2 Kings 18 21

2 Kings 18:21 kjv

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

2 Kings 18:21 nkjv

Now 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.

2 Kings 18:21 niv

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.

2 Kings 18:21 esv

Behold, you are trusting now 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.

2 Kings 18:21 nlt

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!

2 Kings 18 verses

2 Kings 18 21 Meaning

This verse is a scathing denunciation by Rabshakeh, the Assyrian field commander, aiming to undermine King Hezekiah's reliance on Egypt for military support against Assyria. He depicts Egypt as a proverbially weak, "bruised reed" staff. This metaphor emphasizes that such a staff, instead of providing stability, would collapse and splinter, causing severe injury to anyone who leans on it. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is equated with this unreliable and dangerous support, implying that trusting him will bring not help, but harm, to Judah.

2 Kings 18 21 Context

This verse is delivered during a critical juncture in Judah's history, around 701 BCE, when Sennacherib, king of Assyria, has invaded Judah and is besieging Jerusalem. King Hezekiah had initially paid tribute to Assyria but later rebelled, likely relying on a promised, albeit fragile, alliance with Egypt. The Assyrian field commander, Rabshakeh, speaking in Hebrew to undermine the morale of the people of Judah and Hezekiah's officials, aims to expose the futility of this Egyptian alliance. He does so with a blend of mockery, psychological warfare, and an uncanny grasp of Judah's internal politics and God's law. Rabshakeh correctly identifies Judah's misplaced trust in a human power rather than the LORD their God. His speech is meant to sow doubt in divine deliverance and push Jerusalem towards surrender.

2 Kings 18 21 Word analysis

• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinneh): An interjection commanding attention, signaling something important or striking. Here, it emphasizes the sharp contrast between Hezekiah's expectation and the reality of his trust.
• you are trusting (בָטַחְתָּ - bataḥtā): From the root bāṭaḥ, meaning to trust, to lean on, to feel secure, to be confident. It denotes a deep reliance or dependence, highlighting the object of confidence.
• in the staff (בְּמִשְׁעֶ֫נֶת - bᵉmish‘eneth): Refers to a staff, a rod, or something one leans upon for support, typically indicating weakness or the need for external help.
• of this bruised (הָרָצוּץ - hārātsūts) reed (הַקָּנֶה - haqqaneh):
  • qāneh: A reed, cane, or stalk. Symbolizes fragility, something easily broken or swayed.
  • rātsūts: Crushed, bruised, broken. The adjective amplifies the fragility of the reed, emphasizing its inherent inability to provide strong support and its potential to inflict injury. This paints a vivid picture of a broken, unreliable entity.
• even on Egypt (מִצְרַ֫יִם - Mitsrayim): Clearly identifies the subject of the metaphor, leaving no room for ambiguity. This directly calls out Hezekiah's alliance strategy.
• on which if a man leans (אֲשֶׁר יִסָּמֵךְ אִישׁ עָלָיו - ’ǎsher yissameḵ ’îsh ‘ālāyw): yissameḵ means to lean upon, to rest upon for support. The phrase describes the act of seeking support from Egypt.
• it will pierce (וּבָא - ûvāv, literally "and comes in/into") his hand (בְכַפּוֹ - bᵉkhaPPOw): bō’ means to come, enter, go. In this context, combined with kaph (hand, palm), it strongly implies penetration or injury.
• and go through it (וּנְקָבָה - ûnᵉqāḇāh): nāqaḇ means to bore, pierce through, perforate. This signifies not just superficial harm, but a deep, lasting wound, implying betrayal and serious damage to the one who relied on it.
• So is Pharaoh (כֵּן פַּרְעֹה - kēn Par‘ōh) king of Egypt (מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם - meleḵ Mitsrayim): "So is" draws a direct equivalence between the weak, dangerous reed and Pharaoh, solidifying the application of the proverb to the Egyptian leader.
• to all who trust in him (לְכָל הַבֹּטְחִים עָלָיו - lᵉḵol habbōṭᵉḥîm ‘ālāyw): This extends the warning beyond Hezekiah to anyone else who places their reliance on Egypt, emphasizing the universal unreliability of this specific human power.

2 Kings 18 21 Bonus section

The metaphor of the "bruised reed" reappears in a contrasting theological light in Isa 42:3, describing the gentle and restorative nature of the Suffering Servant (Christ), "a bruised reed he will not break." While 2 Kings 18:21 uses the "bruised reed" to highlight Egypt's inherent weakness and harmful unreliability, Isaiah 42:3 uses it to illustrate the Messiah's compassion and non-judgmental ministry towards the weak and struggling. This parallel underscores that the fragile or brokenness in humanity, while exploited by unreliable worldly powers, is treated with grace and healing by God. Rabshakeh's speech, though malicious, served as an ironic, unintended reminder of Judah's covenant obligation to trust Yahweh alone, a truth consistently championed by the prophets (e.g., Isa 30-31, Jer 17).

2 Kings 18 21 Commentary

2 Kings 18:21 stands as a powerful proverbial warning embedded in Rabshakeh's taunt. While an enemy speaking to discourage faith, the content holds profound biblical truth concerning misplaced trust. The vivid imagery of the "bruised reed" is both universally understood and culturally specific. In ancient Near Eastern contexts, reeds were plentiful but fragile; a "bruised" one even more so, rendering it useless for structural support. For Judah to lean on Egypt, a kingdom often depicted as a superpower yet frequently unstable and opportunistic in its alliances (as seen historically in Egypt's internal struggles and occasional abandonment of allies), was seen as a grave strategic error and, more significantly, a theological failing. Rabshakeh effectively highlights that relying on such a power is not merely futile but actively detrimental—it will wound and betray the one seeking aid. This serves as a pointed critique against Hezekiah's perceived reliance on human or national strength, underscoring the consistent biblical message that ultimate trust belongs to God alone, not to transient worldly powers. The passage teaches the danger of choosing human schemes over divine promises, revealing that supposed help from misaligned sources often becomes a source of deeper pain.