Yeshayah 36:8

8 Therefore give pledges, now, to adoni HaMelech Ashur, and I will give thee two thousand susim, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

Yeshayah 36:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 36:8

Now therefore give pledges to my master the king of Assyria,
&c.] Or; "hostages" ^F8; that thou wilt not rebel against him, but be faithful to him, and he will withdraw his army; or give security for the horses after promised: "or mingle thyself with him"; agree the matter with him, give pledges for future fidelity; or join in battle with him, come out and fight him, if able: and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part
to set riders on them;
thus scoffing at him, as if he had not so many soldiers to bring out against him; or so many men in his kingdom as had skill enough to ride a horse; in his bravado he signifies, that if he would come out and fight him, he would lend him so many horses, if he could put men upon them, to assist him; this he said as boasting of his master's strength and power, and in scorn and derision at Hezekiah's weakness.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (breth) "da obsides", Vatablus; "paciscere cum domino meo, Gataker; "misceto, quaeso, [bellum] cum domino meo", Junius & Tremellius.

Yeshayah 36:8 In-Context

6 Hinei, thou trustest in the mishenet (staff) of this broken reed, on Mitzrayim; whereon if an ish lean, it will go into his palm, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim to all that trust in him.

7 But if thou say to me, We trust in Hashem Eloheinu; is it not He, whose high places and whose mizbechot Chizkiyah hath taken away, and said to Yehudah and to Yerushalayim, Ye shall worship before this Mizbe’ach?

8 Therefore give pledges, now, to adoni HaMelech Ashur, and I will give thee two thousand susim, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

9 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one officer of the least of the avadim of adoni, and put thy trust on Mitzrayim for chariots and for parashim?

10 And am I now come up without Hashem against this land to destroy it? Hashem said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.