Isaiah 36:16

16 Don't listen to Hezekiah! The emperor of Assyria commands you to come out of the city and surrender. You will all be allowed to eat grapes from your own vines and figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells -

Isaiah 36:16 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 36:16

Hearken not to Hezekiah
To his exhortations and persuasions to trust in the Lord; nor would he have them obey him in things civil, any more than hearken to him in things sacred, though their liege lord and sovereign; for his view and endeavour were to stir them up to mutiny and rebellion; and so the Targum,

``do not obey Hezekiah:''

or receive any orders from him, or pay any regard to them: for thus saith the king of Assyria, make an agreement with me by a
present;
or, "make a blessing with me" ^F9; either send a large and liberal gift to secure his favour, and their happiness; a most insolent and unrighteous demand this, when he had already received three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold, to withdraw his army; or make a blessed peace with me; suggesting that it would turn more to their account to give up themselves to him, than to be in the condition they were; so the Targum, ``make peace with me:'' this sense Ben Melech gives; and the Septuagint version is, "if ye would be blessed" ^F11, or happy, come out to me;
forsake your king, throw off your allegiance to him, surrender yourselves and city to me: and eat ye everyone of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree: and
drink ye everyone the waters of his own cistern;
promising liberty and property, but does not tell them how long they should enjoy them; he signifies that they should enjoy everything that was necessary, convenient, and delightful; vines and fig trees are mentioned, because common in Judea, and all had cisterns near them for their use; unless this last clause is to be understood of everyone having their own wives; see ( Proverbs 5:15 ) as the other clauses may design the enjoyment of their estates and possessions, without any molestation or infringement of them; see ( Micah 4:4 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (hkrb yta wve) "facit mecum benedictionem", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.
F11 (ei boulesye euloghyhnai) , Sept.

Isaiah 36:16 In-Context

14 He warns you not to let Hezekiah deceive you. Hezekiah can't save you.

15 And don't let him persuade you to rely on the Lord. Don't think that the Lord will save you and that he will stop our Assyrian army from capturing your city.

16 Don't listen to Hezekiah! The emperor of Assyria commands you to come out of the city and surrender. You will all be allowed to eat grapes from your own vines and figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells -

17 until the emperor resettles you in a country much like your own, where there are vineyards to give wine and there is grain for making bread.

18 Don't let Hezekiah fool you into thinking that the Lord will rescue you. Did the gods of any other nations save their countries from the emperor of Assyria?