Isaiah 36:16

16 Don't listen to Hizkiyahu: for thus says the king of Ashshur, Make your shalom 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;

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 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

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

Isaiah 36:16 In-Context

14 Thus says the king, Don't let Hizkiyahu deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you:
15 neither let Hizkiyahu make you trust in the LORD, saying, the LORD will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Ashshur.
16 Don't listen to Hizkiyahu: for thus says the king of Ashshur, Make your shalom 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 Hizkiyahu persuade you, saying, the LORD will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Ashshur?
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.