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Isaiah 36: What Confidence Is This?

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria captured the fortified cities of Judah. He sent his officer, Rabshakeh, with a great army to Jerusalem. Standing by the aqueduct of the upper pool, Rabshakeh mocked Hezekiah's trust. He asked, What confidence is this in which you trust? He claimed Egypt was a broken reed and that Yahweh himself had sent Assyria. When Hezekiah's officials asked him to speak in Aramaic, he shouted louder in Hebrew so the people on the wall could hear. He told them not to let Hezekiah make them trust in Yahweh and boasted that no god had saved any land from Assyria. But the people remained silent, for the king had commanded, Don't answer him. The officials went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn.

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Bible:

Read Isaiah 36

World English Bible · 22 verses

  1. 1 Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all of the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  2. 2 The king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a large army. He stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool in the fuller’s field highway.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  3. 3 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph the recorder came out to him.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  4. 4 Rabshakeh said to them, “Now tell Hezekiah, ‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says, “What confidence is this in which you trust?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  5. 5 I say that your counsel and strength for the war are only vain words. Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  6. 6 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  7. 7 But if you tell me, ‘We trust in Yahweh our God,’ isn’t that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  8. 8 Now therefore, please make a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  9. 9 How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  10. 10 Have I come up now without Yahweh against this land to destroy it? Yahweh said to me, “Go up against this land, and destroy it.”’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  11. 11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Don’t speak to us in the Jews’ language in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  12. 12 But Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you, to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  13. 13 Then Rabshakeh stood, and called out with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  14. 14 The king says, ‘Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  15. 15 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.”’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  16. 16 Don’t listen to Hezekiah, for the king of Assyria says, ‘Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and each of you eat from his vine, and each one from his fig tree, and each one of you drink the waters of his own cistern;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  17. 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  18. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.” Have any of the gods of the nations delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  19. 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  20. 20 Who are they among all the gods of these countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  21. 21 But they remained silent, and said nothing in reply, for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  22. 22 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

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Isaiah 36 · Preschool

Don't Answer Him

Name Date

Color the people standing quietly on the wall. Sometimes being quiet is wise.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

But they remained silent, and said nothing in reply, for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.”

Isaiah 36:21 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: A bully shouted mean words about God. The people did not shout back. They stayed quiet and waited for God. Let's practice saying: I will trust God.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

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