Isaiah 36:3-13

3 et egressus est ad eum Eliachim filius Helciae qui erat super domum et Sobna scriba et Ioae filius Asaph a commentariis

4 et dixit ad eos Rabsaces dicite Ezechiae haec dicit rex magnus rex Assyriorum quae est ista fiducia qua confidis

5 aut quo consilio vel fortitudine rebellare disponis super quem habes fiduciam quia recessisti a me

6 ecce confidis super baculum harundineum confractum istum super Aegyptum cui si innisus fuerit homo intrabit in manu eius et perforabit eam sic Pharao rex Aegypti omnibus qui confidunt in eo

7 quod si responderis mihi in Domino Deo nostro confidimus nonne ipse est cuius abstulit Ezechias excelsa et altaria et dixit Iudae et Hierusalem coram altari isto adorabitis

8 et nunc trade te domino meo regi Assyriorum et dabo tibi duo milia equorum nec poteris ex te praebere ascensores eorum

9 et quomodo sustinebis faciem iudicis unius loci ex servis domini mei minoribus quod si confidis in Aegypto in quadriga et in equitibus

10 et nunc numquid sine Domino ascendi ad terram istam ut disperderem eam Dominus dixit ad me ascende super terram istam et disperde eam

11 et dixit Eliachim et Sobna et Ioae ad Rabsacen loquere ad servos tuos syra lingua intellegimus enim ne loquaris ad nos iudaice in auribus populi qui est super murum

12 et dixit ad eos Rabsaces numquid ad dominum tuum et ad te misit me dominus meus ut loquerer omnia verba ista et non potius ad viros qui sedent in muro ut comedant stercora sua et bibant urinam pedum suorum vobiscum

13 et stetit Rabsaces et clamavit voce magna iudaice et dixit audite verba regis magni regis Assyriorum

Isaiah 36:3-13 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.