Isaiah 36:8

Translations

Modern

Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!

Traditional

Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

Literal

And now, make a wager, please, with my lord the king of Assyria, and I will give to you two thousand horses—if you are able to set for you riders on them.

Latin

Et nunc trade te domino meo, regi Assyriorum, et dabo tibi duo millia equorum, nec poteris ex te præbere ascensores eorum:

Original

Hebrew

English

Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!

Notes

Isaiah 36:8

At this time, cavalry mounted on horses was the newest military technology. The Assyrian chief of staff was mocking the Judeans because he knew that Judah had no trained men who knew how to ride.

Isaiah 36:4–22

The Assyrian chief of staff tried to use intimidation to negotiate a peaceful settlement. In his first speech (Isaiah 36:4–10), he correctly argued that Egypt could not rescue them but incorrectly accused Hezekiah of misplaced trust in the Lord.

Interestingly, the Assyrian did not view the contest as between the gods of Assyria and the Lord, but rather between Sennacherib (the great king) and the Lord.

Isaiah 36:1–39:8

Jerusalem’s rescue from King Sennacherib of Assyria is a main event in Isaiah 1–39. The Lord promised to save his people. He would remain present with Jerusalem (see 7:14). He would also keep a remnant, a small group who would survive (see study note on Isaiah 10:20).

Much of the land became empty and the population greatly reduced. This happened because Judah made a foolish alliance with Assyria (chapters 7–8). Even so, the Lord did not allow total defeat. He preserved his people through Hezekiah, a faithful king.

Hezekiah faced the same kind of test that King Ahaz had faced. It was a test of trust in the Lord. In chapter 36, the Assyrian officer repeats the word trust as he challenges the people. But Hezekiah had learned from the earlier warnings in chapters 13–35. At least at first, he trusted God and passed the test.

This story also appears in 2 Kings 18:13–20:19.

Theme notes and profiles

Assyria Hezekiah Isaiah Invasion Salvation in Isaiah Trusting God in Isaiah

Events

Prophecies of Isaiahc. 759 BC

Related verses

1 Samuel 17:40–43
And David took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.
1 Kings 20:18
“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”
Psalm 123:3–4
Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have endured much contempt.
1 Kings 20:10
Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”
2 Kings 14:14
He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace, as well as some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.
2 Kings 18:23
Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!
Nehemiah 4:2–5
…before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”
Psalm 20:7–8
Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Isaiah 10:13–14
For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, for I am clever. I have removed the boundaries of nations and plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their rulers.

Parallels

2 Kings 18:13–37 2 Chronicles 32:1–8

Places

Assyria: A powerful ancient empire, often in conflict with Israel

Glossary

Assyria, Assyrians Hezekiah Hilkiah History of Israel Inscriptions Isaiah, Book of Joah Kings, Books of First and Second Lachish Micah (Person) Rabshakeh

Isaiah 36:8

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