Isaiah 36 12

Isaiah 36:12 kjv

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?

Isaiah 36:12 nkjv

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?"

Isaiah 36:12 niv

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?"

Isaiah 36:12 esv

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?"

Isaiah 36:12 nlt

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."

Isaiah 36 verses

Isaiah 36 12 Meaning

This verse, spoken by Rabshakeh, highlights the delegation's perceived confidence in God's ability to deliver Jerusalem. Their reliance is framed as a misplaced trust, as if Yahweh himself had sent the Assyrian army to destroy the city and its people. It portrays the Assyrians as confident that their military might and Yahweh's supposed divine commission made Judah's defeat inevitable.

Isaiah 36 12 Context

In Isaiah chapter 36, the Assyrian army under King Sennacherib has arrived at Jerusalem's doorstep during the reign of King Hezekiah. Rabshakeh, a high-ranking Assyrian official, stands outside the city walls and delivers a lengthy, taunting speech to the Judean officials and the people on the wall. His aim is to incite rebellion and despair, breaking their morale. He mocks Hezekiah's leadership, belittles their alliance with Egypt, and, most significantly in this verse, claims divine authority for the Assyrian invasion. The Assyrians believed their gods and military prowess were supreme, and Rabshakeh leverages this belief to intimidate Jerusalem. Hezekiah and Jerusalem are facing a severe crisis, with all the fortified cities of Judah already captured.

Isaiah 36 12 Word analysis

• And (וְ - ve): A conjunctive particle, often indicating a continuation of thought or an addition.
• now (עַתָּה - attah): An adverb of time, emphasizing the present moment and immediacy.
• am (אֲנִי - ani): First-person singular pronoun, "I."
• I (בָא - ba): From the root בּוֹא (bo), meaning "to come" or "to go." Here it implies movement or purpose.
• come (לְמַעְלָה - lemaalah): Literally "upward" or "against." It indicates direction and intention.
• up (בְּמִצְוַת - bemitsvat): This phrase is a misunderstanding in common translations. The Hebrew actually connects "come up" with "by command." It implies direction of movement upwards (as toward Zion) and against the target.
• without the LORD's (יְהוָה - YHWH): The personal covenantal name of God, "Yahweh" or "LORD."
• will (רָצֹון - ratzon): Meaning "will," "pleasure," "favor," or "purpose."
• against (עַל - al): A preposition indicating "against," "upon," or "concerning."
• this (הָאָרֶץ - ha'aretz): "this land." The definite article "ha-" precedes the noun "aretz" (land).
• land (לְבַעֲרָהּ - lev'arah): From the root בּער (ba'ar), meaning "to consume," "to destroy," or "to make desolate."
• to (יְהוָה - YHWH): The name of God again.
• destroy (אָמַר־ – amar-): "said." This introduces God's supposed direct command.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And now am I come up": Emphasizes the present, immediate, and inevitable nature of the Assyrian advance.
• "without the LORD's will": Rabshakeh is claiming divine sanction. The phrasing implies that their advance is not independently initiated but is empowered and directed by Yahweh. This is a theological assertion meant to paralyze faith in Jerusalem.
• "against this land to destroy it?": Directly links the Assyrian military action with the purpose of utter devastation. The question mark suggests Rabshakeh is posing this as a rhetorical confirmation of his claim about divine purpose. The question is rhetorical, designed to elicit agreement with his premise that God Himself willed this destruction.

Isaiah 36 12 Bonus section

This verse is a prime example of psychological warfare couched in theological claims. Rabshakeh is not just a military strategist but a spiritual manipulator. His confidence stems from past Assyrian victories and their pantheistic understanding that any god whose people lost a battle must have been weaker than the victor's gods. He implies that Yahweh is either unwilling or unable to defend His people, or that He has deliberately chosen the Assyrians to be His agents of judgment against Judah. This forces the listeners to question the nature of God and His promises. The counterpoint to this aggressive theological assertion comes in the next chapter, when Hezekiah takes the matter to God in prayer and receives a divine assurance from Isaiah.

Isaiah 36 12 Commentary

Rabshakeh's statement is a calculated theological insult designed to undermine Hezekiah's faith and the people's hope in God. He twists the concept of God's sovereignty, suggesting that Yahweh has actively sent the Assyrians to decimate Judah. This is a powerful manipulative tactic, presenting Assyria not just as a military enemy, but as an instrument of divine judgment. This mirrors the later assertion in Isaiah 10:5-7, where Assyria is called the "rod of my anger." However, Rabshakeh's perversion lies in presenting this as Assyria's own autonomous purpose and Yahweh's sole directive, ignoring the eventual judgment on Assyria itself.

His words reflect a pagan worldview where gods were believed to directly commission and control their people's wars. Rabshakeh assumes Judah and its God operate on the same simplistic principle. He tries to pit God against His own people, creating an image of God actively participating in their destruction. This was designed to make the people feel abandoned and hopelessly outmatched. He uses God’s name to justify destruction, a common tactic by oppressive forces.