Isaiah 36:20

20 Who of all the gods of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”

Isaiah 36:20 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
20 Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
English Standard Version (ESV)
20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'"
New Living Translation (NLT)
20 What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the LORD can rescue Jerusalem from me?”
The Message Bible (MSG)
20 Name one god that has ever saved its countries from me. So what makes you think that God could save Jerusalem from me?'"
American Standard Version (ASV)
20 Who are they among all the gods of these countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
20 Did the gods of these countries rescue them from my control? Could the LORD then rescue Jerusalem from my control?"
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
20 Who of all the gods of these lands [ever] delivered his land from my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem?"
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
20 Which one of all of the gods of those countries has been able to save his land from me? So how can the LORD save Jerusalem from my power?' "

Isaiah 36:20 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 36:20

Who are they amongst all the gods of these lands, that have
delivered their land out of my hand?
&c.] Not one of them, it is suggested; wherefore then should it be thought practicable, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
thus blasphemously setting the Lord God of Israel upon a level with the fictitious gods of the Gentiles; though these could not, the Lord could, being the Lord God Almighty. If Rabshakeh was an apostate Jew, he must have known better; but the malice of such is usually the greatest.

Isaiah 36:20 In-Context

18 “Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria?
19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand?
20 Who of all the gods of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
21 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”
22 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn, and told him what the field commander had said.

Cross References 2

  • 1. S 1 Kings 20:23
  • 2. Exodus 5:2; 2 Chronicles 25:15; Isaiah 10:8-11; Isaiah 37:10-13,18-20; Isaiah 40:18; Daniel 3:15
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