Isaiah Chapter 36
Isaiah 36, A Demoralizing Attack on Faith
Isaiah 36 shifts from prophecy to historical narrative. The Assyrian crisis that stood behind much of Isaiah 1 through 35 now comes directly to Jerusalem’s gate. Sennacherib has already taken the fortified cities of Judah, and Rabshakeh, the Assyrian field commander, comes to Jerusalem to attack Judah’s faith before attacking the city. His strategy is psychological warfare. He mocks Egypt, mocks Judah’s weakness, twists Hezekiah’s reforms, claims divine authorization, speaks directly to the people, makes surrender sound reasonable, and blasphemes the Lord by comparing Him to the powerless gods of the nations. The notes provided cover Isaiah 36:1-22, including Rabshakeh’s demoralizing speech, the danger of half truth, the enemy’s attack on trust in God, and the wise command of Hezekiah’s servants to remain silent.
Isaiah 36:1-3
Isaiah 36:1-3, KJV, “Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them. And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field. Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.”
Isaiah now records the historical crisis behind many of his earlier prophecies. “In the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah,” Sennacherib king of Assyria came against the fortified cities of Judah and took them. This was not a theoretical danger. Assyria had already crushed Syria, destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel, and devastated much of Judah. Jerusalem was now facing the pressure of an empire that had already proven its military power.
This same event is also recorded in Kings and Chronicles.
2 Kings 18:13, KJV, “Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all fenced cities of Judah, and took them.”
2 Chronicles 32:1, KJV, “After these things, and establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.”
The Assyrian invasion was a real historical event, but it also became a theological test. Would Judah trust Egypt, herself, her walls, her king, or the Lord?
The king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem with a great army. Rabshakeh is not likely a personal name, but a title for a high Assyrian official, possibly a field commander or chief representative of the king. He comes not merely as a soldier, but as a spokesman for intimidation.
He stands “by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.” This location matters. It was near Jerusalem’s water supply, a critical concern during siege. Rabshakeh stands at a place that symbolizes the city’s vulnerability. His presence there is meant to communicate, “We control the situation. Your lifeline is threatened.”
This same location appeared earlier in Isaiah’s ministry when Isaiah met Ahaz and urged him not to fear the Syro Ephraimite threat.
Isaiah 7:3-4, KJV, “Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at end of conduit of upper pool in highway of fuller's field; And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for two tails of these smoking firebrands, for fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of son of Remaliah.”
Ahaz was told to be quiet and trust the Lord, but he failed. Now Hezekiah faces another test at the same kind of place. The issue is again faith. Will the king and people trust the Lord when the enemy stands at the water supply?
Three officials come out to meet Rabshakeh, Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah. Eliakim was over the household, Shebna was the scribe, and Joah was the recorder. These are representatives of Hezekiah’s government. The confrontation is not yet a battle of swords. It is a battle of words, fear, faith, and allegiance.
Isaiah 36:4-6
Isaiah 36:4-6, KJV, “And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith great king, king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? I say, sayest thou, but they are but vain words, I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? Lo, thou trustest in staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.”
Rabshakeh begins with the central issue, “What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?” This is the real question of Isaiah 36. What is Judah trusting? Egypt? Military planning? Hezekiah? Jerusalem’s walls? Or the Lord?
Rabshakeh speaks in the name of “the great king, the king of Assyria.” His language is designed to magnify Sennacherib and diminish Hezekiah. The Assyrian king is presented as the great king, while Hezekiah is spoken of as a lesser rebel. The enemy always tries to enlarge himself in the imagination of God’s people.
He mocks Judah’s claims of military counsel and strength, calling them “vain words.” From a human perspective, the accusation seems reasonable. Judah was weak compared to Assyria. The fortified cities had already fallen. Jerusalem was isolated. Egypt’s help was uncertain. Rabshakeh presses the facts in a way meant to crush morale.
Then he speaks against Egypt, “Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt.” This part is partly true. Egypt was a broken reed. Isaiah had already warned Judah not to trust Egypt.
Isaiah 30:1-2, KJV, “Woe to rebellious children, saith LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in shadow of Egypt!”
Isaiah 31:1, KJV, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they many; and in horsemen, because they very strong; but they look not unto Holy One of Israel, neither seek LORD!”
Rabshakeh correctly identifies Egypt as unreliable, but his purpose is evil. He does not expose Egypt’s weakness to lead Judah back to the Lord. He exposes Egypt’s weakness to drive Judah into despair and surrender to Assyria.
This is how the enemy often works. He may speak a fact, but he uses the fact wickedly. Satan can say, “You are a sinner,” and that statement is true. But Satan says it to crush hope. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin to bring a man to Christ. Satan accuses of sin to drive a man into despair.
Revelation 12:10, KJV, “And I heard loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and kingdom of our God, and power of his Christ: for accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
Rabshakeh’s method is accusatory. He takes a true weakness and weaponizes it against faith. Judah should not trust Egypt, but that does not mean Judah has no help. The Lord is still her true help.
Isaiah 36:7
Isaiah 36:7, KJV, “But if thou say to me, We trust in LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?”
Rabshakeh anticipates Judah’s answer, “We trust in the LORD our God.” He then attacks that trust by twisting Hezekiah’s reforms. He argues that Hezekiah has offended the Lord by removing the high places and altars, and requiring worship at the temple altar in Jerusalem.
This was demonic logic. Hezekiah had not offended the Lord by removing the high places. He had obeyed the Lord. The high places were unauthorized places of worship. Though some Israelites may have claimed to worship the Lord there, God had commanded sacrifice to be offered according to His revealed order, not according to personal preference.
2 Kings 18:3-4, KJV, “And he did that which was right in sight of LORD, according to all that David his father did. He removed high places, and brake images, and cut down groves, and brake in pieces brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.”
Hezekiah’s removal of the high places was righteous reform. Yet Rabshakeh interprets obedience as offense. This is another common strategy of the enemy. He tries to make obedience look foolish, narrow, harmful, or displeasing to God.
The issue also exposes false worship. Rabshakeh assumes more altars must mean more worship and therefore more divine favor. But God is not honored by worship invented by man. God is honored by worship according to His Word.
Deuteronomy 12:13-14, KJV, “Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: But in place which LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.”
God had commanded centralized worship in the place He chose. Hezekiah aligned Judah with that command. Rabshakeh completely misunderstood the theology of Israel’s worship.
This has a present application. Many people still prefer a self made religion, personal spirituality without submission to God’s Word, worship on their own terms, and morality defined by their own inner voice. That is the spirit of the high places. The Lord does not call His people to invent worship. He calls them to obey.
John 4:24, KJV, “God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
True worship requires spirit and truth. Hezekiah was right to tear down unauthorized worship. Rabshakeh’s accusation was false, even though it sounded plausible to those without discernment.
Isaiah 36:8-9
Isaiah 36:8-9, KJV, “Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. How then wilt thou turn away face of one captain of least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?”
Rabshakeh now mocks Judah’s military weakness. He offers two thousand horses if Judah can provide riders for them. The insult is plain. He is saying that Judah is so weak that even if Assyria supplied horses, Judah would not have enough trained men to use them.
His goal is surrender without battle. Assyria had great military power and could attack Jerusalem, but Rabshakeh prefers psychological victory. If he can make Judah give up before the fight, he wins without resistance.
This is often the enemy’s preferred method. Satan would rather talk a man into surrender than fight him in open battle. He uses fear, shame, accusation, intimidation, and false logic to convince believers to quit. He tells them they are too weak, too sinful, too outnumbered, too damaged, too late, and too far gone.
But Scripture teaches that weakness does not defeat God’s people when their strength is in the Lord.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, KJV, “And he said unto me, My grace sufficient for thee: for my strength made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will rather glory in my infirmities, that power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I weak, then am I strong.”
Judah’s weakness was real. But weakness is not fatal when the Lord is the defender. Egypt’s weakness was a problem because Egypt was only flesh. Judah’s weakness was an opportunity if Judah trusted the Lord.
Rabshakeh asks how Judah could turn away even the least of Assyria’s captains. Humanly speaking, they could not. Spiritually speaking, that was the wrong question. The real question was whether Assyria could stand against the Lord.
Romans 8:31, KJV, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
The answer is not that no enemy exists. The answer is that no enemy can prevail against God.
Isaiah 36:10
Isaiah 36:10, KJV, “And am I now come up without LORD against this land to destroy it? LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.”
Rabshakeh now delivers his strongest blow. He claims divine authorization. “The LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.” He wants Hezekiah and the people to believe that resistance is not merely foolish, but resistance against God’s own will.
This is a powerful deception because it contains a partial truth. The Lord had indeed prophesied that Assyria would come against Israel and Judah. Assyria was used as an instrument of judgment.
Isaiah 10:5-6, KJV, “O Assyrian, rod of mine anger, and staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against hypocritical nation, and against people of my wrath will I give him charge, to take spoil, and to take prey, and to tread them down like mire of streets.”
Assyria was the rod of God’s anger. But that did not mean Assyria was righteous, and it did not mean Assyria had permission to destroy Jerusalem contrary to God’s covenant purpose. The Lord used Assyria, but He also judged Assyria’s pride.
Isaiah 10:12, KJV, “Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish fruit of stout heart of king of Assyria, and glory of his high looks.”
This is crucial theology. God can use wicked nations and wicked men to accomplish His purposes without making them righteous or excusing their evil. Judas fulfilled Scripture when he betrayed Christ, but Judas was still guilty. Assyria fulfilled God’s purpose in judgment, but Assyria was still proud, cruel, and accountable.
Rabshakeh may have lied when he claimed the Lord personally told him to destroy the land. Or he may have known enough of Isaiah’s prophecies to twist them. Either way, his use of the Lord’s name was blasphemous and manipulative.
The believer must learn that not every claim of divine authority is true. The enemy can quote truth, twist truth, and claim God’s backing while opposing God’s purpose.
2 Corinthians 11:14-15, KJV, “And no marvel; for Satan himself transformed into angel of light. Therefore no great thing if his ministers also transformed as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall according to their works.”
Rabshakeh’s claim sounded religious, but it was designed to destroy faith.
Isaiah 36:11-12
Isaiah 36:11-12, KJV, “Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in Jews' language, in ears of people that are on wall. But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to men that sit upon wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?”
Hezekiah’s officials ask Rabshakeh to speak in Aramaic, called here the Syrian language, instead of the Jews’ language, meaning Hebrew or the language understood by the common people. Their concern is understandable. They do not want the people on the wall demoralized by Rabshakeh’s words.
Rabshakeh refuses because demoralization is his goal. He wants the common people to hear. He wants fear to spread. He wants distrust of Hezekiah. He wants the people to pressure their leaders into surrender. His battle plan is not simply military. It is psychological and spiritual.
He uses crude siege language, saying the people on the wall will eat their own dung and drink their own urine. This is meant to disgust and terrify them. He paints the horrors of siege in the most graphic terms possible so that surrender seems merciful by comparison.
This is how intimidation works. It magnifies possible suffering, isolates the hearer from hope, and presents compromise as the only reasonable escape. Rabshakeh wants Jerusalem to decide based on fear rather than faith.
God’s people must not be ignorant of this kind of attack. Fear can be a tool of manipulation. The enemy wants believers to hear every terrifying possibility and forget every promise of God.
Psalm 56:3-4, KJV, “What time I afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”
Faith does not deny fear exists. Faith answers fear by trusting God.
Isaiah 36:13-15
Isaiah 36:13-15, KJV, “Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with loud voice in Jews' language, and said, Hear ye words of great king, king of Assyria. Thus saith king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not able to deliver you. Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in LORD, saying, LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not delivered into hand of king of Assyria.”
Rabshakeh now speaks directly to the people in their own language. He cries loudly so everyone can hear. He begins again by magnifying Sennacherib as “the great king, the king of Assyria.” His speech is designed to make Assyria seem ultimate.
Then he attacks Hezekiah, “Let not Hezekiah deceive you.” This is a direct effort to divide the people from their godly leader. Hezekiah had urged the people to trust the Lord. Rabshakeh calls that deception.
This is another enemy tactic. He tries to make faithful leadership look dangerous and unbelieving compromise look wise. He wants the people to view trust in God as manipulation.
He says, “for he shall not be able to deliver you.” In one sense, Hezekiah could not deliver them by his own power. But Rabshakeh leaves out the main truth, the Lord could deliver them. Faithful leaders do not save God’s people by their own strength. They point God’s people to the Lord who saves.
Rabshakeh then attacks trust in the Lord directly, “Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD.” This exposes his real agenda. He is not merely against Hezekiah. He is against faith. He wants the people to stop trusting the Lord’s promise.
The message of faith was, “The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.” Rabshakeh mocks this, but this was exactly the issue God would settle. Would Jerusalem be delivered by the Lord or not?
2 Chronicles 32:7-8, KJV, “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for king of Assyria, nor for all multitude that with him: for there more with us than with him: With him arm of flesh; but with us LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And people rested themselves upon words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”
Hezekiah’s message was faithful. Assyria had the arm of flesh. Judah had the Lord.
Isaiah 36:16-17
Isaiah 36:16-17, KJV, “Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith king of Assyria, Make agreement with me by present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one waters of his own cistern; Until I come and take you away to land like your own land, land of corn and wine, land of bread and vineyards.”
Rabshakeh now makes surrender sound attractive. “Make agreement with me by a present, and come out to me.” He offers peace, food, drink, vines, fig trees, and cisterns. He promises normal life if they surrender.
This is deception. Assyria’s policy was forced resettlement. Rabshakeh admits it when he says, “Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land.” He makes exile sound pleasant. He describes deportation as relocation to a similar land of grain, wine, bread, and vineyards.
The enemy often presents surrender in attractive terms. He does not say, “Come be enslaved.” He says, “Come have peace. Come avoid conflict. Come enjoy comfort. Come be practical.” But the peace he offers is bondage.
True peace cannot be purchased by surrendering faith. The Assyrian offer was not peace. It was captivity with better marketing.
John 8:34-36, KJV, “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin servant of sin. And servant abideth not in house for ever: but Son abideth ever. If Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall free indeed.”
Sin promises freedom while making men servants. Christ alone makes men free indeed.
Rabshakeh also imitates kingdom language. Sitting under one’s vine and fig tree is an image of peace and security in Scripture.
Micah 4:4, KJV, “But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make afraid: for mouth of LORD of hosts hath spoken it.”
The Lord promises true peace under His reign. Rabshakeh offers a counterfeit peace under Assyrian domination. The enemy always imitates the language of blessing while removing the Lord from the center.
Isaiah 36:18-20
Isaiah 36:18-20, KJV, “Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, LORD will deliver us. Hath any of gods of nations delivered his land out of hand of king of Assyria? Where gods of Hamath and Arphad? where gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who are they among all gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?”
Rabshakeh reaches the height of blasphemy. He warns the people not to believe Hezekiah’s message that the Lord will deliver them. Then he compares the Lord to the false gods of conquered nations.
He asks, “Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?” From his perspective, Assyria has defeated every god it has encountered. Hamath, Arphad, Sepharvaim, and Samaria had all fallen. Therefore, he concludes that the Lord cannot deliver Jerusalem either.
This is where Rabshakeh oversteps. It was one thing to mock Judah’s army, Egypt’s weakness, and Hezekiah’s political position. It was another thing to mock the Lord as though He were merely one more powerless idol.
The gods of the nations were nothing. They could not deliver because they were not gods. The Lord is not like them.
Isaiah 46:5-7, KJV, “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may like? They lavish gold out of bag, and weigh silver in balance, and hire goldsmith; and he maketh it god: they fall down, yea, they worship. They bear him upon shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.”
The idols cannot answer or save. The Lord is the living God.
Rabshakeh’s logic is worldly. He assumes past military success proves theological superiority. But Assyria’s victories over idol worshiping nations did not prove that Assyria could defeat the Lord. In fact, by blaspheming the Lord, Rabshakeh sealed Assyria’s judgment.
Isaiah 37:23, KJV, “Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against Holy One of Israel.”
The central issue becomes the honor of God. The Lord will deliver Jerusalem not because Judah is strong, but because His own name has been blasphemed and His covenant purpose stands.
Isaiah 36:21-22
Isaiah 36:21-22, KJV, “But they held their peace, and answered him not word: for king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not. Then came Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, that was over household, and Shebna scribe, and Joah, son of Asaph, recorder, to Hezekiah with clothes rent, and told him words of Rabshakeh.”
The people and officials respond with silence. “They held their peace, and answered him not a word.” This was not weakness. It was obedience and wisdom. Hezekiah had commanded, “Answer him not.”
There are times when answering the enemy only gives him more opportunity to spread confusion. Rabshakeh was not seeking truth. He was not open to correction. He was using words as weapons. Arguing with him would likely have increased fear and exposed the people to more blasphemy.
Proverbs 26:4, KJV, “Answer not fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.”
There are times when silence is the wisest answer. Faith does not require debating every accusation. Sometimes the godly response is to refuse the enemy’s terms, hold peace, and take the matter to the Lord.
Yet their silence does not mean they were unaffected. Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah come to Hezekiah with their clothes torn. They are grieved, distressed, and burdened. Faith does not mean the attack feels like nothing. Faith means the attack does not have the final word.
This matches Paul’s language.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9, KJV, “We troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”
Hezekiah’s officials were troubled, but not defeated. Rabshakeh had spoken. Now the matter must be brought before the Lord.
Isaiah 36 ends in tension. The enemy has mocked. Jerusalem has listened. The officials are grieved. The city is threatened. But the people have not surrendered. They have obeyed the king’s command and remained silent. The next step will be prayer, seeking the Lord, and waiting for His answer.
