Isaiah 36: Assyria's Siege and Rabshakeh's Taunt

Short answer: Isaiah 36 describes Assyria's attack on Judah's fortified cities and Rabshakeh's psychological warfare against Jerusalem, questioning Hezekiah's reliance on Egypt and Yahweh. The chapter ends with Hezekiah's officials reporting the threats in distress.

What Isaiah 36 says

Isaiah 36 opens with a precise historical note: in Hezekiah's fourteenth year, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked and captured all of Judah's fortified cities. The Assyrian king then dispatched Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem with a large army. Rabshakeh positioned himself by the aqueduct from the upper pool on the fuller's field highway, a public and strategic spot. Hezekiah's officials, Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah, went out to meet him. Rabshakeh's first speech questions Hezekiah's confidence, dismissing his counsel and strength as empty words. He challenges the reliance on Egypt, calling it a bruised reed that pierces those who lean on it. He also claims that Hezekiah's removal of high places and altars has offended Yahweh, implying that trust in Yahweh is misplaced. This opening sets the stage for a battle of words and faith.

Rabshakeh continues his psychological assault by offering a wager: two thousand horses if Hezekiah can provide riders. He belittles Judah's ability to resist even the least of Assyria's captains and warns that relying on Egypt for chariots and horsemen is futile. Most strikingly, he asserts that Yahweh himself sent Assyria to destroy the land. This claim twists the truth, using divine authority to intimidate. Hezekiah's officials, understanding the demoralizing effect, ask Rabshakeh to speak in Aramaic rather than the Jews' language so the people on the wall won't understand. But Rabshakeh refuses, insisting his message is for all the people who will suffer the siege's horrors. He then shouts in the Jews' language, directly addressing the populace, urging them not to let Hezekiah deceive them or make them trust in Yahweh's deliverance.

Rabshakeh's loud appeal to the people escalates the crisis. He promises that if they make peace with Assyria and come out, they will eat from their own vine and fig tree and drink from their own cistern, until he takes them to a land like their own, full of grain, new wine, bread, and vineyards. He warns them not to let Hezekiah persuade them that Yahweh will deliver them. He then compares Yahweh to the gods of the nations, asking where the gods of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, and Samaria are. He argues that since none of these gods delivered their lands, Yahweh cannot deliver Jerusalem. This speech is a direct challenge to Yahweh's power, aiming to erode the people's faith and surrender them to despair.

The chapter concludes with the people's silent response. Hezekiah had commanded them not to answer Rabshakeh, and they obeyed, saying nothing. Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah then returned to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, a sign of grief and distress, and reported Rabshakeh's words. The silence is not agreement but a refusal to engage the taunts, leaving the threat hanging. The torn clothes signal the gravity of the situation and the need for divine intervention. The chapter ends without resolution, setting the stage for Hezekiah's response in the following chapter. It highlights the tension between human intimidation and trust in God, leaving the reader to await how Hezekiah will handle the crisis.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all of the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.” (Isaiah 36:1) — This verse establishes the historical context of Assyria's military campaign and the capture of Judah's fortified cities, setting the stage for the siege of Jerusalem.
• “Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt, which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.” (Isaiah 36:6) — Rabshakeh's metaphor of Egypt as a bruised reed vividly illustrates the futility of trusting in human alliances, a central theme of the chapter.
• “Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, “Yahweh will surely deliver us. This city won’t be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” (Isaiah 36:15) ’” (Isaiah 36:15) — This verse captures the core of Rabshakeh's psychological warfare: urging the people not to trust in Yahweh's deliverance, directly challenging their faith.
• “But they remained silent, and said nothing in reply, for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.” (Isaiah 36:21)” (Isaiah 36:21) — The people's silent obedience to Hezekiah's command demonstrates restraint and sets up the need for a divine response, highlighting the power of not engaging with taunts.

Gospel connection

Isaiah 36 foreshadows the ultimate conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world. Rabshakeh's taunts against Yahweh and His people echo the serpent's challenge in Eden and the world's ongoing mockery of faith. Yet, just as Hezekiah's officials brought the matter to the king, we are invited to bring our fears to God. The chapter's unresolved tension points to the need for a deliverer greater than Hezekiah. In the gospel, Jesus Christ faces the ultimate taunt on the cross, where the enemy seems to triumph, but God raises Him in victory. The silence of the people before Rabshakeh prefigures Jesus' silence before His accusers, and His resurrection proves that Yahweh can indeed deliver His people, not just from earthly armies but from sin and death.

Application

This chapter asks readers to examine where they place their trust when facing overwhelming threats. Like Hezekiah's people, we hear voices that mock our faith and urge us to rely on human solutions or surrender to fear. The application is not to argue back with the world's taunts but to follow the example of the officials: bring the matter to God in prayer. It also calls for discernment, recognizing that not every claim about God is true, as Rabshakeh twisted Yahweh's will. We are to hold fast to God's character, even when circumstances seem to contradict His promises. The silence of the people teaches restraint, while the torn clothes show honest grief. We can bring our distress to God, trusting that He hears and will act in His time.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not claim that Hezekiah immediately responded or that God spoke directly during this encounter. It does not record any divine oracle or miraculous intervention at this point. The text is silent on the internal thoughts of the people on the wall, except that they remained silent. It does not state whether Rabshakeh's claim that Yahweh sent Assyria was true or false; it merely reports his words. The chapter also does not describe the outcome of the siege or the fate of Jerusalem, leaving that to later chapters. It does not mention Isaiah the prophet by name in this chapter, though he appears in the surrounding context. These silences remind us to stick to what is written and not read later events back into this scene.

Questions for study

1. What specific fears and pressures did Rabshakeh use to try to break Jerusalem's will, and how do those tactics appear in our own lives?
2. Why did Hezekiah's officials ask Rabshakeh to speak in Aramaic, and what does Rabshakeh's refusal reveal about his intentions?
3. How does Rabshakeh misuse the idea of trusting in Yahweh, and what does this teach us about discerning false claims about God?
4. What is the significance of the people's silence in verse 21, and when might silence be the right response to hostility?
5. The officials tore their clothes when reporting to Hezekiah. What does this gesture say about the weight of the situation and the proper response to crisis?

Keep reading

Related studies: Isaiah 1 Bible Study, Isaiah 10 Bible Study, Isaiah 11 Bible Study, Isaiah 12 Bible Study.

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FAQ

Who was Rabshakeh and what was his role?

Rabshakeh was an Assyrian official sent by King Sennacherib to deliver a message to Jerusalem. He served as a spokesman and psychological warrior, aiming to demoralize the people and force surrender.

Why did Rabshakeh claim that Yahweh sent Assyria to destroy Judah?

Rabshakeh used this claim to intimidate Hezekiah and the people, suggesting that resistance was futile because even their God was on Assyria's side. The text does not confirm whether this claim was true, leaving it as a test of faith.

What was the outcome of Rabshakeh's speech?

The people remained silent, following Hezekiah's command not to answer. Hezekiah's officials then reported the words to the king with torn clothes, indicating distress and setting the stage for Hezekiah's response in the next chapter.