Isaiah 36 16

Isaiah 36:16 kjv

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;

Isaiah 36:16 nkjv

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;

Isaiah 36:16 niv

"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,

Isaiah 36:16 esv

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,

Isaiah 36:16 nlt

"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.

Isaiah 36 verses

Isaiah 36 16 Meaning

The verse offers a divine counsel to heed the word of the LORD. It contrasts the temporary, earthly pronouncements of the enemy with the enduring, salvific message from God. True security and guidance come not from the persuasive but potentially deceitful words of adversaries, but from listening to the Lord's pronouncements. It signifies placing ultimate trust in God's word over human schemes or threats.

Isaiah 36 16 Context

Isaiah chapter 36 describes a historical event where Rabshakeh, an envoy of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, taunts and attempts to demoralize Hezekiah, king of Judah, and his people. Rabshakeh stands before Jerusalem and verbally abuses the city, listing Assyria's military successes and arguing that Hezekiah's reliance on Egypt or the LORD is futile. He uses persuasive, yet deceitful, language to instill fear and doubt. Hezekiah and his officials understand that the only proper response is not to engage in verbal debate but to seek God's intervention, a principle that runs throughout the narrative of Judah's struggle against Assyria. This particular verse highlights Rabshakeh's deceptive appeal to the common people.

Isaiah 36 16 Word Analysis

• Hear / Heed: (Hebrew: shamu'). This word signifies listening not just with the ear, but with the mind and will to understand and obey. It implies paying attention and considering.

• Counsel / Advice: (Hebrew: etza). Refers to deliberation, plan, or advice. Here, it's the persuasive words and deceptive strategy of the Assyrian commander.

• Let not / Do not: (Hebrew: 'al). A strong prohibition, a command to refrain.

• King of Assyria: Refers to Sennacherib, a powerful and aggressive military leader.

• Persuade / Deceive: (Hebrew: patah). Implies leading astray, beguiling, or misleading through attractive but false words.

• Let / Suffer: (Hebrew: yitan). A permission or allowing something to happen, often by not actively preventing it.

• Let / Allow: (Hebrew: hayah) or (na). Indicating allowance or a permissive command.

• Listen: (Hebrew: shama'). Again, signifies giving ear to, obeying.

• King of Israel: This is a specific mention of a theological concept or a plural collective. Given the context of addressing the people of Judah and their king, it refers to the overall reign of kings in Israel, suggesting that previous kings made similar, fatal errors by trusting in alliances or their own strength rather than God. It may also carry a nuanced reference to God's covenant people under earthly rulers.

• Kings of Judah: The royal line of David in the southern kingdom.

• Words: (Hebrew: devarim). Communications, pronouncements, utterances.

• People of God: Refers to the Israelites, God's covenant people.

• Group Analysis: The phrasing "Let not your son listen to you, nor your servant listen to you" suggests a breakdown of legitimate authority and trust that the Assyrian seeks to foster, aiming to create internal disunity and panic. Rabshakeh is trying to sow discord by undermining the authority of Hezekiah.

Isaiah 36 16 Bonus Section

The historical context of Rabshakeh’s speech reveals Assyria’s sophisticated psychological warfare. They understood that destabilizing the enemy from within was as crucial as military might. Their threats and speeches were not merely boasts, but carefully calculated attempts to break the morale of besieged populations and their leaders. The instruction in Isaiah 36:16 to not listen to the enemy is consistent with other scriptural commands regarding foreign influence and false prophets, emphasizing spiritual discernment and adherence to divine truth as the ultimate defense. The mention of "Kings of Judah" is significant as it implies that past failures of these kings to trust God have led to previous judgments, and that such a pattern of disobedience would bring ruin again.

Isaiah 36 16 Commentary

Rabshakeh’s strategy is to exploit the people’s fears and doubts by appealing directly to them with plausible but dangerous "counsel." He frames his words as sensible advice coming from a wise and victorious leader, designed to cause the people to disregard their own king, Hezekiah, and by extension, their trust in God. The underlying message is that human might and political maneuvering are supreme, and divine reliance is foolish. This is a direct attack on faith, seeking to sever the covenant relationship between God and His people through manipulative language. The verse warns against this very tactic, urging an unwavering commitment to God's word and leadership, even when faced with imposing earthly power and persuasive, yet deceitful, human voices. It is a call to discernment and faith.