Isaiah 36:11-22

Bible Text

[11] Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah to Rabshakeh, Please speak, to your servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and don't speak to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people who are on the wall. [12] But Rabshakeh said, Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? [has he] not [sent me] to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you? [13] Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear you the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. [14] Thus says the king, Don't let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you: [15] neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. [16] Don't listen to Hezekiah: for thus says the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat you everyone of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and drink you everyone the waters of his own cistern; [17] until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. [18] Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Yahweh will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? [19] Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? [20] Who are they among all the gods of these countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? [21] But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying, Don't answer him. [22] Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

Lachish was a fortified Judean city where the Assyrian king’s officials stood, while Jerusalem’s Upper Pool marked the setting of their message to Hezekiah’s representatives. Assyria cites conquered Arpad, Hamath, and Samaria to undermine confidence in the Lord, and mocks Egypt as an unreliable ally.

Places in this passage

Isaiah 36:11-22 mentions Arpad, Assyria, Egypt, Hamath, Jerusalem, Lachish, Samaria and Upper Pool.

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