Isaiah 36:6 kjv
Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
Isaiah 36:6 nkjv
Look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
Isaiah 36:6 niv
Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.
Isaiah 36:6 esv
Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
Isaiah 36:6 nlt
On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!
Isaiah 36 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 30:1-7 | "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD, "who go down to Egypt without consulting me" | Against seeking help from Egypt without God |
| Isa 31:1-3 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots... but do not look to the Holy One of Israel | Relying on human strength (Egypt) instead of God |
| Ezek 29:6-7 | "Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because you have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel" | Egypt's historical unreliability for Israel |
| Psa 118:8-9 | It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man... It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes | Trusting God over human authority/power |
| Jer 17:5-8 | Cursed is the man who trusts in man... Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD | Direct contrast: Cursed reliance on man, blessed reliance on God |
| Psa 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God | Trusting God's power over military might |
| 2 Ki 18:20-21 | On whom do you now rely... Behold, you are trusting in this broken reed of a staff, in Egypt... | Parallel account of Rabshakeh's taunt |
| Hos 7:11 | "Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived, without sense—calling to Egypt, going to Assyria." | Seeking foreign alliances out of fear/foolishness |
| Hos 12:1 | Ephraim feeds on the wind, and pursues the east wind all day long... they make a treaty with Assyria and send oil to Egypt. | Vain and self-harming international policies |
| Lam 4:17 | Our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; in our watching we watched for a nation that could not save. | Hope placed in unable worldly rescuers |
| Deut 28:15 | But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments... | General consequences of rejecting God's counsel |
| Psa 146:3-5 | Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation... Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob. | Warning against trust in any human leader |
| Job 8:14-15 | His confidence is a fragile reed... He leans on his house, but it does not stand. | Instability of confidence in something weak |
| Num 33:55 | "But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land... then those of them whom you let remain shall be as pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides." | Analogy of a lingering danger causing self-inflicted harm |
| Pro 25:19 | Like a broken tooth or a foot that slips is confidence in a treacherous man in time of trouble. | Analogy: Unreliable trust leads to instability/injury |
| Hab 2:4 | "Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith." | Life is sustained by faith/trust in God |
| Heb 12:12-13 | Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. | Need for divine strength and uprightness |
| Gal 6:8 | For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. | Reaping the outcome of one's choices (fleshly vs. spiritual trust) |
| 1 Cor 1:25 | For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. | God's superior wisdom and power to human |
| Psa 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. | God as the true staff/source of comfort and support |
| Deut 33:27 | The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. | God as ultimate and unfailing support |
| Zec 4:6 | Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. | God's power achieves victory, not human strength |
Isaiah 36 verses
Isaiah 36 6 Meaning
This verse issues a stark warning against relying on human alliances, specifically Egypt, to counter formidable threats. It vividly portrays Egypt, personified by Pharaoh, as a "broken reed of a staff." The imagery suggests that any attempt to lean on such a support would not only prove ineffective but would shatter, causing painful injury by piercing the hand of the one who trusts it. This emphasizes that placing confidence in worldly powers, instead of God, is a dangerous misjudgment that leads to betrayal and harm.
Isaiah 36 6 Context
Isaiah 36 documents the Assyrian invasion of Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah in 701 BC. Following a campaign that devastated many Judean cities, the Assyrian field commander, the Rabshakeh, confronts Jerusalem, demanding its surrender. His address to the people is a masterclass in psychological warfare, systematically attempting to dismantle Judah's sources of confidence. The immediate context of verse 6 is the Rabshakeh’s taunt aimed directly at Hezekiah's perceived and actual reliance on Egypt. This reliance on an earthly power, despite God's repeated warnings through His prophets, represented a significant spiritual failing for Judah, tempting them to distrust God's ability or willingness to deliver them from the Assyrians.
Isaiah 36 6 Word analysis
- Behold (הִנֵּה - Hinnei): This attention-grabbing interjection serves to heighten the seriousness of the warning, drawing the audience’s focus to a crucial and often overlooked truth. It signals an urgent point.
- you are trusting (בֹּטֵחַ אַתָּה - boṭeaḥ attah): From the root bāṭaḥ (בָּטַח), which denotes active reliance, feeling secure, or confident. The phrasing emphasizes Judah's conscious choice of trust, here misdirected away from God.
- this broken reed (קָנֶה הָרָצוּץ - qāneh hārāṣûṣ):
- reed (קָנֶה - qāneh): A fragile, hollow, and flexible plant stalk. It universally symbolizes weakness and vulnerability, contrasting sharply with any notion of steadfast support.
- broken (הָרָצוּץ - hārāṣûṣ): From rāṣaṣ (רָצַץ), meaning crushed or shattered. This intensifier paints an image of an object that is not just inherently weak but already damaged beyond utility, utterly useless for providing support.
- of a staff (מִשְׁעֶנֶת - mišʿenet): Derived from šaʿan (שָׁעַן), "to lean." A staff is an instrument explicitly designed for support or guidance. The juxtaposition of a "broken reed" with the expectation of a "staff" highlights the extreme absurdity and danger of this misplaced reliance.
- in Egypt (עַל מִצְרַיִם - ʿal Miṣrayim): Directly identifies the specific, fallible earthly power that Judah sought to rely on. In biblical history, Egypt frequently symbolized human pride, unreliability, and bondage, contrasting with God as the sole deliverer.
- on which if a man leans (אִם יִשָּׁעֵן אִישׁ עָלֶיהָ - im yišāʿēn ʾîš ʿāleyhā): Graphically illustrates the natural and inevitable consequence. To lean (yišāʿēn) on something broken is to invite injury.
- it will go into his hand and pierce it (וּבָאָה בְּכַפּוֹ וּנְקָבַתָּהּ - ūvāʾāh vekhaappō ûnəqāvatāh):
- go into his hand: Implies not merely bending or collapsing, but penetrating the flesh, signifying a direct, physical harm.
- and pierce it (וּנְקָבַתָּהּ - ûnəqāvatāh): From nāqār (נָקַר), "to bore" or "gouge out." This potent verb emphasizes the painful, damaging, and invasive nature of the resulting injury. It's a wound, not just a scratch.
- So is Pharaoh king of Egypt (כֵּן פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם - kēn Parʿōh meleḵ Miṣrayim): kēn means "thus" or "so," directly applying the graphic metaphor of the "broken reed" to Pharaoh. Pharaoh, representing Egypt's political and military might, is portrayed as the ultimate source of this deceptive and dangerous "support."
- to all who trust in him (לְכֹל הַבֹּטְחִים עָלָיו - ləḵōl habōṭəḥîm ʿālāv): Expands the warning to a universal principle, indicating that this danger extends beyond Judah’s specific alliance. Anyone who places their ultimate trust in fallible human powers or institutions will experience a similar bitter and injurious outcome.
Isaiah 36 6 Bonus section
- Irony of the Messenger: One of the striking ironies of this verse is that the cutting critique against trusting Egypt comes not from Isaiah, God's prophet, but from a pagan Assyrian official. The Rabshakeh, a foreign enemy, unwittingly becomes a mouthpiece for a truth consistent with God’s repeated warnings to Israel, underscoring the universality of the principle regarding reliance on finite power.
- Psychological Impact: The Rabshakeh’s speech was part of a broader psychological warfare strategy. By graphically depicting the painful consequences of trusting Egypt, he aimed to isolate Jerusalem and shatter its morale, making surrender seem like the only rational option, and effectively using the Judahites' own history of disobedience against them.
- Pharaoh as a Type: Throughout the biblical narrative, Pharaoh often symbolizes not just an individual ruler, but also the broader forces of opposition to God’s plan and people, embodying human pride and reliance on earthly strength. His portrayal here as a "broken reed" highlights the inherent limitation and danger of trusting anything that is ultimately aligned against or apart from the Lord.
Isaiah 36 6 Commentary
Isaiah 36:6 uses a chillingly precise metaphor to warn against the peril of misplaced trust. The "broken reed of a staff" symbolizes not merely inadequate support, but something that actively harms when relied upon. This image, delivered by the Assyrian Rabshakeh, powerfully undercuts any hope Judah might have placed in Egypt, echoing Isaiah's earlier prophetic condemnations of such alliances (Isa 30-31). It exposes the fundamental weakness of relying on any worldly power, whether political, military, or economic, instead of the unwavering strength of the Lord. Such human-centric trust ultimately proves to be a self-inflicted wound, leaving one more vulnerable and injured than before. The verse serves as a timeless theological principle: God alone is a dependable refuge; all other supports are not only futile but perilous.