Isaiah 36:7

But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: [is it] not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

But if thou say {H559} to me, We trust {H982} in the LORD {H3068} our God {H430}: is it not he, whose high places {H1116} and whose altars {H4196} Hezekiah {H2396} hath taken away {H5493}, and said {H559} to Judah {H3063} and to Jerusalem {H3389}, Ye shall worship {H7812} before {H6440} this altar {H4196}?

But if you tell me, 'We trust in ADONAI our God,' then isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hizkiyahu has removed, telling Y'hudah and Yerushalayim, 'You must worship before this altar'?

But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is He not the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before this altar’?

But if thou say unto me, We trust in Jehovah our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?

Isaiah 36:7 is part of a crucial historical narrative within the book of Isaiah, detailing the Assyrian invasion of Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah. This verse records a cynical and deceptive statement made by Rabshakeh, the field commander of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, to the people of Jerusalem.

Context

At this point in history (around 701 BC), the powerful Assyrian Empire, led by King Sennacherib, had conquered many cities in Judah and was now threatening Jerusalem. Rabshakeh was sent to demoralize the city's inhabitants and induce them to surrender without a fight. He delivered a speech in Hebrew, designed to undermine their faith in God and their king, Hezekiah.

The Assyrian commander challenges Judah's declaration of trust in the LORD, saying, "But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: [is it] not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?" This accusation is a clever piece of psychological warfare, twisting a righteous act of religious reform into an apparent offense against God.

Key Themes

  • Deceptive Propaganda: Rabshakeh's speech is a prime example of enemy propaganda. He attempts to sow doubt and division by misrepresenting Hezekiah's actions and questioning the validity of Judah's trust in God. He deliberately distorts the truth to achieve a strategic advantage.
  • Hezekiah's Religious Reforms: Contrary to Rabshakeh's claim, King Hezekiah had undertaken significant and godly reforms, removing the "high places" (unauthorized local altars, often associated with idolatry or corrupt worship) and centralizing worship at the Temple in Jerusalem, as commanded by Mosaic Law. This was an act of obedience and spiritual cleansing, not an affront to God. You can read more about Hezekiah's righteous reforms in 2 Kings 18:4 and 2 Chronicles 31:1.
  • The Nature of True Worship: The verse highlights the tension between true, centralized worship as prescribed by God and the decentralized, often corrupt, worship practiced at the high places. Rabshakeh's accusation implicitly questions God's own commands regarding worship.
  • Trust in God vs. Human Logic: The Assyrian argument appeals to a distorted human logic, suggesting that by 'removing' God's altars, Hezekiah has somehow alienated God. This contrasts with the true biblical understanding that God honors obedience and pure worship.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "high places" (Hebrew: bamot) refers to elevated sites, often hills, where altars were built for worship. While some were initially used for legitimate worship before the Temple was built, many became centers for syncretistic practices or outright idolatry. Hezekiah's removal of these was a move towards religious purity and adherence to the Deuteronomic command for a single place of worship.

Practical Application

This passage offers several timeless lessons:

  • Discerning Truth from Deception: We must be vigilant against those who twist truth, even religious truth, to undermine faith or cause confusion. Not every claim, even if it sounds spiritual, is from God.
  • Righteous Actions Misunderstood: Sometimes, our most righteous actions, done in obedience to God, may be misunderstood, criticized, or even slandered by others, especially by those hostile to God's ways.
  • The Importance of Sound Doctrine: Hezekiah's reforms were based on sound biblical principles. Knowing God's word helps us identify false accusations and stand firm in our faith, much like the people of Judah were called to maintain their trust in the LORD despite the overwhelming threats.

Ultimately, Isaiah 36:7 sets the stage for God's miraculous intervention, demonstrating that true trust in Him, even in the face of overwhelming odds and cunning deception, is never misplaced.

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.

  • 2 Kings 18:4

    He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

  • 2 Kings 18:5

    He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor [any] that were before him.

  • Psalms 42:10

    [As] with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where [is] thy God?

  • Psalms 42:11

    Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God.

  • Psalms 42:5

    Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and [why] art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him [for] the help of his countenance.

  • 1 Corinthians 2:15

    But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

  • 1 Chronicles 5:20

    And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that [were] with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.

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