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

Isaiah 36:16 records the Assyrian Rabshakeh's manipulative offer to the people of Jerusalem during their siege. It's a strategic psychological tactic designed to undermine their trust in King Hezekiah and the Lord. The Rabshakeh entices them with a promise of immediate, personal peace, material comfort, and stability in their homes – eating from their own vine and fig tree, and drinking from their own cistern – if they surrender to Assyria, directly contrasting this with the hardships of a prolonged siege under Hezekiah. This false offer aimed to tempt the Judeans into abandoning their faith and their king, preferring present ease over spiritual integrity and God's promised deliverance.

Isaiah 36 16 Context

Isaiah 36, along with chapters 37-39, is a historical narrative integrated into Isaiah's prophetic book. It details the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian king Sennacherib around 701 BC during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. The Assyrians had already conquered much of Judah, devastating many fortified cities. The Rabshakeh, an Assyrian field commander and master of psychological warfare, stood before the walls of Jerusalem and delivered a series of speeches. These speeches were designed to demoralize the city's inhabitants, convince them that resistance was futile, and persuade them to surrender, thus avoiding further destruction. Verse 16 specifically comes from Rabshakeh's direct address to the people, trying to bypass Hezekiah and appealing directly to their personal comfort and fear, setting up a clear contrast between Hezekiah's perceived inability to save them and the "peace" offered by Assyrian submission.

Isaiah 36 16 Word analysis

• Do not listen (אַל־תִּשְׁמְעוּ, al-tishm’u): A direct, emphatic command of prohibition. It's an injunction to ignore and disregard, reflecting a complete rejection of Hezekiah's authority and wisdom. The verb "שָׁמַע" (shama') means "to hear, to listen, to obey," implying Rabshakeh seeks not just their ears but their compliance away from their king.
• to Hezekiah (אֶל־חִזְקִיָּהוּ, ’el-ḥizqiyyāhû): Refers to the reigning king of Judah. Rabshakeh explicitly singles out the legitimate authority, aiming to undermine the people's allegiance to their leader, a classic strategy in siege warfare to create internal discord.
• for thus says the king of Assyria (כִּי כֹה אָמַר מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר, kî kōh ’āmar meleḵ ’aššûr): This formula is often used by prophets to introduce a divine oracle ("Thus says the LORD"). Here, it is impiously appropriated by the Rabshakeh to elevate the words of the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, to a quasi-divine, undeniable authority, implicitly challenging the sovereignty of Yahweh.
• Make your peace (הַשְׁלִימוּ, hashlîmû): The Hebrew verb is a Hiphil imperative of "שָׁלַם" (shalem), meaning "to be complete, sound, at peace." In this context, it specifically means "to make peace by surrender," or "to deliver over completely." It's an offer of shalom (peace) but on terms dictated by the conqueror, requiring total capitulation.
• with me (אִתִּי, ’ittî): A personal appeal, directly tying their surrender and supposed "peace" to the Rabshakeh and by extension, the Assyrian king.
• and come out (וּצְאוּ, ūts’û): A command for physical departure from the city, indicating a move into the open to accept the terms of surrender. It means abandoning the protective walls of Jerusalem.
• to me (אֵלַי, ’ēlāy): Reinforces the personal nature of the command, inviting them into Assyrian custody.
• then every one of you will eat of his own vine (וְאִכְלוּ אִישׁ־גַּפְנוֹ, wə’iḵlû ’îš-gafnô): "Vine" (gefên) is a central agricultural product and symbol of prosperity, sustenance, and settled life. The promise of "his own vine" speaks to personal ownership, security, and the ability to enjoy the fruit of one's labor, free from immediate threat.
• and every one of his own fig tree (וְאִישׁ תְּאֵנָתוֹ, wə’îš tə’ēnāṯô): The "fig tree" (te’ēnāh) likewise symbolizes prosperity, stability, and peaceful domestic life. Sitting under one's own vine and fig tree is an idiomatic expression for a golden age of peace and security (Mic 4:4, 1 Kgs 4:25). This promise implies an undisturbed life, which Assyrian conquest usually eliminated.
• and drink every one of the waters of his own cistern (וְשְׁתוּ־מַיִם אִישׁ בֹּרוֹ, wəšəṯû-mayim ’îš bōrô): A "cistern" (bôr) is a crucial source of stored water, especially in arid regions like Judah. To have access to "his own cistern" signifies self-sufficiency, security of essential resources, and avoidance of thirst – a stark contrast to the expected outcome of a siege. It is an offer of continued, unimpeded life.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria": This initial grouping starkly frames the Rabshakeh's speech as an alternative, higher authority against the divinely appointed king of Judah. It sets up a dichotomy: trust your king (and implicitly his God) or trust the Assyrian emperor. The form mimicking divine revelation makes the challenge even more potent.
• "Make your peace with me and come out to me": This phrase functions as a conditional offer. The "peace" (shalom) offered by the enemy is contingent upon active surrender and capitulation ("come out"). It's a false peace, requiring submission to foreign rule rather than offering true security under God's protection.
• "then every one of you will eat of his own vine, and every one of his own fig tree, and drink every one of the waters of his own cistern": This triplet paints a vivid picture of idealized domestic tranquility and self-sufficiency. It appeals to basic human desires for security, sustenance, and private property. This promise uses common Hebrew metaphors for national prosperity and peace, deceptively suggesting that Assyrian rule would grant them the blessings Yahweh promises to his faithful, thereby hijacking the very imagery of covenantal well-being. It implies continued, undisturbed enjoyment of what is theirs, which is rarely the case under a conquering empire.

Isaiah 36 16 Bonus section

The Rabshakeh's use of the "vine and fig tree" idiom here is a direct appropriation and corruption of a powerful theological symbol. In the Hebrew Bible, sitting under one's own vine and fig tree consistently represents a state of divinely bestowed peace, prosperity, and national security under righteous rule (e.g., 1 Kgs 4:25 under Solomon; Mic 4:4 as a prophetic ideal for the Messianic era). By promising this same ideal under Assyrian dominion, the Rabshakeh attempts to usurp Yahweh's role as the bringer of true peace and to make the people believe that the "good life" can be obtained through submitting to a foreign power that blasphemes their God. This subtle polemic challenges the very covenant relationship between Israel and Yahweh, where blessings like these are contingent on fidelity. The very concept of "cistern" highlights a fundamental human need (water) in a semi-arid land, making the promise of continued access to their own water source incredibly persuasive and aimed at primal survival instincts, contrasting the hardship of a prolonged siege with immediate, though false, relief.

Isaiah 36 16 Commentary

Isaiah 36:16 serves as a profound illustration of spiritual and psychological warfare. The Rabshakeh, a master manipulator, exploits basic human desires for security and comfort, offering an enticing, but ultimately deceptive, "peace." His offer of remaining in their homes, eating from their own vine and fig tree, and drinking from their own cistern, uses imagery of an ideal life that God often promises to His people for their obedience. By twisting these symbols, he attempts to persuade the Judeans that they can achieve these blessings without their God and king, through surrender to a pagan empire. This false peace stands in stark contrast to the true shalom offered by God, which comes through faith and faithfulness. Hezekiah's people were faced with a choice: trust the alluring but hollow promises of an enemy, or cling to the unwavering promises of Yahweh, even amidst apparent despair. The verse highlights the perennial temptation to choose immediate, worldly comfort over the long-term, divinely-secured peace that often requires patient endurance and faith.