Isaiah 36:15-22

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?

19 Where are the gods of Hamat and Arpad? where are the gods of Sefarvayim? and have they delivered Shomron out of my hand?

20 Who are they among all the gods of these countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Yerushalayim out of my hand?

21 But they held their shalom, and answered him not a word; for the king's mitzvah was, saying, Don't answer him.

22 Then came Elyakim the son of Hilkiyah, who was over the household, and Shevna the Sofer, and Yo'ach, the son of Asaf, the recorder, to Hizkiyahu with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Ravshakeh.

Isaiah 36:15-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 36

In this chapter we have an account of the king Assyria's invasion of Judea, and of the railing speech of Rabshakeh his general, to discourage the ministers and subjects of the king of Judah. The time and success of the invasion are observed in Isa 36:1 the messenger the former king sent to the latter, and from whence, and with whom, he conferred, Isa 36:2,3, the speech of the messenger, which consists of two parts; the first part is directed to the ministers of Hezekiah, showing the vain confidence of their prince in his counsels and strength for war, in the king of Egypt, and in his chariots and horsemen, and even in the Lord himself, pretending that he came by his orders to destroy the land, Isa 36:4-10. The other part is directed to the common people on the wall, he refusing to speak in the Syrian language, as desired, Isa 36:11,12, dissuading them from hearkening to Hezekiah to their own deception; persuading them to come into an agreement with him for their own safety and good; observing to them that none of the gods of the nations could deliver them out of his master's hands, and therefore it was in vain for them to expect deliverance from the Lord their God, Isa 36:13-20, to which neither ministers nor people returned any answer; but the former went with their clothes rent to Hezekiah, and reported what had been said, Isa 36:21,22.