Isaiah Chapter 36

What is the meaning of Isaiah 36?

Introduction to Isaiah 36

Isaiah 36 marks a pivotal historical narrative within the prophetic book, detailing the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem during King Hezekiah’s reign. This chapter serves as a dramatic testament to the confrontation between human power and divine sovereignty, as Sennacherib’s military commander, the Rabshakeh, delivers an intimidating message to Jerusalem’s leaders. The psychological warfare employed against God’s people presents a timeless lesson about faith under pressure and the choice between trusting in human strength or divine protection.

Context of Isaiah 36

Within the book of Isaiah, chapter 36 begins a four-chapter historical interlude (chapters 36-39) that bridges the book’s earlier prophecies of judgment and later messages of comfort. This section parallels the historical account found in 2 Kings 18:13-37 and 2 Chronicles 32:1-19, providing crucial historical context for understanding Isaiah’s ministry and messages.

The broader context places this event around 701 BCE, during the Assyrian Empire’s height of power. This chapter demonstrates the fulfillment of earlier prophecies about Assyria serving as God’s instrument of judgment, while simultaneously showing the limits of human power when confronted with divine authority. The narrative serves as a historical pivot point, illustrating how God’s promises of protection for Jerusalem would be fulfilled despite seemingly impossible odds.

This account also provides essential background for understanding later biblical themes of divine deliverance and the futility of trusting in human alliances over God’s protection. The historical narrative connects directly to Isaiah’s earlier warnings against relying on Egypt for help (Isaiah 30:1-7) and his prophecies about Assyria’s ultimate failure (Isaiah 10:5-19).

Ancient Key Word Study

• Rabshakeh (רַבְשָׁקֵה): Not a personal name but an Assyrian military title meaning “chief cupbearer” or “chief of the officers.” The term reflects the sophisticated bureaucracy of the Assyrian Empire and the individual’s high-ranking position as chief spokesman and diplomat.
• Lachish (לָכִישׁ): A major fortified city in Judah, second only to Jerusalem in importance. Archaeological discoveries, including the famous Lachish reliefs, confirm the historical accuracy of the Assyrian siege mentioned in this chapter. The city’s strategic location made it a crucial military target.
• Honor/Glory (כָּבוֹד): Used ironically in the Rabshakeh’s speech, this term normally associated with God’s presence is co-opted to describe Assyrian might, highlighting the spiritual conflict underlying the military confrontation.
• Trust/Rely (בָּטַח): A key theological term appearing multiple times in the chapter, emphasizing the central theme of where one places their ultimate confidence – in human strength or divine protection.
• Great King (הַמֶּלֶךְ הַגָּדוֹל): The Assyrian royal title claiming universal sovereignty, deliberately challenging יהוה’s supremacy as the true Great King of all nations.
• Bread and Water (לֶחֶם וּמַיִם): Symbolic terms representing basic sustenance, used here in the context of siege warfare and false promises of prosperity under Assyrian rule.
• Deliverance (הַצָּלָה): A term frequently used in the Hebrew Bible for divine rescue, here mockingly employed by the Rabshakeh to question God’s ability to save Jerusalem.
• Stand/Support (מַעֲמָד): Used in reference to Egypt’s unreliability as an ally, the word carries connotations of both physical and moral stability.
• Language/Tongue (לָשׁוֹן): The linguistic aspects of the narrative highlight the psychological warfare tactics employed, as the Rabshakeh deliberately speaks in Hebrew rather than Aramaic to maximize fear among the common people.

Compare & Contrast

• Verse 2: The choice of “heavy force” (בְחֵיל כָּבֵד) rather than simply “army” emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the Assyrian threat. The Hebrew phrase intentionally echoes language used to describe God’s power, highlighting the blasphemous nature of Assyria’s challenge.
• Verse 4: The phrase “what confidence” (מָה הַבִּטָּחוֹן) is deliberately provocative, using a term normally associated with trust in God to mock Judah’s faith. The construction emphasizes the futility of human confidence apart from divine support.
• Verse 6: The metaphor of Egypt as a “broken reed” (קָנֶה רָצוּץ) rather than other possible images was chosen for its vivid illustration of unreliable support. The imagery would have been particularly powerful given Egypt’s association with the Nile’s reeds.
• Verse 7: The reference to Hezekiah’s removal of high places actually misrepresents his religious reforms, showing how the enemy can twist righteous actions into seeming failures. The language chosen suggests religious negligence rather than reformation.
• Verse 11: The officials’ request for Aramaic demonstrates the sophisticated nature of ancient Near Eastern diplomacy. The choice of language becomes a weapon in psychological warfare.
• Verse 16: The offer of “peace” (בְרָכָה) uses a term normally associated with divine blessing, revealing how the enemy mimics God’s promises with counterfeit offers.
• Verse 18: The phrase “gods of the nations” (אֱלֹהֵי הַגּוֹיִם) deliberately equates יהוה with pagan deities, showing complete misunderstanding of His unique nature.

Isaiah 36 Unique Insights

The chapter presents a fascinating study in ancient psychological warfare tactics that remain relevant today. The Rabshakeh’s speech demonstrates sophisticated understanding of cultural and religious sensitivities, using this knowledge to undermine faith. His approach mirrors Satan’s tactics in Genesis 3, mixing truth with lies and questioning God’s character and ability to protect.

Early rabbinical sources note the significance of the location where this confrontation took place – “the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field.” This same location is where Isaiah had earlier delivered a message of hope to Ahaz (Isaiah 7:3). The geographical parallel highlights the contrast between faith and unbelief in crisis situations.

The Midrash Tanchuma observes that the Rabshakeh’s fluency in Hebrew suggests he was an apostate Jew, adding another layer of spiritual significance to the confrontation. This interpretation adds poignancy to the enemy’s ability to twist Scripture and religious truth for destructive purposes.

Archaeological discoveries, particularly the Taylor Prism and the Lachish Reliefs, provide extraordinary confirmation of this biblical account’s historical accuracy. These artifacts offer detailed Assyrian perspectives on the campaign, though naturally differing from the biblical theological interpretation of events.

The number of speakers in this chapter – the Rabshakeh, Jerusalem’s officials, and the people’s silence – creates a dramatic tension that builds toward the ultimate demonstration of God’s power in chapter 37. The people’s silence in response to blasphemy demonstrates remarkable discipline and faith in crisis.

Isaiah 36 Connections to Yeshua

The confrontation between Jerusalem and Assyria prefigures the ultimate conflict between the Kingdom of God and worldly powers. Just as Jerusalem faced overwhelming odds, the Messiah would face the combined might of religious and political opposition, yet triumph through apparent weakness.

The Rabshakeh’s psychological warfare parallels Satan’s temptation of Yeshua in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Both involved the twisting of truth, offers of worldly prosperity, and challenges to God’s faithfulness. Just as Jerusalem’s deliverance would come through trust in God rather than human strength, salvation would come through the Messiah’s faithful obedience rather than worldly power.

Isaiah 36 Scriptural Echoes

This chapter resonates with numerous biblical themes and passages:

• The confrontation recalls David versus Goliath, where human boasting meets divine power (1 Samuel 17).
• The Rabshakeh’s speech echoes Pharaoh’s hardness of heart, demonstrating human pride before divine judgment (Exodus 5).
• The theme of trust in God versus human alliances appears throughout the prophets (Jeremiah 17:5-8).
• The situation prefigures future attacks on Jerusalem described in Zechariah 12-14 and Revelation 20:7-10.

Isaiah 36 Devotional

This chapter challenges us to examine where we place our ultimate trust in times of crisis. When faced with overwhelming circumstances, do we rely on human resources and alliances, or do we stand firm in faith on God’s promises?

The people’s silence in response to the Rabshakeh’s taunts demonstrates the wisdom of not engaging with every challenge to our faith. Sometimes, like Hezekiah’s officials, we need to bring our troubles before the Lord rather than attempting to answer every criticism.

Consider how the enemy often mixes truth with lies in attempting to shake our faith. The Rabshakeh accurately described much of the geopolitical situation but fundamentally misunderstood the nature and power of God. This teaches us to discern truth from error in today’s challenges to faith.

Did You Know

• The Rabshakeh’s speech in Hebrew rather than Aramaic broke standard diplomatic protocol of the time, showing a deliberate attempt to incite fear among the common people.
• Archaeological evidence suggests that Sennacherib’s army may have numbered around 185,000 men, demonstrating the overwhelming odds Jerusalem faced.
• The Fuller’s Field mentioned in the text was where cloth was cleaned and whitened, chosen as a meeting place because it was an open area outside the city walls where diplomatic exchanges could safely occur.
• The Lachish Reliefs, discovered in Sennacherib’s palace at Nineveh, provide detailed depictions of the Assyrian siege of Lachish mentioned in this chapter, including the types of weapons and tactics used.
• The title “Rabshakeh” appears in ancient Assyrian documents as “rab šaqê,” confirming the biblical text’s accuracy in recording Assyrian military titles.
• The psychological warfare tactics described in this chapter were standard Assyrian practice, as confirmed by numerous ancient Near Eastern texts and reliefs.
• The reference to “eating one’s own dung” was a vivid way of describing siege conditions, confirmed by archaeological evidence of severe famines during ancient sieges.
• The mention of specific lands conquered by Assyria (Hamath, Arpad, etc.) provides historically accurate details of Assyrian military campaigns.
• The chapter’s events can be dated precisely to 701 BCE based on multiple archaeological sources, including Assyrian royal inscriptions.
• The language shifts in the text between Hebrew and Aramaic reflect the complex linguistic situation of the ancient Near East, where multiple languages were used for different purposes.