Isaiah 36:16 — Meaning and Application

Isaiah 36:1

"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."

Isaiah 36:2

"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."

Isaiah 36:3

"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. {scribe: or, secretary}"

Isaiah 36:4

"And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence {is} this wherein thou trustest?"

Isaiah 36:5

"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? {vain...: Heb. a word of lips} {I have...: or, but counsel and strength are for the war}"

Isaiah 36:6

"Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so {is} Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him."