New American Standard Bible 1995
2 Kings 18:21
21Now behold, you 12rely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his 3hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.
2 Kings 18:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
- New International Version (NIV)Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, you are trusting now 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
Context of 2 Kings 18:21
19Then Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What is this confidence that you have? 20You say (but they are only empty words), ‘I have counsel and strength for the war.’ Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me? Now behold, you rely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. 22But 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 has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? 23Now therefore, come, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
Read all of 2 Kings 182 Kings 18:21 word by word
עַתָּ֡ה הִנֵּ֣ה בָטַ֣חְתָּ לְּךָ֡ עַל־מִשְׁעֶנֶת֩ הַקָּנֶ֨ה הָרָצ֤וּץ הַזֶּה֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ אִישׁ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבָ֥א בְכַפּ֖וֹ וּנְקָבָ֑הּ כֵּ֚ן פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְכָֽל־הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים עָלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
- Nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258
- beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- relyבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
- on the staffמִשְׁעֶ֫נֶתmish‛ênâh mish‛eneth · staffH4938
- of thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- crushedרָצַץrâtsats · to crushH7533
- reedקָנֶהqâneh · branch: stemH7070
- on Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- on whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- if a manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- leansסָמַךְsâmak · to supportH5564
- it will goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- handכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- and pierceנָקַבnâqab · to pierceH5344
- it. Soכֵּןkên · soH3651
- is Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- to allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
Cross-references for 2 Kings 18:21
- Isaiah 36:6Behold, you rely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.
- Ezekiel 29:6Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the Lord, Because they have been only a staff made of reed to the house of Israel.
- Isaiah 30:2Who proceed down to Egypt Without consulting Me, To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!
- Isaiah 31:1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!
- 2 Kings 17:4But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; so the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.
- Jeremiah 46:17They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a big noise; He has let the appointed time pass by!’
Commentaries on 2 Kings 18:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21The staff of this bruised reed - Egypt had already been greatly bruised and broken, through the wars carried on against it by the Assyrians.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21This bruised reed - The “tall reed of the Nile bulrush” fitly symbolized the land where it grew. Apparently strong and firm, it was quite unworthy of trust. Let a man lean upon it, and the rotten support instantly gave way, wounding the hand that stayed itself so insecurely. So it was with Egypt throughout the whole period of Jewish history (compare 2 Kings 17:4-6). Her actual practice was to pretend friendship, to hold out hopes of support, and then to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-37Verses 17-37 Rabshakeh tries to convince the Jews, that it was to no purpose for them to stand it out. What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? It were well if sinners would submit to the force of this argument, in seeking peace with God. It is, therefore, our wisdom to yield to him, because it is in vain to contend with him: what confidence is that which those trust in who stand out against him? A great deal of art there is in this speech of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-22In the past, people used the term great king for leaders of major military powers. It later became a common title for Assyrian kings. What is the basis of this confidence of yours?: The Assyrian officer claimed that Jerusalem's citizens would be unwise to trust Hezekiah's words, given Assyria's strong military. Seeking help from Egypt would also be unwise. The chief of staff argued that trusting in the Lord was also a mistake. The officer might have hoped…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2519. Rab-shakeh said--The insolent tone he assumed appears surprising. But this boasting [2Ki 18:19-25], both as to matter and manner, his highly colored picture of his master's powers and resources, and the impossibility of Hezekiah making any effective resistance, heightened by all the arguments and figures which an Oriental imagination could suggest, has been paralleled in all, except the blasphemy, by other messages of defiance sent on similar…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 18:21
In the dictionaries
Notes
Commentaries on 2 Kings 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- 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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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