that he did (2 Kings 18:2,7). But he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. In the sixth year of his reign, Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria, captured Samaria and took away the ten tribes of Israel that were called Israel. He deported them to Assyria and settled them in Halah and Habor, along the rivers of the Gozan, in the cities of the Medes (2 Kings 17 and 18). After seven years, that is, in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, the king of Assyria, Sennacherib, entered Judah and besieged its fortified cities, intending to capture them. And when he besieged Lachish, Hezekiah sent messengers to him, saying: 'I have sinned, withdraw from me and whatever you impose on me, I will bear.' And when he had paid three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold to the king's command, the king of Assyria broke down the doors of the temple of the Lord and took away its panels, which he himself had put up, and he sent the Tartan and the Rab-saris and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And when they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the washer's field, and they called for the king. But Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, went out to them, along with the court secretary, Shebna, and the court historian, Joah, the son of Asaph. Rabshekah addressed them as follows: “Tell Hezekiah: This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says... and so on, as recorded in the history. In this, we can see the arrogance of Rabshekah, who, in a manner contrary to true strength, imitates the custom of the prophets. While they usually begin their pronouncements with 'This is what the Lord says,' he now says, 'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says.' But Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, went out to him, along with the royal secretary Shebna and the court official Joah son of Asaph. Eliakim is the same person mentioned in the Vision of the Valley of Zion (see Isaiah 22:20-21): I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him in your robe and fasten your sash around him. I will hand your authority over to him, and he will be like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the people of Judah, and so on. But these things are said to Shebna, who was the governor of the Temple before him, of whom it is written in the same vision: Go and enter to him who dwells in the tabernacle, to Shebna the governor of the Temple, whom the Hebrews say handed over his hands to the Assyrians, terrified by Rabsaris' threats, and betrayed the lower part of Jerusalem to the enemy, and except for the fortress of Zion and the Temple, nothing else remained that the Assyrian did not hold. Where are those who think that Sobna, who is now going out with Eliacim and Joahe to meet Rabsacen, is the same person as before. There, Sobna, the head of the Temple, is said to be captured by the Assyrians; but here Sobna is a scribe, that is, a γραμματεὶς, who is called Sopher in Hebrew, and is the same as the previous one. Rabsacen, on the other hand, is believed to be the son of Isaiah the Jewish prophet, who also was a traitor; and the other son of Isaiah, who is called Jasub, is said to be left behind, which means 'left' in our language. Others, on the other hand, think that he was a Samaritan, and therefore knew the Hebrew language, and boldly and impiously blasphemed the Lord. Let us consider the words of Rabshakeh; and first what he says: You trust in this broken reed, in Egypt, is false: for no history tells that Hezekiah sent to the Egyptians and asked for the help of Pharaoh. And what he infers: If you answer me, we trust in the Lord our God, is true. But again, he joins a lie to the truth, that Ezechias took away its high places and altars. For he did this not against God, but for God, so that idolatry and ancient error being destroyed, he commanded God to be worshipped in Jerusalem, where his Temple was: although we read that by a very bad custom, the people offered sacrifices to God on altars already built on mountains and hills. And he, wanting to show the scarcity of the besieged, promises two thousand horses, of which Ezechias cannot provide the riders, not because of the weakness of the people of Judah, who lacked knowledge of riding: but by observing the commandments of God, who had commanded Israel through Moses concerning the king: He shall not multiply horses for himself, nor have many wives. And he said to me, 'By yourself, you cannot withstand the servant of Sennacherib, who am the least of his servants, how then will you withstand the great power of the king? And to what he had said, if you answer me, we trust in the Lord our God, he cunningly and wisely responded that he had come not by his own will, but by the command of the Lord. The Lord said to me, Go upon this land and destroy it. And this is the proof: certainly, without the will of the Lord, I could not have come here.' But when I come and capture many cities, and part of Jerusalem remains untouched, it is evident that I have come by its will. I read in a certain Commentary that the same person is Sennacherib who also captured Samaria, which is completely false. For the Sacred History recounts that first Phul, the king of the Assyrians, devastated the ten tribes under Manahen, the king of Israel. Secondly, Theglathphalasar came against Samaria under Phacee, the son of Romelia of Israel. Salmanasar III, under the reign of King Hoshea of Israel, supposedly captured the entire city of Samaria (2 Kings 15:17). Sargon II is said to be the fourth king who captured Ashdod (Isaiah 20). Asarhaddon, the fifth king, supposedly relocated Israel and sent the Samaritans as guardians to the land of Judah (2 Kings 17). Sennacherib, the sixth king, besieged Jerusalem after capturing Lachish and other cities of Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18). However, some believe that these names could refer to one and the same king with multiple names.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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