Isaiah 36 (Yesha’yahu) in Hebrew and English

36:1Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Chizkiyahu (Hezekiah), that Sancheriv (Sennacherib) king of Ashur (Assyria) came up against all the defenced cities of Yehudah (Judah), and took them.

אוַיְהִ֡י בְּאַרְבַּע֩ עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה שָׁנָ֜ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ עָלָ֞ה סַנְחֵרִ֤יב מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ עַ֣ל כָּל־עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת וַֽיִּתְפְּשֵֽׂם׃

36:2And the king of Ashur sent Ravshakeh (Rabshakeh) from Lachish to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) unto king Chizkiyahu with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field.

בוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֣וּר ׀ אֶת־רַב־שָׁקֵ֨ה מִלָּכִ֧ישׁ יְרוּשָׁלְַ֛מָה אֶל־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּחֵ֣יל כָּבֵ֑ד וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֗ד בִּתְעָלַת֙ הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה בִּמְסִלַּ֖ת שְׂדֵ֥ה כוֹבֵֽס׃

36:3Then came forth unto him Elyakim (Eliakim), Chilkiyahu’s (Hilkiah’s) son, which was over the house, and Shevna (Shebna) the scribe, and Yo’ach (Joah), Asaf’s (Asaph’s) son, the recorder.

גוַיֵּצֵ֥א אֵלָ֛יו אֶלְיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְשֶׁבְנָא֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְיוֹאָ֥ח בֶּן־אָסָ֖ף הַמַּזְכִּֽיר׃

36:4And Ravshakeh said unto them, “Say you now to Chizkiyahu, Thus says the great king, the king of Ashur, ‘What confidence is this wherein you trust?

דוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה אִמְרוּ־נָ֖א אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ הַגָּדוֹל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר מָ֧ה הַבִּטָּח֛וֹן הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ׃

36:5I say, say you, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?

האָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם עֵצָ֥ה וּגְבוּרָ֖ה לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה עַתָּה֙ עַל־מִ֣י בָטַ֔חְתָּ כִּ֥י מָרַ֖דְתָּ בִּֽי׃

36:6Lo, you trust in the staff of this broken reed, on Mitzrayim (Egypt); whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Par’oh (Pharaoh) king of Mitzrayim to all that trust in him.

והִנֵּ֣ה בָטַ֡חְתָּ עַל־מִשְׁעֶנֶת֩ הַקָּנֶ֨ה הָרָצ֤וּץ הַזֶּה֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ אִישׁ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבָ֥א בְכַפּ֖וֹ וּנְקָבָ֑הּ כֵּ֚ן פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְכָֽל־הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים עָלָֽיו׃

36:7But if you say to me, “We trust in Hashem our God”: is it not He, whose high places and whose altars Chizkiyahu has taken away, and said to Yehudah and to Yerushalayim, “You shall worship before this altar”?

זוְכִי־תֹאמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ בָּטָ֑חְנוּ הֲלוֹא־ה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵסִ֤יר חִזְקִיָּ֨הוּ֙ אֶת־בָּמֹתָ֣יו וְאֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֔יו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לִֽיהוּדָה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם לִפְנֵ֛י הַמִּזְבֵּ֥חַ הַזֶּ֖ה תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃

36:8Now therefore give pledges, I pray you, to my master the king of Ashur, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you be able on your part to set riders upon them.

חוְעַתָּה֙ הִתְעָ֣רֶב נָ֔א אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וְאֶתְּנָ֤ה לְךָ֙ אַלְפַּ֣יִם סוּסִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֕ל לָ֥תֶת לְךָ֖ רֹכְבִ֥ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

36:9How then will you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Mitzrayim for chariots and for horsemen?

טוְאֵ֣יךְ תָּשִׁ֗יב אֵ֠ת פְּנֵ֨י פַחַ֥ת אַחַ֛ד עַבְדֵ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י הַקְטַנִּ֑ים וַתִּבְטַ֤ח לְךָ֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְרֶ֖כֶב וּלְפָרָשִֽׁים׃

36:10And am I now come up without Hashem against this land to destroy it? Hashem said unto me, “Go up against this land, and destroy it.”’”

יוְעַתָּה֙ הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עָלִ֛יתִי עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֑הּ יְהוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י עֲלֵ֛ה אֶל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ׃

36:11Then said Elyakim and Shevna and Yo’ach unto Ravshakeh, “Speak, I pray you, unto your servants in Aramit (the Syrian language); for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews’ language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.”

יאוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶלְיָקִים֩ וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א וְיוֹאָ֜ח אֶל־רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ אֲרָמִ֔ית כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלֵ֨ינוּ֙ יְהוּדִ֔ית בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחוֹמָֽה׃

36:12But Ravshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own urine with you?”

יבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה הַאֶ֨ל אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ וְאֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲדֹנִ֔י לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה הֲלֹ֣א עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ עַל־הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה לֶאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת־צוֹאָתָ֗ם (כתיב חראיהם) וְלִשְׁתּ֛וֹת אֶת־מֵימֵ֥י רַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם (כתיב שיניהם) עִמָּכֶֽם׃

36:13Then Ravshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, “Hear you the words of the great king, the king of Ashur.

יגוַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְקוֹל־גָּד֖וֹל יְהוּדִ֑ית וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שִׁמְע֗וּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֛י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הַגָּד֖וֹל מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃

36:14Thus says the king, ‘Let not Chizkiyahu deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.

ידכֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אַל־יַשִּׁ֥א לָכֶ֖ם חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּ֥י לֹֽא־יוּכַ֖ל לְהַצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶֽם׃

36:15Neither let Chizkiyahu make you trust in Hashem, saying, “Hashem will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Ashur.”

טווְאַל־יַבְטַ֨ח אֶתְכֶ֤ם חִזְקִיָּ֨הוּ֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר הַצֵּ֥ל יַצִּילֵ֖נוּ יְהוָ֑ה לֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את בְּיַ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃

36:16Hearken not to Chizkiyahu: for thus says the king of Ashur, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat you every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink you every one the waters of his own cistern;

טזאַֽל־תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ ס כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֗וּר עֲשֽׂוּ־אִתִּ֤י בְרָכָה֙ וּצְא֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאִכְל֤וּ אִישׁ־גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְאִ֣ישׁ תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ וּשְׁת֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ מֵי־בוֹרֽוֹ׃

36:17Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

יזעַד־בֹּאִ֕י וְלָקַחְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּאַרְצְכֶ֑ם אֶ֤רֶץ דָּגָן֙ וְתִיר֔וֹשׁ אֶ֥רֶץ לֶ֖חֶם וּכְרָמִֽים׃

36:18Beware lest Chizkiyahu persuade you, saying, “Hashem will deliver us.” Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Ashur?

יחפֶּן־יַסִּ֨ית אֶתְכֶ֤ם חִזְקִיָּ֨הוּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהוָ֖ה יַצִּילֵ֑נוּ הַהִצִּ֜ילוּ אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אַרְצ֔וֹ מִיַּ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃

36:19Where are the gods of Chamat (Hamath) and Arpad (Arphad)? where are the gods of Sefarvayim (Sepharvaim)? and have they delivered Shomron (Samaria) out of my hand?

יטאַיֵּ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י חֲמָת֙ וְאַרְפָּ֔ד אַיֵּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י סְפַרְוָ֑יִם וְכִֽי־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־שֹׁמְר֖וֹן מִיָּדִֽי׃

36:20Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that Hashem should deliver Yerushalayim out of my hand?’”

כמִ֗י בְּכָל־אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָֽאֲרָצוֹת֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁר־הִצִּ֥ילוּ אֶת־אַרְצָ֖ם מִיָּדִ֑י כִּֽי־יַצִּ֧יל יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם מִיָּדִֽי׃

36:21But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, “Answer him not.”

כאוַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ וְלֹֽא־עָנ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ דָּבָ֑ר כִּֽי־מִצְוַ֨ת הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הִ֛יא לֵאמֹ֖ר לֹ֥א תַעֲנֻֽהוּ׃

36:22Then came Elyakim, the son of Chilkiyahu, that was over the household, and Shevna the scribe, and Yo’ach, the son of Asaf, the recorder, to Chizkiyahu with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Ravshakeh.

כבוַיָּבֹ֣א אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֣הוּ אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַ֠בַּיִת וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א הַסּוֹפֵ֜ר וְיוֹאָ֨ח בֶּן־אָסָ֧ף הַמַּזְכִּ֛יר אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ קְרוּעֵ֣י בְגָדִ֑ים וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י רַב־שָׁקֵֽה׃