Isaías 36:5

5 ¿Acaso crees que simples palabras pueden sustituir la fuerza y la capacidad militar? ¿Con quién cuentas para haberte rebelado contra mí?

Isaías 36:5 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 36:5

I say, (sayest thou,) but they are but vain words
Or, "word of lips" ^F6; meaning the following, which he suggests were only the fruit of his lips, not of his heart; or were vain and foolish, and without effect, and stood for nothing; so the first part of the words are Hezekiah's, "I say (sayest thou)"; and the latter, Rabshakeh's note upon them; though they may be understood as Hezekiah's, or what he is made to speak by Rabshakeh, as the ground of his confidence, namely, "word of lips"; that is, prayer to God, as Kimchi explains it; or eloquence in addressing his soldiers, and encouraging them to fight, either of which Rabshakeh derides, as well as what follows: I have counsel and strength for war;
as he had; he had wise ministers to consult, and was capable of forming a good plan, and wise schemes, and of putting them in execution, and of heartening men; though he did not put his confidence in these things, as Rabshakeh suggested, ( 2 Chronicles 32:3-8 ) , the words may be rendered; "but counsel and strength are for war" ^F7: what signifies words to God, or eloquence with men? this is all lip labour, and of little service; wisdom and counsel to form plans, and power to execute them, are the things which are necessary to carry on a war with success, and which, it is intimated, were wanting in Hezekiah; and therefore he had nothing to ground his confidence upon, within himself, or his people: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
which it does not appear he had, having paid the money agreed to for the withdrawment of his army; but this was a pretence for the siege of Jerusalem.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (Mytpv rbd) "verbum labiorum", Montanus; "vel, sermo labiorum", Vatablus.
F7 (hmxlml hrwbgw hue) "consilium et fortitudo ad praelium", Montanus; "sed consilio et fortitudine opus ad praelium", Pagninus, i.e. "requiruntur", ut Grotius.

Isaías 36:5 In-Context

3 Estos son los funcionarios que salieron a reunirse con ellos: Eliaquim, hijo de Hilcías, administrador del palacio; Sebna, secretario de la corte; y Joa, hijo de Asaf, historiador del reino.

4 Senaquerib amenaza a Jerusalén
Entonces el jefe del Estado Mayor del rey asirio les dijo que le transmitieran a Ezequías el siguiente mensaje:
«El gran rey de Asiria dice: ¿En qué confías que te da tanta seguridad?

5 ¿Acaso crees que simples palabras pueden sustituir la fuerza y la capacidad militar? ¿Con quién cuentas para haberte rebelado contra mí?

6 ¿Con Egipto? Si te apoyas en Egipto, será como una caña que se quiebra bajo tu peso y te atraviesa la mano. ¡El faraón, rey de Egipto, no es nada confiable!

7 »Tal vez me digas: “¡Confiamos en el Señor
nuestro Dios!”; pero ¿no es él a quien Ezequías insultó? ¿Acaso no fue Ezequías quien derribó sus santuarios y altares, e hizo que todos en Judá y en Jerusalén adoraran solo en el altar que hay aquí, en Jerusalén?