Isaiah 36 19

Isaiah 36:19 kjv

Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

Isaiah 36:19 nkjv

Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand?

Isaiah 36:19 niv

Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand?

Isaiah 36:19 esv

Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

Isaiah 36:19 nlt

What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power?

Isaiah 36 verses

Isaiah 36 19 Meaning

This verse encapsulates the prideful boasts of the Assyrian king, directly mocking the faith of the people of Judah and their trust in the LORD. It highlights the perceived futility of their reliance on God, contrasting it with Assyria's military might and territorial conquests. The verse reveals a deceptive tactic of sowing doubt and fear, undermining the confidence of the people in their divine protector.

Isaiah 36 19 Context

This verse occurs in the narrative of the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem under King Sennacherib, during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. The Assyrian commander, Rabshakeh, stands before the walls of Jerusalem and taunts the people, intending to break their morale and incite rebellion against Hezekiah. He challenges Judah's faith in the LORD, listing the supposed failures of other gods to protect their respective cities and nations. This particular verse lists the gods of specific conquered territories: Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah, as well as the gods of Samaria, implying that their deities were powerless against the Assyrian might. The historical context is one of overwhelming military superiority on the part of Assyria, a global superpower of the time. The audience would have been accustomed to hearing of vast empires conquering lesser nations and their gods failing. Rabshakeh is employing psychological warfare, using the past failures of other nations and their gods as proof of the futility of Judah's hope in the LORD.

Isaiah 36 19 Word Analysis

• "Where": This is a direct question demanding the location or presence of something. In this context, it signifies an absence or an inability to defend.
• "are": Present tense verb indicating existence or state.
• "the": Definite article, specifying particular entities.
• "gods": Refers to deities or objects of worship. Rabshakeh uses this term pejoratively, highlighting the inadequacy of idols. The Hebrew word is 'elohim, which can also refer to God, but here it is plural and applied to pagan deities.
• "of Hamath": Hamath was a significant ancient Hittite city and kingdom in Syria, located north of Israel.
• "and Arpad": Arpad was another important Aramean city-state, north of Hamath, known for its military strength and strategic position. It was eventually destroyed by the Assyrians.
• "Where": Repeats the initial challenge, reinforcing the point.
• "are": Continues the assertion of absence.
• "the": Definite article.
• "gods": Plural reference to deities.
• "of": Preposition showing origin or possession.
• "Sepharvaim": A city (or cities) mentioned by the Assyrians as conquered people. Its exact location is debated but believed to be in Mesopotamia, possibly north of Babylon or in Syria. The Septuagint suggests it might refer to the Sipparites.
• "Hena": Also mentioned as a conquered people. Possibly related to a place called Hit in Mesopotamia, on the Euphrates River.
• "and Ivah": Another conquered region. Possibly related to a city or area in Mesopotamia known to the Assyrians.
• "for": Indicates the reason or explanation for the preceding statement.
• "Samaria": The capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel, which had been conquered and deported by the Assyrians decades earlier (722 BC).
• "could not deliver": This is a direct statement of failure. The Hebrew is lo' hociylu (לֹא הֹוֹצִיאוּ), meaning "they did not deliver" or "they were not able to deliver." This phrase directly attributes the lack of deliverance to the gods of Samaria themselves.

Words Group Analysis:

• "Where are the gods of X and Y? Where are the gods of Z, Hena, and Ivah?": This repetition and enumeration of seemingly powerful nations' gods emphasizes the Assyrian victory over them and implies their gods' powerlessness. It builds a cumulative argument against the efficacy of any god in the face of Assyrian military might.
• "for the gods of Samaria could not deliver": This phrase serves as the linchpin for Rabshakeh's argument. Samaria represented a recent, profound disaster for the covenant people (the northern kingdom's exile), a stark reminder of divine judgment. By pointing to the failure of Samaria's gods, Rabshakeh implies that Judah's God is similarly unable to protect them.

Isaiah 36 19 Bonus Section

This verse reflects a common apologetic theme in the Old Testament, where the impotence of idols is contrasted with the power of the LORD (e.g., Isaiah 44:9-20; Psalm 115). Rabshakeh is performing a mock theology, essentially saying, "Your God is no different from these other ineffective gods you and your ancestors may have even worshipped." The underlying polemic is against idolatry and any form of syncretism or false trust that had crept into Israelite worship. The ultimate victory that the LORD grants Judah in the following chapter serves as a powerful refutation of Rabshakeh's boasts and a vindication of His own unique power. The theological lesson is clear: true security is found not in human power, alliances, or even military might, but solely in trust and obedience to the one true God.

Isaiah 36 19 Commentary

Rabshakeh’s question is not a genuine inquiry but a rhetorical weapon designed to instill terror and despair. He artfully enumerates the gods of conquered territories, presenting them as demonstrably failed protectors. The inclusion of Samaria is particularly poignant; the fall of the northern kingdom and its gods was a recent and deeply traumatic memory for Judah, illustrating that divine protection was not guaranteed even for God’s people if they deviated from the covenant. Rabshakeh’s intent is to deify Assyria itself and its king, as they have proven themselves superior to all other deities. This mirrors the ancient Near Eastern belief that victory in warfare demonstrated the superior power of a nation's gods. Rabshakeh is essentially declaring that the God of Israel, like the gods of these other nations, is impotent against the Assyrian war machine. This statement is a direct theological challenge, aimed at severing Judah's trust in Yahweh and paving the way for their submission.