Bible Strands
Isaiah 36:18
Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Assyrian commander addresses the citizens of Jerusalem during the siege, directly countering Hezekiah’s claim that Yahweh will protect the city.
The words — The Hebrew יַסִּ֨ית (ya.Sit) literally means “he should mislead,” while יַצִּילֵ֑/נוּ (ya.tzi.Le./nu) translates to “he will deliver.”
The thread — The identical rhetorical challenge appears in 2 Kings 18:33 and frames the surrounding questions in Isaiah 36:15 and 36:19.
Why it lands — The text forces a direct comparison between Assyrian military power and Yahweh’s claimed protection, demanding a practical assessment of who actually controls historical outcomes.
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
Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
Cross-references
- Isaiah 36:15 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’
- Isaiah 37:17 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to all the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.
- 2 Kings 18:33 Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?
- 2 Kings 19:12 Did the gods of the nations destroyed by my fathers rescue those nations—the gods of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph, and of the people of Eden in Telassar?
- 2 Kings 19:17 Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste these nations and their lands.
- 2 Chronicles 32:13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have the gods of these nations ever been able to deliver their land from my hand?
- Psalms 12:4 They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”
- Psalms 92:5 How great are Your works, O LORD, how deep are Your thoughts!
- Psalms 115:2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
- Psalms 135:5 For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.