Isaiah 36:6 - 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.
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What does "Isaiah 36:6" mean?
This verse, Isaiah 36:6, is part of a speech delivered by Rabshakeh, a high-ranking official of the Assyrian King Sennacherib. He's taunting the people of Judah who are under siege in Jerusalem. Let's break down what it means:
"Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt..." Rabshakeh is ridiculing Judah's reliance on Egypt for help against Assyria. He's calling Egypt a "bruised reed." A reed is a type of tall grass, and if it's bruised or broken, it's weak and unreliable. Rabshakeh is saying Egypt is a fragile, unreliable ally.
"...which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it." This further emphasizes the weakness of Egypt. If someone tries to depend on a broken reed for support, it will break under their weight and potentially injure them. In other words, relying on Egypt will backfire and cause Judah harm.
"So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him." This is the core message. Rabshakeh concludes that just as a broken reed will fail and hurt someone who leans on it, Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) and the entire nation of Egypt will ultimately fail and hurt anyone who trusts in them for protection.
In Summary:
Rabshakeh is using a vivid metaphor to warn the people of Judah that relying on Egypt for protection is a foolish and dangerous idea. Egypt is weak and unreliable, and trusting in them will only lead to disappointment and harm. The underlying message is that Judah should not trust in any human power, but rather in the Lord. He is trying to scare them into surrendering to Assyria. This is a common tactic in warfare and diplomacy - to undermine the enemy's confidence and resolve.
Isaiah 36:6 - 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.
What does "Isaiah 36:6" mean?
This verse, Isaiah 36:6, is part of a speech delivered by Rabshakeh, a high-ranking official of the Assyrian King Sennacherib. He's taunting the people of Judah who are under siege in Jerusalem. Let's break down what it means:
"Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt..." Rabshakeh is ridiculing Judah's reliance on Egypt for help against Assyria. He's calling Egypt a "bruised reed." A reed is a type of tall grass, and if it's bruised or broken, it's weak and unreliable. Rabshakeh is saying Egypt is a fragile, unreliable ally.
"...which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it." This further emphasizes the weakness of Egypt. If someone tries to depend on a broken reed for support, it will break under their weight and potentially injure them. In other words, relying on Egypt will backfire and cause Judah harm.
"So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him." This is the core message. Rabshakeh concludes that just as a broken reed will fail and hurt someone who leans on it, Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) and the entire nation of Egypt will ultimately fail and hurt anyone who trusts in them for protection.
In Summary:
Rabshakeh is using a vivid metaphor to warn the people of Judah that relying on Egypt for protection is a foolish and dangerous idea. Egypt is weak and unreliable, and trusting in them will only lead to disappointment and harm. The underlying message is that Judah should not trust in any human power, but rather in the Lord. He is trying to scare them into surrendering to Assyria. This is a common tactic in warfare and diplomacy - to undermine the enemy's confidence and resolve.