Isaiah 36 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Isaiah 36 meaning explained in AI Summary

Isaiah 36 recounts the first part of the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah.

1. The Assyrian Threat (Verses 1-3): The Assyrian king, Sennacherib, sends his powerful military commander, Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem. Rabshakeh's mission is to demoralize the city and force its surrender without a fight.

2. Psychological Warfare (Verses 4-22): Rabshakeh delivers a speech filled with intimidation tactics and lies. He:

Undermines trust in Egypt: He mocks their reliance on Egypt for help, claiming it's like a "broken reed."
Questions God's power: He challenges the idea that God would protect Jerusalem, pointing out that He allowed other nations to be conquered.
Offers false promises: He tempts the people with promises of a comfortable life if they surrender to Assyria.

3. Hezekiah's Response (Verses 2-3, 22):

Silent Strength: Hezekiah's officials, upon hearing Rabshakeh's speech, tear their clothes in distress but remain silent, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.
Seeking God: They report the incident to King Hezekiah, who then seeks guidance from the prophet Isaiah.

Key Themes:

Faith vs. Fear: The chapter highlights the struggle between trusting in God's protection and giving in to fear in the face of overwhelming odds.
The Power of Words: Rabshakeh's speech demonstrates the potent weapon of propaganda and psychological warfare.
God's Sovereignty: Even though the situation appears dire, the chapter sets the stage for God's intervention and deliverance.

Important Note: This chapter is almost identical to 2 Kings 18:13-37.

Isaiah 36 bible study ai commentary

Isaiah 36 presents a critical moment of confrontation, not just between nations, but between worldviews. The Assyrian empire, personified by the eloquent and blasphemous Rabshakeh, lays both a physical siege to Jerusalem and a spiritual siege against the faith of its people. The chapter is a masterclass in psychological warfare, systematically attempting to dismantle every foundation of Judah's hope—military alliances, human leadership, and ultimately, trust in Yahweh Himself. This orchestrated attack on faith serves as the dramatic setup for God's powerful deliverance in the following chapter, highlighting the core Isaianic theme: salvation comes not from human strength but from quiet trust in the one true God.

Isaiah 36 Context

The events are set in 701 BC during the 14th year of King Hezekiah of Judah. The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under the aggressive King Sennacherib, was the unrivaled superpower of the day. Having already exiled the northern kingdom of Israel (722 BC), Assyria swept through the Levant to quash rebellions. After conquering 46 fortified cities in Judah, including the strategic city of Lachish (an event Sennacherib graphically depicted on palace reliefs), the Assyrian army stood at the gates of Jerusalem. This narrative, a direct challenge to God's covenant with David and His presence in Zion, is almost a word-for-word parallel of the historical account in 2 Kings 18:13-37 and is also recounted in 2 Chronicles 32. Assyrian strategy famously combined overwhelming military force with sophisticated propaganda to demoralize enemies before battle.

Isaiah 36:1-3

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. And there came out to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.

In-depth-analysis

The 14th Year: Establishes the precise historical moment of the crisis in 701 BC.
Sennacherib's Conquest: The statement that he "took" all fortified cities emphasizes Jerusalem's isolation and the totality of the Assyrian military victory up to this point, creating a sense of hopelessness.
Rabshakeh (רַב־שָׁקֵה): This is not a personal name but an official Assyrian title, likely meaning "Chief of the Princes" or "Chief Cupbearer." He is a high-ranking diplomat and military commander.
Lachish to Jerusalem: Shows the Assyrian advance. Lachish was Judah's second most important city; its fall was a devastating blow.
Conduit of the Upper Pool: This location is deeply significant. It's the exact same spot where Isaiah met King Ahaz (Hezekiah's father) and offered him a sign of God's deliverance, which Ahaz rejected (Isaiah 7:3). Now, Hezekiah faces a similar, but far more dire, test of faith at the very same place.
Hezekiah's Officials: Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah are the highest-ranking officials in the kingdom, indicating the gravity of the negotiation. Eliakim had replaced Shebna as the one "over the household" as prophesied in Isaiah 22:15-25.

Bible references

2 Kings 18:13, 17-18: In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah... the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army... (The direct historical parallel).
Isaiah 7:3: And the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz... at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field.” (Highlights the theological echo of faith vs. unbelief).
Isaiah 22:20-21: “In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah... and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.” (Fulfillment of prophecy regarding Hezekiah's administration).

Cross references

2 Chr 32:1-2, 9 (historical account); Isa 22:15 (prophecy against Shebna).

Isaiah 36:4-7

And the 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? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me? Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh 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 high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”?’

In-depth-analysis

The Great King: Sennacherib's self-proclaimed title, meant to intimidate and assert supreme authority.
Trust/Confidence (bittachon, בִּטָּחוֹן): This is the key theme. The Rabshakeh systematically attacks every conceivable source of Judah's confidence.
Mere Words: A direct mockery of diplomacy and faith, contrasting them with tangible military "power."
Broken Reed: A powerful and well-known metaphor for Egypt's unreliability as an ally. The image is of a splintered reed that wounds the one who leans on it for support. This exposes the foolishness of relying on foreign military alliances over God.
Twisting Hezekiah's Reforms: The most insidious part of the speech. Hezekiah's righteous reform of centralizing worship in Jerusalem and destroying the pagan-influenced "high places" (as commanded in Deuteronomy) is cunningly reframed as an act of impiety that has offended Yahweh. The Rabshakeh portrays God as weakened and angry at Hezekiah, a clever half-truth designed to sow religious confusion and doubt among the people.

Bible references

Ezekiel 29:6-7: ...because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel... you broke and tore their shoulders... (Prophetic confirmation of Egypt's unreliability).
Psalm 20:7: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (The proper focus of trust).
Deuteronomy 12:5, 13-14: But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose... Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see. (The basis for Hezekiah's reforms).
2 Kings 18:4: He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah... (Hezekiah's righteous actions).

Cross references

2 Kgs 18:21 (broken reed); Prov 3:5 (trust in the Lord); Jer 17:5 (curse on trust in man).

Polemics: The Rabshakeh’s speech weaponizes religious knowledge. By referencing Hezekiah's reforms, he shows he is not ignorant of Judah’s internal affairs but is instead twisting theology for political gain. He presents Yahweh as a localized, temperamental deity whose power is tied to the number of his shrines, a common ancient Near Eastern belief. This is a polemic against the monotheistic, centralized worship demanded by the Torah, portraying it as foolish and self-defeating.

Isaiah 36:8-10

Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”

In-depth-analysis

Make a Wager: A humiliating taunt, highlighting Judah's pathetic military state. Assyria has so many resources they can mockingly offer horses Judah cannot even man.
Least of my master's servants: An intentional slight, claiming that even the lowest-ranking Assyrian officer is too mighty for Jerusalem's entire army.
Is it without the LORD?: The most blasphemous and clever argument. The Rabshakeh claims divine sanction for his invasion. This is a "hostile-witness" confirmation of prophecies where God indeed named Assyria as His instrument of judgment (e.g., Isaiah 10:5-6). However, the Rabshakeh omits the context: Assyria is a tool to be used for a temporary, corrective purpose and then discarded for its arrogance. He presents God's permission as an endorsement of Assyria's imperial ambitions and Judah's complete destruction, a wicked distortion of God's sovereign plan.

Bible references

Isaiah 10:5-6: Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him... (The true prophecy Assyria unwittingly fulfills but misunderstands).
Habakkuk 1:5-6: “Look among the nations, and see... For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation...” (A later example of God using a wicked empire for His purpose).
Jeremiah 25:9: "...I will send for... Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land..." (God claiming a pagan king as his "servant" for judgment).

Cross references

Amos 3:6 (disaster and the Lord); Jer 27:6-7 (God gives lands to Nebuchadnezzar).

Isaiah 36:11-12

Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” But the Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?”

In-depth-analysis

Speak... in Aramaic: Aramaic was the international language of diplomacy. Eliakim's request is strategic and proper; he wants to contain the psychological damage and negotiate professionally.
Language of Judah (Hebrew): The Rabshakeh’s refusal to speak Aramaic reveals his true intention is not negotiation but popular insurrection. By speaking directly to the common soldiers in their native tongue, he bypasses leadership to incite terror and rebellion.
Graphic Language: The crude and shocking imagery ("eat their own dung and drink their own urine") is a standard siege tactic. It is designed to vividly portray the horrifying outcome of a prolonged siege, destroying morale and emphasizing the futility of resistance.

Bible references

2 Kings 6:25-29: ...there was a great famine in Samaria... as one woman said to the other, "Give your son, that we may eat him today..." (The horrible reality of siege warfare).
Lamentations 4:10: The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people. (Another depiction of siege horrors).
2 Corinthians 10:4-5: The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds... We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God. (The New Testament description of the spiritual warfare seen here).

Cross references

Deut 28:53-57 (curses for disobedience, including cannibalism during siege).

Isaiah 36:13-20

Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah... "Do not let Hezekiah deceive you... Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD by saying, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us...’ Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?... Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?”

In-depth-analysis

Loud Voice: He now fully addresses the common soldiers, attempting to drive a wedge between them and their king.
Direct attack on Trust in the LORD: He moves from subtle manipulation to an open assault on faith in Yahweh's power to save.
False Gospel of Assyria: He offers a deceptive peace treaty—surrender now and be deported to a "land like your own," a standard Assyrian policy of pacification that destroyed national identities.
The Empirical Argument: This is the climax of his speech. He presents a list of conquered nations and their powerless gods (Hamath, Arpad, etc.). His argument is based on a simple, pragmatic, and powerful premise: history. No god has ever stopped Assyria. His final, blasphemous question hangs in the air: what makes your God any different? He places Yahweh on the same level as impotent regional deities.

Bible references

Psalm 115:4-8: Their idols are silver and gold... They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see... Those who make them become like them... (The biblical assessment of the gods the Rabshakeh boasts of defeating).
Isaiah 40:18, 25: To whom then will you liken God?... To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. (Isaiah’s core response to the Rabshakeh's type of argument).
Exodus 15:11: Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness... (The confession of faith the Rabshakeh directly challenges).

Cross references

Dan 3:15 (Nebuchadnezzar's similar challenge); 2 Chr 32:13-15 (parallel account); Isa 10:8-11 (Assyria's arrogant thoughts).

Polemics: This section is a direct polemic against the foundational claim of Israel's faith: the uniqueness and omnipotence of Yahweh. The Assyrian worldview was polytheistic and henotheistic; the stronger nation had the stronger god. Sennacherib's annals (like the Taylor Prism) confirm his conquests and his view that he operated with the favor of his god, Ashur. The Rabshakeh’s argument is the epitome of this worldview.

Isaiah 36:21-22

But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, “Do not answer him.” Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah... and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.

In-depth-analysis

They were silent: This is a remarkable act of collective discipline and faith. Instead of panicking or engaging in a shouting match, the people obey Hezekiah. Their silence is not weakness; it is a refusal to honor blasphemy with a response. It demonstrates trust in their king's strategy and, by extension, a quiet waiting on God.
King's Command: Shows Hezekiah's wise leadership. He understood that engaging with such propaganda was a losing game and would only grant it legitimacy.
Clothes Torn: This is a traditional sign of deep grief, mourning, and horror. They are not tearing their clothes because they fear the Assyrian army, but because they have heard the name of God profaned. Their grief is theological. They recognize blasphemy for what it is and bring the report to the king, correctly treating it as a spiritual crisis that must be brought before God.

Bible references

Proverbs 26:4: Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. (The wisdom behind Hezekiah's command).
Lamentations 3:26: It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (The spiritual posture reflected in the people's silence).
Matthew 26:65: Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need?" (Demonstrates that tearing robes was the proper response to perceived blasphemy against God).

Cross references

Ps 38:13-14 (silence in the face of enemies); Exod 14:14 (The Lord will fight for you); Job 1:20 (Job’s response to disaster).

Isaiah Chapter 36 Analysis

A Test of Trust: The entire chapter revolves around the word "trust" (batach). The Rabshakeh’s rhetoric is a systematic deconstruction of every false and true object of trust: foreign alliances (Egypt), military strength (horses), human leadership (Hezekiah), and finally, God Himself.
Propaganda as Spiritual Warfare: This chapter provides one of the Bible's most vivid examples of psychological warfare. The arguments are logical, historically-based, and theologically twisted. It demonstrates that the battle for God's people is often fought in the realm of ideas, arguments, and faith before it is ever fought with swords.
Echoes of Eden and the Temptation of Christ: The Rabshakeh's speech has structural similarities to the serpent's temptation in Genesis 3 ("Did God really say...?") and Satan's temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4. He questions God's word, power, and goodness, and offers an alternative, worldly path to security and prosperity. Judah's choice is to trust the observable "facts" presented by the enemy or to trust the unseen promise of God.
Silence as an Act of Faith: The commanded silence of the people on the wall (v. 21) is a profound spiritual counter-strategy. It demonstrates unity, discipline, and a refusal to engage with evil on its own terms, creating space for God to act.

Isaiah 36 Summary

In 701 BC, with all of Judah's fortified cities fallen, Assyria's King Sennacherib sends his top envoy, the Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem. At the city wall, the Rabshakeh delivers a brilliant and demoralizing speech in Hebrew, systematically dismantling every reason for Judah's confidence. He mocks their alliance with Egypt, twists Hezekiah's religious reforms into an offense against God, and climactically argues that Yahweh is no different from the countless other gods who failed to stop Assyria. The chapter ends with Hezekiah's officials returning in horror, setting the stage for a divine response to this ultimate blasphemy.

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Isaiah 36 AI Image Audio and Video

Isaiah chapter 36 kjv

¹ Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.
² And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
³ Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.
⁴ And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
⁵ 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?
⁶ Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
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?
⁸ Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
⁹ How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
¹⁰ And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
¹¹ Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
¹² But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
¹³ Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
¹⁴ Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
¹⁵ Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
¹⁶ Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
¹⁷ Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
¹⁸ Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, the LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
²⁰ Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
²¹ But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
²² Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

Isaiah chapter 36 nkjv

¹ Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
² Then the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And he stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller's Field.
³ And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to him.
⁴ Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Say now to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: "What confidence is this in which you trust?
⁵ I say you speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. Now in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?
⁶ Look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
⁷ "But if you say to me, 'We trust in the LORD our God,' is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, 'You shall worship before this altar'?" '
⁸ Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses?if you are able on your part to put riders on them!
⁹ How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
¹⁰ Have I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? The LORD said to me, 'Go up against this land, and destroy it.' "
¹¹ Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall."
¹² But the Rabshakeh said, "Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat and drink their own waste with you?"
¹³ Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and said, "Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!
¹⁴ Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you;
¹⁵ nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, "The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria." '
¹⁶ Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: 'Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern;
¹⁷ until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
¹⁸ Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, "The LORD will deliver us." Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria?
¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
²⁰ Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?' "
²¹ But they held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him."
²² Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.

Isaiah chapter 36 niv

¹ In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah's reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.
² Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer's Field,
³ Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to him.
⁴ The field commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah: "?'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours?
⁵ You say you have counsel and might for war?but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?
⁶ Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.
⁷ But if you say to me, "We are depending on the LORD our God"?isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar"?
⁸ "?'Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses?if you can put riders on them!
⁹ How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master's officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
¹⁰ Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the LORD? The LORD himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.'?"
¹¹ Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don't speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall."
¹² But the commander replied, "Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall?who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?"
¹³ Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew, "Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!
¹⁴ This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you!
¹⁵ Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, 'The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.'
¹⁶ "Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern,
¹⁷ until I come and take you to a land like your own?a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
¹⁸ "Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, 'The LORD will deliver us.' Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria?
¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand?
²⁰ Who of all the gods of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"
²¹ But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, "Do not answer him."
²² Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn, and told him what the field commander had said.

Isaiah chapter 36 esv

¹ In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
² And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field.
³ And there came out to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.
⁴ And the 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?
⁵ Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me?
⁶ Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
⁷ But if you say to me, "We trust in the LORD our God," is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You shall worship before this altar"?
⁸ Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
⁹ How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
¹⁰ Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The LORD said to me, "Go up against this land and destroy it."'"
¹¹ Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall."
¹² But the Rabshakeh said, "Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?"
¹³ Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: "Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!
¹⁴ Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you.
¹⁵ Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD by saying, "The LORD will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."
¹⁶ Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern,
¹⁷ until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
¹⁸ Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, "The LORD will deliver us." Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
²⁰ Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'"
²¹ But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."
²² Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.

Isaiah chapter 36 nlt

¹ In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah's reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquered them.
² Then the king of Assyria sent his chief of staff from Lachish with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Assyrians took up a position beside the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.
³ These are the officials who went out to meet with them: Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian.
⁴ Then the Assyrian king's chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah: "This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?
⁵ Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?
⁶ On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!
⁷ "But perhaps you will say to me, 'We are trusting in the LORD our God!' But isn't he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn't Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?
⁸ "I'll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them!
⁹ With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master's troops, even with the help of Egypt's chariots and charioteers?
¹⁰ What's more, do you think we have invaded your land without the LORD's direction? The LORD himself told us, 'Attack this land and destroy it!'"
¹¹ Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, "Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don't speak in Hebrew, for the people on the wall will hear."
¹² But Sennacherib's chief of staff replied, "Do you think my master sent this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when we put this city under siege, they will suffer along with you. They will be so hungry and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine."
¹³ Then the chief of staff stood and shouted in Hebrew to the people on the wall, "Listen to this message from the great king of Assyria!
¹⁴ This is what the king says: Don't let Hezekiah deceive you. He will never be able to rescue you.
¹⁵ Don't let him fool you into trusting in the LORD by saying, 'The LORD will surely rescue us. This city will never fall into the hands of the Assyrian king!'
¹⁶ "Don't listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: Make peace with me ? open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well.
¹⁷ Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one ? a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards.
¹⁸ "Don't let Hezekiah mislead you by saying, 'The LORD will rescue us!' Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria?
¹⁹ What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power?
²⁰ What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the LORD can rescue Jerusalem from me?"
²¹ But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, "Do not answer him."
²² Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian, went back to Hezekiah. They tore their clothes in despair, and they went in to see the king and told him what the Assyrian chief of staff had said.