English Standard Version
Isaiah 36:7
7But 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"?
Isaiah 36:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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?
- New International Version (NIV)But if you say to me, “We are depending on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’?” ’
- New Living Translation (NLT)“But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God!’ But isn’t he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?
Context of Isaiah 36:7
5Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me? 6Behold, 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. 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"? 8Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 9How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
Read all of Isaiah 36Isaiah 36:7 word by word
וְכִי־תֹאמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ בָּטָ֑חְנוּ הֲלוֹא־ה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵסִ֤יר חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־בָּמֹתָ֣יו וְאֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֔יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לִֽיהוּדָה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם לִפְנֵ֛י הַמִּזְבֵּ֥חַ הַזֶּ֖ה תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But if thou sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to me, We trustבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
- in the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- not he, whose high placesבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
- and whose altarsמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּהוּchizqîyâh chizqîyâhû yechizqîyâh yechizqîyâhû · HezekiahH2396
- hath taken awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
- to Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- and to Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- Ye shall worshipשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for Isaiah 36:7
- 2 Kings 18:5He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.
- 1 Chronicles 5:20And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him.
- 2 Chronicles 16:7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, "Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you.
- 2 Chronicles 32:7"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.
- Psalms 22:4In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
- Psalms 42:5Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation
- Deuteronomy 12:2You shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
- 2 Kings 18:4He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).
- 2 Chronicles 30:14They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the brook Kidron.
- 2 Chronicles 31:1Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.
- 2 Chronicles 32:12Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, "Before one altar you shall worship, and on it you shall burn your sacrifices"?
- 1 Corinthians 2:15The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
Commentaries on Isaiah 36:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7But 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7But 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 substantially the same. Is it not he - This is given as a reason why they should not put their confidence in Yahweh. The reason is, that he supposed that Hezekiah had removed…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7We trust in the LORD our God: Ironically, the Assyrian chief of staff knew about Isaiah's message and used it to his advantage (Isaiah 26:4; 36:15; 37:10). Hezekiah showed his dedication to the Lord by tearing down the pagan shrines and altars (2 Kings 18:4). However, the Assyrians mistakenly thought Hezekiah had angered God by doing this.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. The Assyrian mistakes Hezekiah's religious reforms whereby he took away the high places (2Ki 18:4) as directed against Jehovah. Some of the high places may have been dedicated to Jehovah, but worshipped under the form of an image in violation of the second commandment: the "brazen serpent," also (broken in pieces by Hezekiah, and called Nehushtan, "a piece of brass," because it was worshipped by Israel) was originally set up by God's command. Hence the…Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 36
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries