Bible Strands
2 Kings 18:31
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and his own fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Assyrian monarch’s representative addresses Jerusalem’s citizens during the siege, commanding them to ignore Hezekiah’s warning and surrender. He offers agricultural security and personal peace as incentives to abandon their reliance on Judah’s God.
The words — The command אַל־ תִּשְׁמְעוּ ('al tishme'u) literally means "do not listen," while כֹּה אָמַר מֶלֶךְ (koh amar melekh) translates to "thus says the king." These phrases establish the message as an official royal decree demanding immediate compliance.
The thread — The image of eating from one’s own vine and fig tree directly parallels the peace described in 1 Kings 4:25 and the future restoration in Zechariah 3:10, but here it is repurposed as a political bribe rather than a covenant promise.
Why it lands — The text forces a decision between trusting a conqueror’s fabricated guarantees or standing firm on a prophet’s word of divine deliverance. It exposes how fear is manipulated through promises of material security that contradict actual political reality.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 4:25 Throughout the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel dwelt securely from Dan to Beersheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree.
- 1 Kings 4:20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and they were eating and drinking and rejoicing.
- Zechariah 3:10 On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, you will each invite your neighbor to sit under your own vine and fig tree.’”
- Proverbs 18:16 A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.
- Genesis 32:20 You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I will appease Esau with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.”
- Genesis 33:11 Please accept my gift that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” So Jacob pressed him until he accepted.