TRV
Study This Verse
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.
(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.
Continue studying Isaiah 36:6 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Isaiah 36:6 delivers a poignant and vivid warning against the peril of misplaced trust, portraying the unreliability of earthly alliances, specifically Egypt, through the powerful metaphor of a "broken reed." This verse, spoken by the Assyrian Rabshakeh, underscores the futility and inherent danger of relying on human strength or worldly powers, which ultimately offer no true support and can even inflict harm upon those who depend on them, standing in stark contrast to the steadfast faithfulness and unwavering power of God.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed within the dramatic confrontation between the Assyrian Empire and the Kingdom of Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah, specifically detailed in Isaiah 36 and Isaiah 37. The Assyrian field commander, Rabshakeh, employs a sophisticated campaign of psychological warfare, delivering a series of taunts and threats designed to demoralize the inhabitants of Jerusalem and undermine their trust in both their God and their proposed alliance with Egypt. His extended speech, recorded in Isaiah 36:4-20, aims to convince Jerusalem to surrender without a fight by exposing the perceived weakness of their allies and the futility of resistance against the overwhelming Assyrian military might. Isaiah 36:6 serves as a direct, cutting critique of Hezekiah's foreign policy, which had involved seeking aid from Egypt—a strategy frequently condemned by prophets like Isaiah, who consistently advocated for exclusive trust in Yahweh.
Historical & Cultural Context: The late 8th century BC was marked by the formidable rise of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, which systematically conquered and absorbed territories across the Near East, establishing itself as the dominant superpower. Judah, under King Hezekiah, had initially submitted to Assyrian suzerainty but later rebelled, likely emboldened by promises of support from Egypt. Egypt, though a historically great power, was often viewed by the biblical prophets as an unreliable and ultimately weak ally, frequently failing to deliver on its pledges or proving incapable of effectively countering Assyrian aggression. The imagery of a "reed" (Hebrew: qaneh) is particularly resonant for Egypt, as reeds were abundant along the Nile River and its marshy delta. A "broken reed" would have been a common and easily recognizable symbol of fragility, instability, and danger, especially if one were to attempt to lean on it for support, as it would inevitably splinter and pierce the hand of the one relying on it. This cultural familiarity makes the metaphor exceptionally potent and relatable to the original audience.
Key Themes: The paramount theme of Isaiah 36:6 is the danger of misplaced trust. It starkly contrasts the deceptive appearance of strength in human alliances (epitomized by Egypt) with their inherent fragility and capacity for harm. This theme is a cornerstone of Isaiah's prophetic message, which consistently calls Judah to abandon reliance on political maneuvering, military might, or any earthly power, and instead to place their complete trust in the Lord alone. The verse also implicitly highlights divine sovereignty; even through the mouth of an enemy, the truth of Egypt's unreliability serves to redirect Judah's hope and dependence back to God. The narrative arc culminates in God's miraculous and direct deliverance of Jerusalem without any Egyptian intervention, as powerfully recounted in Isaiah 37:36, thereby reinforcing the theological truth that "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7). Furthermore, the imagery of the reed piercing the hand vividly illustrates the consequences of false reliance, emphasizing that such trust not only fails to provide support but actively inflicts pain and injury upon those who depend on it.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 36:6 is powerfully constructed through its use of several key literary devices. The most prominent is the central Metaphor that equates Egypt with a "broken reed." This metaphor is highly effective, drawing on a common, tangible object (a fragile reed from the Nile) to convey abstract theological and political truths about unreliability and danger. The vivid imagery of the reed splintering and piercing the hand is a potent visual, evoking the physical pain and profound harm that results from misplaced trust. The phrase "staff of this broken reed" also employs a subtle Irony, as a staff is universally understood as an instrument of support, yet here it is described as broken, negating its very purpose and highlighting the deceptive nature of Egypt's perceived strength. Finally, the verse culminates in a clear Simile: "so [is] Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him," which explicitly draws the comparison between Pharaoh's unreliability and the broken reed, making the application of the metaphor undeniable and driving home Rabshakeh's persuasive point. Rabshakeh's entire speech, including this verse, functions as a masterful example of Rhetorical Argumentation and psychological warfare, meticulously crafted to persuade Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem to abandon their resistance and their trust in external, fallible allies.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 36:6 stands as a profound theological statement on the nature of trust and the object of our ultimate reliance. It powerfully underscores the biblical principle that true, unwavering security and steadfast support are found solely in God, who is an unshakeable rock and a faithful deliverer, rather than in the fleeting, fallible, and ultimately self-serving powers of humanity or the world. The "broken reed" of Egypt serves as a timeless archetype for any earthly source of security—be it wealth, political influence, military might, human wisdom, or personal achievement—that promises support but ultimately proves to be unreliable, insufficient, and even harmful. This verse challenges believers in every generation to critically examine the foundations of their confidence, reminding them that seeking ultimate security outside of God's sovereign care leads not to safety, but to disillusionment, pain, and spiritual injury, as the very thing leaned upon turns to pierce the hand.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The stark warning against trusting in a "broken reed" resonates profoundly in every era, including our contemporary society. We are constantly assailed by temptations to place our deepest hope, security, and even our identity in sources other than the living God—whether it's financial stability, career success, political movements, social status, technological advancements, or even our own perceived abilities and wisdom. This verse calls us to a radical and honest re-evaluation of where our true confidence and ultimate reliance lie. It serves as a stark reminder that anything less than the eternal, unchanging, and all-powerful God is, by definition, a "broken reed"—inherently unstable, prone to collapse under pressure, and ultimately capable of causing us profound disappointment and spiritual injury. To lean on such transient and fallible things is not merely to risk failure, but to invite a piercing pain when they inevitably give way. True peace, steadfastness, and an unshakeable foundation for life are found only in unwavering reliance on the Lord, who alone is a solid rock, an unfailing refuge, and a faithful sustainer, never breaking, never piercing, and always upholding those who trust in Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Q: Why is Egypt specifically described as a "broken reed" in this context?
Answer: Egypt is described as a "broken reed" because, despite its historical reputation as a powerful ancient nation, it had consistently proven to be an unreliable and ultimately ineffective ally for Judah against the formidable Assyrian Empire. The metaphor highlights several crucial points: first, a reed is naturally fragile and easily broken, symbolizing Egypt's inherent weakness and lack of true strength when faced with a superior power. Second, a broken reed is not only useless for support but actively dangerous; if one leans on it, it will splinter and pierce the hand. This illustrates that relying on Egypt would not merely lead to a lack of help, but to active harm, betrayal, and disappointment for Judah. Historically, Egypt often failed to provide the promised military aid or was decisively defeated by Assyria, leaving its allies vulnerable and exposed. This vivid imagery thus serves as a powerful and culturally resonant warning against placing ultimate trust in human strength or political alliances that cannot deliver true security or lasting salvation.
Q: What does this verse teach us about alliances or seeking help from others?
Answer: This verse teaches us a crucial lesson about the nature of our trust and the object of our ultimate reliance, rather than a blanket prohibition against all alliances or seeking help from others. It warns emphatically against placing ultimate or exclusive reliance on human powers, systems, or individuals, especially when such reliance supplants or diminishes our trust in God. While seeking wise counsel, forming strategic partnerships, or accepting legitimate assistance can be prudent and even necessary in certain circumstances, Isaiah 36:6 reminds us that all human strength and ingenuity are finite, fallible, and temporary, much like a "broken reed." True, unwavering security, ultimate deliverance, and steadfast provision come only from God. Therefore, the verse encourages believers to discern carefully where they place their deepest confidence, ensuring that God remains their primary source of strength, refuge, and hope, even as they navigate and engage with earthly systems or seek human assistance.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 36:6, with its vivid imagery of the broken reed and the piercing hand, profoundly foreshadows the inherent futility of human self-reliance and the ultimate inadequacy of any created thing to provide true salvation or lasting security. Humanity, in its fallen state, is itself a "broken reed," utterly incapable of providing true support or salvation for itself or others. Every attempt to establish righteousness by works of the law, to find security in worldly achievements, to lean on human wisdom for spiritual solace, or to build a kingdom apart from God ultimately results in a "pierced hand"—a painful realization of inadequacy, failure, and the inability to save oneself. The Law, though holy and good, could not justify but only revealed sin, acting as a broken reed that pierced the conscience and exposed humanity's brokenness, as vividly described in Romans 3:20. In stark contrast to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who is a "broken reed," stands Jesus Christ, the true King of kings and the solid, unshakeable rock of our salvation. He is not a fragile staff that splinters and harms, but the eternal, unyielding foundation upon whom all who trust can securely lean. While human leaders and systems inevitably fail, Christ is the steadfast Good Shepherd who leads His flock to living waters (John 10:11) and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He is the one who, though Himself pierced for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5), offers healing, wholeness, and eternal life, not harm. Our trust in Him leads not to a pierced hand of disappointment, but to eternal life and an unshakeable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28). He is the only one who can truly sustain us, a perfect and unbroken staff upon whom we can lean for all eternity, building our lives on His unyielding truth as the wise builder builds on the rock (Matthew 7:24-27).