But if you say to me, “We trust in the LORD our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Rabshakeh twists Hezekiah's reforms into an accusation: by removing altars and high places, Hezekiah supposedly angered God, making trust in Him foolish. This reveals a profound misunderstanding (or deliberate distortion) of true worship, mistaking the removal of idolatrous sites for an offense against Yahweh.
But if you say to me, “We trust in the LORD our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Assyrian commander, Rabshakeh, is delivering a brutal ultimatum from King Sennacherib to the people of Jerusalem. After mocking their reliance on Egypt for aid, he now dismisses their trust in the LORD, questioning why their king, Hezekiah, has dismantled so many altars and high places, seemingly disrupting their worship. Rabshakeh uses this religious upheaval, from his pagan perspective, as evidence that their God would abandon them, thus urging them to surrender.
Rabshakeh throws a brilliant insult at Hezekiah, but it's built on a fundamental misunderstanding of God's law and Hezekiah's reforms.
The Assyrian commander, Rabshakeh, challenges Hezekiah's trust in the LORD by pointing to the king's removal of 'high places' and 'altars.' From an Assyrian perspective, a god is honored by numerous places of worship. Rabshakeh sees Hezekiah's actions—centralizing worship in Jerusalem—as diminishing God's honor, not enhancing it.
He doesn't grasp that Hezekiah was actually obeying God's command to worship only at the designated place (Deuteronomy 12). The 'high places' and altars Hezekiah removed were likely centers of idolatry or unauthorized worship of Yahweh, not the legitimate worship of God as prescribed in the Law. Rabshakeh's accusation is a clever tactic, twisting a righteous act into an apparent offense against God, trying to sever Hezekiah's confidence in the very God he sought to honor according to His Word.
Rabshakeh doesn't just question Hezekiah's faith; he boldly equates the God of Israel with the powerless idols of conquered nations.
Rabshakeh escalates his attack by questioning why the God of Israel would be any different from the gods of other nations that he has conquered. He asks, 'Have any of the gods of the nations delivered their land out of my hand? And will Jehovah deliver Jerusalem?' This is a profound blasphemy. It falsely assumes that all gods are alike in their power (or lack thereof) and that the God of Israel is merely another local deity susceptible to Assyrian might.
This line of reasoning reveals the Assyrian worldview: gods were tied to specific locations and peoples, and their defeat in battle meant their gods had failed. Rabshakeh's strategy is to demonstrate that the God of Israel is no exception, thereby shattering any hope the people might have in divine intervention. He deliberately ignores the unique covenant relationship between God and Israel and the true nature of Yahweh as the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all.
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Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It signifies His eternal existence, His faithfulness to His promises, and His unique status as the only true God.
bamah · Hebrew Noun
Designated locations, often on hills or raised platforms, used for sacrificial worship. While originally used for God, they were frequently associated with idolatrous practices and were commanded to be destroyed to centralize worship in Jerusalem.
mizbeach · Hebrew Noun
A structure built for sacrificial offerings and acts of devotion. It serves as a place of meeting between God and His people, where atonement or thanksgiving is offered.
Yerushalayim · Hebrew Proper Noun
A formal term for the capital city of Judah and the site of the Temple. It represents the dwelling place of God's presence among His people and the center of true worship.
chavah · Hebrew Verb
The formal action of bowing down or prostrating oneself before God. It signifies total submission, reverence, and recognition of God’s absolute sovereignty.
The Rabshakeh's taunt highlights a critical misunderstanding from the Assyrian perspective: he views Hezekiah's religious reforms, which centralized worship in Jerusalem, as an offense to God, rather than the faithful obedience to God's law that they were.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its citizens and resettling the area with foreigners. This event served as a stark warning to the southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 715-686 BC
Reign of Hezekiah
Hezekiah begins his reign in Judah, marked by significant religious reforms aimed at centralizing worship in Jerusalem and purging idolatrous practices.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Hezekiah's Religious Reforms
Hezekiah undertakes a thorough cleansing of the Temple and removes 'high places' (local shrines) and altars throughout Judah, promoting sole worship at the Jerusalem Temple.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, launches a massive invasion of Judah, conquering many fortified cities and threatening Jerusalem. His general, the Rabshakeh, delivers a powerful ultimatum.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
Sennacherib's army lays siege to Jerusalem. The Assyrian commander, Rabshakeh, taunts the Judeans and King Hezekiah, questioning their trust in the LORD.
This passage is the parallel account of Rabshakeh's speech, directly quoting Hezekiah's reforms in a very similar way and highlighting the Assyrian's misunderstanding of God's true worship.
2 Chronicles 29:3-11This chapter details Hezekiah's reign beginning with his thorough cleansing of the temple and restoration of true worship, providing the context for Rabshakeh's accusations about removing altars.
Deuteronomy 12:5-14This passage from the Law explains God's command to worship only at the central sanctuary, which is the theological basis for Hezekiah's actions that Rabshakeh mocked.
Isaiah 10:13-14This earlier prophecy from Isaiah describes the Assyrian king's arrogant boast about conquering nations and their gods, mirroring Rabshakeh's blasphemous challenge to God's power here.
Jeremiah 17:5-6This prophetic warning against trusting in human strength or alliances directly addresses the futility of relying on Egypt, a point Rabshakeh also tried to make, albeit with malicious intent.
clarkeIsaiah 36:7: "But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?"
But if thou say "But if ye say" - Two ancient MSS. have תאמרו tomeru in the plural number; so likewise the Septuagint, Chaldee, and the other copy, 2 Kings 18:22 . Ye shall worship before this altar "To worship only before this altar" - See 2 Chronicles 32:12.
barnesIsaiah 36:7: "But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?"
But if thou say to me - If you shall make this plea, that you believe Yahweh will protect you in your revolt. The word 'thou' here refers to Hezekiah, or to the ambassadors speaking in his name. In 2 Kings 18:22 , it is, 'but if ye say unto me;' that is, you ambassadors. The sense is…
Rabshakeh twists Hezekiah's reforms into an accusation: by removing altars and high places, Hezekiah supposedly angered God, making trust in Him foolish. This reveals a profound misunderstanding (or deliberate distortion) of true worship, mistaking the removal of idolatrous sites for an offense against Yahweh.
The Assyrian commander, Rabshakeh, is delivering a brutal ultimatum from King Sennacherib to the people of Jerusalem. After mocking their reliance on Egypt for aid, he now dismisses their trust in the LORD, questioning why their king, Hezekiah, has dismantled so many altars and high places, seemingly disrupting their worship. Rabshakeh uses this religious upheaval, from his pagan perspective, as evidence that their God would abandon them, thus urging them to surrender.
The Assyrian commander, Rabshakeh, is delivering a brutal ultimatum from King Sennacherib to the people of Jerusalem. After mocking their reliance on Egypt for aid, he now dismisses their trust in the LORD, questioning why their king, Hezekiah, has dismantled so many altars and high places, seemingly disrupting their worship. Rabshakeh uses this religious upheaval, from his pagan perspective, as evidence that their God would abandon them, thus urging them to surrender.
"But if you say to me, “We trust in the LORD our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”?" — Rabshakeh twists Hezekiah's reforms into an accusation: by removing altars and high places, Hezekiah supposedly angered God, making trust in Him foolish. This reveals a profound misunderstanding (or…
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Last reviewed October 2026