New English Translation
Isaiah 36:9
9Certainly you will not refuse one of my master’s minor officials and trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen.
Isaiah 36:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
- New International Version (NIV)How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
- English Standard Version (ESV)How 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?
- New King James Version (NKJV)How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
Context of Isaiah 36:9
7Perhaps you will tell me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God.’ But Hezekiah is the one who eliminated his high places and altars and then told the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship at this altar.’ 8Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them. Certainly you will not refuse one of my master’s minor officials and trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen. 10Furthermore it was by the command of the Lord that I marched up against this land to destroy it. The Lord told me, ‘March up against this land and destroy it!’”’” 11Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the chief adviser, “Speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Don’t speak with us in the Judahite dialect in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”
Read all of Isaiah 36Isaiah 36:9 word by word
וְאֵ֣יךְ תָּשִׁ֗יב אֵ֠ת פְּנֵ֨י פַחַ֥ת אַחַ֛ד עַבְדֵ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י הַקְטַנִּ֑ים וַתִּבְטַ֤ח לְךָ֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְרֶ֖כֶב וּלְפָרָשִֽׁים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- How then wilt thou turn awayשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
- the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- of oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- captainפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
- of the leastקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- of my master’sאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- and put thy trustבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
- on Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- for chariotsרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
- and for horsemenפָּרָשׁpârâsh · horsemanH6571
Cross-references for Isaiah 36:9
- Isaiah 10:8Indeed, he says: “Are not my officials all kings?
- 2 Kings 18:24Certainly you will not refuse one of my master’s minor officials and trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen.
- Isaiah 36:6Look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If someone leans on it for support, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him!
- Isaiah 30:16You say, ‘No, we will flee on horses,’ so you will indeed flee. You say, ‘We will ride on fast horses,’ so your pursuers will be fast.
- Deuteronomy 17:16Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the Lord has said you must never again return that way.
- Proverbs 21:31A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory is from the Lord.
Commentaries on Isaiah 36:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9How then wilt thou turn away the face - The most unimportant captain in the army of Assyria commands more horsemen than this, and how can you expect to oppose even him, much more how can you be able to resist all the mighty army of the Assyrians? One captain of the least - The word captain‘ here (פחת pachat construct state from פחה pechâh ) denotes a prefect or governor of a province less than a satrap, an officer who was under the satrap, and subject to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-22The Assyrian chief of staff tried to use intimidation to negotiate a peaceful settlement. In his first speech (Isaiah 36:4–10), he correctly argued that Egypt could not rescue them but incorrectly accused Hezekiah of misplaced trust in the Lord. Interestingly, the Assyrian did not view the contest as between the gods of Assyria and the Lord, but rather between Sennacherib (the great king) and the Lord.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. captain--a governor under a satrap; even he commands more horsemen than this.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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries