Isaiah 36 · a question people ask
Rabshakeh says Hezekiah was trusting in Egypt (36:6, 36:9). Was he?
Isaiah 36 gives Rabshakeh's words and doesn't say. "Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt" (36:6), and "How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?" (36:9). No one in the chapter answers him (36:21). Earlier the book has two woes on those who look to Egypt: on those "who set out to go down into Egypt without asking for my advice" (30:2), and "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots" (31:1). In Hebrew 31:1 and 36:9 are the only two verses of Isaiah with trust, chariots and horsemen together, and both name Egypt. But chapters 30 and 31 don't name Hezekiah, and Isaiah doesn't join them to Rabshakeh's words. So the verses are set side by side here, as chapter 20's go-deeper sets them, and nothing is added to join them.
The verses
“Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt, which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.”
“How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?”
“But they remained silent, and said nothing in reply, for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.””
““Woe to the rebellious children”, says the LORD, “who take counsel, but not from me; and who make an alliance, but not with my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who set out to go down into Egypt without asking for my advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!”