Isaiah 36 10

Isaiah 36:10 kjv

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.

Isaiah 36:10 nkjv

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.' "

Isaiah 36:10 niv

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.'?"

Isaiah 36:10 esv

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."'"

Isaiah 36:10 nlt

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!'"

Isaiah 36 verses

Isaiah 36 10 Meaning

Isaiah 36:10 presents the chilling claim made by the Assyrian Rabshakeh, who declared that the invasion of Judah and the intended destruction of Jerusalem were not merely human actions but were divinely sanctioned by the LORD (Yahweh) Himself. The Rabshakeh directly quotes the LORD as having commanded the Assyrian king, "Go up against this land and destroy it," thereby attempting to strip Judah of any hope of divine protection and undermine their faith in God's covenant with them.

Isaiah 36 10 Context

Isaiah 36 forms a pivotal historical narrative within the book, detailing King Sennacherib of Assyria's invasion of Judah during the 14th year of King Hezekiah's reign (circa 701 BC). The chapter opens with Assyrian forces capturing fortified cities throughout Judah, leaving Jerusalem isolated and under siege. To break the city's resolve, Sennacherib sends his top officials, including the Rabshakeh, to deliver a propaganda speech designed to sow doubt and fear among the people of Jerusalem. The Rabshakeh speaks in Hebrew, aiming to bypass the officials and speak directly to the common people listening on the city walls.

Leading up to verse 10, the Rabshakeh has already mocked Hezekiah's reliance on Egypt (vv. 4-6) and attempted to discredit Hezekiah's reforms, implying that removing Judah's high places and altars offended the LORD (v. 7). This calculated move attempts to turn their devotion against them. Verse 10 is the Rabshakeh's culminating blow in this psychological warfare: he directly claims a divine mandate from the LORD (Yahweh) for Assyria's destructive campaign, twisting the theological truth that God sometimes uses nations for judgment into a specific, blasphemous lie that Yahweh had directly commanded the Assyrians to destroy Judah. This specific claim aims to eliminate any remaining hope for divine intervention for Judah.

Isaiah 36 10 Word analysis

• And now (וְעַתָּה, wə‘attâ): The Hebrew particle wə‘attâ serves as a strong conjunction, meaning "and now," "therefore," or "so then." It marks a transition to a crucial and often climactic statement, implying that what follows is a logical conclusion or a pivotal claim derived from prior assertions. Here, it introduces the Rabshakeh's most significant and manipulative point.

• am I...without (הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵי, hămibbale‘adê): This is an interrogative (questioning) construction formed by:

  • הֲ (ha): The interrogative prefix, transforming the statement into a question ("Is it...?", "Am I...?").
  • מִ (mi): The preposition "from," indicating source or origin.
  • בַּלְעֲדֵי (bal‘adê): Meaning "without," "apart from," "besides," or "independent of." It conveys a strong sense of lack of connection or authorization. The Rabshakeh is emphatically denying that his mission is apart from or without the Lord.

• the LORD (יְהוָה, Yahweh): This is the personal, covenant name of God, frequently translated as "the LORD" (in all caps) in English Bibles. The Rabshakeh's use of Yahweh's name is highly significant; it demonstrates Assyrian intelligence on Judahite religion and is a direct, calculated attack on their covenant relationship with God. It’s a profound act of theological blasphemy and psychological warfare, aiming to strip Judah of its very basis for trust in its God.

• come up (עָלִיתִי, ʿālîtî): This verb means "I came up" or "I ascended." It refers to the Assyrian army's movement into Judahite territory, as Jerusalem was geographically higher than the surrounding plains from which the army would have approached. The first-person singular emphasizes Rabshakeh speaking on behalf of Sennacherib's actions.

• against this land (עַל-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, ʿal-hā’āreṣ hazzō’t): "Upon the land, this (land)." ʿal- indicates a motion or aggression "upon" or "against." hā’āreṣ is "the land," with the demonstrative hazzō’t ("this") explicitly identifying Judah. This specific targeting, combined with the earlier reference to Yahweh, intensifies the claim of divine endorsement for their specific destructive mission.

• to destroy it (לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ, ləhašḥîtāh): The preposition lə- indicates purpose ("to do something"). hašḥîtāh is the Hiphil infinitive construct of šāḥat, meaning "to destroy," "corrupt," "ruin." The Hiphil stem often denotes causing an action, thus "to cause to destroy" or "to carry out destruction." The feminine suffix -āh refers back to "the land." It vividly expresses the aggressive and complete ruin intended.

• The LORD said to me (יְהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי, Yahweh ʾāmar ʾēlāy): This is a direct quote by the Rabshakeh, repeating Yahweh's personal name and claiming direct speech. ʾāmar ("said") is a common verb for divine revelation in prophetic literature (e.g., "The word of the LORD came to me..."). ʾēlāy ("to me") denotes a direct communication. This imitation of prophetic language is particularly audacious and designed to instill terror, making it seem as if Judah's own God had sided with their oppressor.

• Go up (עֲלֵה, ʿalēh): An imperative verb, "Go up!" or "Ascend!" This is presented as a direct, unmediated command from Yahweh to the Assyrian king. It echoes the earlier "come up," grounding the invasion in alleged divine directive.

• and destroy it (וְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ, wəhašḥîtāh): Wə- "and," hašḥîtāh "destroy it." This is an imperative, "and destroy it," reinforcing the specific, violent command attributed to the LORD. The Rabshakeh frames the destruction as a clear, explicit instruction, leaving no room for ambiguity or resistance from Yahweh’s true followers.

Isaiah 36 10 Bonus section

• The Rabshakeh's ability to speak in Hebrew (the "language of Judah," as per Isaiah 36:11-12) was an intentional part of the Assyrian psychological warfare. This ensured his message was widely understood, adding to its potency.
• The use of Yahweh's covenant name rather than a generic "god" implies that the Assyrians believed they had superior insight into Judah's God, possibly claiming to have "conquered" Him along with other deities of vanquished nations.
• This specific verbal attack targeted the very core of Judah's national identity, which was tied to their belief in Yahweh's covenant loyalty to them and His promise to protect Jerusalem (Ps 46).
• The theological battle presented by the Rabshakeh set the stage for Hezekiah's humble prayer and Isaiah's prophetic word of deliverance (Is 37), showcasing the ultimate power of true faith over enemy propaganda.
• The incident highlights the deceptive nature of the spiritual enemy, who often operates not through overt denials of God but through cunning misrepresentations of His character and will (compare Gen 3:1 where the serpent subtly twisted God's command).

Isaiah 36 10 Commentary

The Rabshakeh's declaration in Isaiah 36:10 is a masterstroke of psychological warfare, skillfully crafted to shatter Judah's faith and will to resist. By appropriating the sacred name of Yahweh, he perverts a profound theological truth – that God can and does use foreign nations as instruments of His judgment (Is 10:5-6, Jer 25:9) – into a specific, deceptive lie. He is not just claiming that God allows the invasion; he insists that Yahweh has commanded it, giving direct instructions to Sennacherib to destroy "this land."

This audacious claim aims to neutralize Judah's greatest asset: their covenant God. If Yahweh himself has sent the Assyrians, then any appeal, prayer, or resistance to Assyria would be an act of rebellion against God Himself. The intent is to remove all hope and legitimate justification for fighting, presenting surrender as the only divinely approved course of action. This also undermines Hezekiah's religious reforms (Is 36:7), implicitly suggesting that by removing altars to other deities, Hezekiah offended Yahweh, prompting God's wrath and decision to destroy Judah via Assyria.

This deceptive tactic, which mimics divine revelation using prophetic language ("The LORD said to me"), constitutes blatant blasphemy. The Assyrian officer demonstrates keen awareness of Judah's unique relationship with their God and exploits it, hoping to dismantle their spiritual foundations. However, the true message for the faithful is that God's sovereignty (Is 37:26) ultimately ensures that such boasting and blasphemy will not stand (Is 37:29, 35). This event serves as a powerful reminder of how the enemy often uses twisted truths and direct lies about God's will to instill fear and erode trust.