Isaiah 36:6
Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Sennacherib emphasizes that trusting in Egypt is like leaning on a fragile reed. Not only will it break and fail to support you, but the splinters of that broken reed will pierce your hand, causing further injury. This imagery powerfully illustrates how relying on human alliances, instead of God, leads to both disappointment and pain.
Sennacherib's envoy, the Rabshakeh, confronts Hezekiah's officials outside Jerusalem, demanding surrender. After boasting about Assyria's power and dismissing Hezekiah's reforms, he mocks their reliance on Egypt, describing it as a fragile, unreliable ally that will only harm those who trust it. The envoy then challenges Hezekiah to question whether any nation's gods have ever truly saved them from Assyria's might.
Why would the Assyrian commander compare mighty Egypt to a flimsy, broken reed? Discover the devastating consequences of placing our confidence in unreliable human power.
The Assyrian commander, Rabshakeh, uses a powerful image to mock Judah's reliance on Egypt for military aid. He calls Egypt a 'broken reed, a staff which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it.'
A Weak Ally
When we place our ultimate trust in human strength, political powers, or even our own abilities, we are like someone leaning on a broken reed. It promises support but ultimately brings injury and disappointment.
Rabshakeh's words aren't just a military assessment; they're a psychological weapon. Learn how he uses doubt and despair to break the people's spirit.
Rabshakeh's message to Jerusalem is more than just an ultimatum; it's a calculated psychological assault. His goal is to undermine any hope and force surrender.
Undermining Confidence
Understand the original words
batach · Hebrew Verb
A core biblical concept denoting reliance, confidence, and hope placed in an object, person, or God. In a theological sense, it describes the surrender of one's security to a source other than one's own efforts.
qaneh ratsuts · Hebrew Noun phrase
A metaphor for something or someone that is unstable, unreliable, and treacherous. In Scripture, it signifies the futility of depending on worldly powers for defense rather than God.
Par'oh · Hebrew Noun
The title for the monarch of Egypt. In the Bible, Pharaoh often represents human pride, worldly power, and an anti-covenant authority that opposes the purposes of God.
This verse highlights Judah's precarious political situation, caught between the might of Assyria and the unreliability of Egypt. Rabshakeh uses this vulnerability to taunt Hezekiah, underscoring the folly of relying on human alliances over divine faithfulness.
Late 8th century BC
Hezekiah's Reforms
King Hezekiah of Judah institutes widespread religious reforms, removing idolatrous altars and centralizing worship in Jerusalem. This period is marked by a desire for national unity and faithfulness to God.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, launches a massive invasion of Judah, conquering many fortified cities. Hezekiah, realizing his inability to resist, attempts to pay tribute to Assyria.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
Sennacherib's army encircles Jerusalem, holding King Hezekiah and his people under siege. The Assyrian general, Rabshakeh, delivers a defiant ultimatum to the city.
c. 701 BC
Rabshakeh's Blasphemous Speech
Rabshakeh delivers a taunting speech to the people of Jerusalem, mocking their trust in Egypt and in the LORD, and boasting of Assyria's power.
This passage uses the same powerful imagery of Egypt as a 'broken reed' that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it, reinforcing the idea of Egypt's unreliability as an ally.
Jeremiah 17:5-6These verses describe the curse on those who trust in human strength and alliances ('flesh') rather than in the Lord, directly paralleling the foolishness of trusting in Egypt.
Isaiah 30:1-3Here, Isaiah directly condemns Judah's reliance on Egypt for help, calling their alliance a source of shame and 'no help,' echoing the same theme of misplaced trust.
Psalm 146:3-5This psalm highlights the futility of trusting in human leaders or princes, comparing them to dust that perishes, which aligns with the 'broken reed' metaphor for Pharaoh.
barnesIsaiah 36:6: "Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him."
Lo, thou trustest - It is possible that Sennacherib might have been apprised of the attempt which had been made by the Jews to secure the cooperation of Egypt (see the notes at Isaiah 30:1-7 ; Isaiah 31:1 ff), though he might not have been aware that the negotiation was unsuccessful. In the staff of thi…
clarkeIsaiah 36:6: "Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him."
The staff of this broken reed - A weakened, faithless ally. On Egypt - The Bodl. MS. adds מלך melech, the king of Egypt; and so perhaps the Chaldee might read. It will go into his hand, and pierce it - Will take subsidy after subsidy, and do nothing for it.
Sennacherib emphasizes that trusting in Egypt is like leaning on a fragile reed. Not only will it break and fail to support you, but the splinters of that broken reed will pierce your hand, causing further injury. This imagery powerfully illustrates how relying on human alliances, instead of God, leads to both disappointment and pain.
Sennacherib's envoy, the Rabshakeh, confronts Hezekiah's officials outside Jerusalem, demanding surrender. After boasting about Assyria's power and dismissing Hezekiah's reforms, he mocks their reliance on Egypt, describing it as a fragile, unreliable ally that will only harm those who trust it. The envoy then challenges Hezekiah to question whether any nation's gods have ever truly saved them from Assyria's might.
Sennacherib's envoy, the Rabshakeh, confronts Hezekiah's officials outside Jerusalem, demanding surrender. After boasting about Assyria's power and dismissing Hezekiah's reforms, he mocks their reliance on Egypt, describing it as a fragile, unreliable ally that will only harm those who trust it. The envoy then challenges Hezekiah to question whether any nation's gods have ever truly saved them from Assyria's might.
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Rabshakeh's strategy highlights how opposition often attacks not just our physical safety but our spiritual resolve. The enemy seeks to make us doubt God's promises and His power, leading us to seek refuge in temporary, worldly solutions.
c. 701 BC
Divine Intervention and Assyrian Retreat
An angel of the LORD strikes down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw his army and return to Nineveh.
"Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him." — Sennacherib emphasizes that trusting in Egypt is like leaning on a fragile reed. Not only will it break and fail to support you, but the splinters of that broken reed will pierce your hand, causing f…
