Isaiah 36:5
New International Version
You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?

New Living Translation
Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?

English Standard Version
Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me?

Berean Standard Bible
You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me?

King James Bible
I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

New King James Version
I say you speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. Now in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?

New American Standard Bible
I say, ‘Your plan and strength for the war are only empty words.’ Now on whom have you relied, that you have revolted against me?

NASB 1995
“I say, ‘Your counsel and strength for the war are only empty words.’ Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me?

NASB 1977
“I say, ‘Your counsel and strength for the war are only empty words.’ Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me?

Legacy Standard Bible
I say, ‘Your counsel and might for the war are only empty words.’ Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

Amplified Bible
I say, ‘Your plan and strength for the war are only empty words.’ Now in whom do you trust and on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me?

Christian Standard Bible
You think mere words are strategy and strength for war. Who are you now relying on that you have rebelled against me?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I say that your strategy and military preparedness are mere words. What are you now relying on that you have rebelled against me?

American Standard Version
I say, thy counsel and strength for the war are but vain words: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And you have said that there is among you speaking of the lips and counsel and might for battle. Now, on whom have you trusted that you have rebelled against me?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Is war carried on with counsel and mere words of the lips? and now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

Contemporary English Version
Does he think he can plan and win a war with nothing but words? Who is going to help him, now that he has turned against the king of Assyria?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Or with what counsel or strength dost thou prepare for war? on whom dost thou trust, that thou art revolted from me?

English Revised Version
I say, thy counsel and strength for the war are but vain words: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You give useless advice about getting ready for war. Whom, then, do you trust for support in your rebellion against me?

Good News Translation
He demanded, "Do you think that words can take the place of military skill and might? Who do you think will help you rebel against Assyria?

International Standard Version
Do you really think that guarantees alone can withstand strategy and military strength? On whom are you now depending, that you're rebelling against me?

JPS Tanakh 1917
I said: It is but vain words; for counsel and strength are for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

Literal Standard Version
I have said, Only a word of the lips! Counsel and might [are] for battle. Now, on whom have you trusted, that you have rebelled against me?

Majority Standard Bible
You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me?

New American Bible
Do you think mere words substitute for strategy and might in war? In whom, then, do you place your trust, that you rebel against me?

NET Bible
Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk. In whom are you trusting, that you would dare to rebel against me?

New Revised Standard Version
Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me?

New Heart English Bible
Do you think that empty words are strategy and power for war? Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

Webster's Bible Translation
I say, sayest thou (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

World English Bible
I say that your counsel and strength for the war are only vain words. Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

Young's Literal Translation
I have said: Only, a word of the lips! counsel and might are for battle: now, on whom hast thou trusted, that thou hast rebelled against me?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
4The Rabshakeh said to them, “Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours? 5You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me? 6Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.…

Cross References
2 Kings 18:7
And the LORD was with Hezekiah, and he prospered wherever he went. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to serve him.

2 Kings 18:20
You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me?


Treasury of Scripture

I 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?

vain words.

Proverbs 21:30,31
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD…

Proverbs 24:5,6
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength…

that

2 Kings 18:7
And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.

2 Kings 24:1
In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.

Nehemiah 2:19,20
But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? …

Jump to Previous
Authority Battle Counsel Depending Design Empty Lips Mere Military Power Rebelled Rebellest Rely Revolted Speak Strategy Strength Support Think Trust Trusted Vain War Word Words
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Authority Battle Counsel Depending Design Empty Lips Mere Military Power Rebelled Rebellest Rely Revolted Speak Strategy Strength Support Think Trust Trusted Vain War Word Words
Isaiah 36
1. Sennacherib invades Judah
2. Rabshakeh, sent by Sennacherib, solicits the people to revolt
22. His words are told to Hezekiah














(5, 6) I have counsel and strength for war . . .--Reports of Hezekiah's speech. probably also of his negotiations with Egypt, had reached the ears of the Assyrian king. So Sennacherib. in his inscriptions, speaks of "the king of Egypt as a monarch who could not save those who trusted in him" (Smith, Assyrian Canon). The Pharaoh in this case was Shabatoka, or Sabaco II., the father of the Tir-hakah of Isa xxxvii 9, one of the Ethiopian dynasty that reigned in Egypt from B.C. 725-665.

Verse 5. - I say. In 2 Kings 18:20 we read, "Thou sayest" for "I say," which gives a better sense. Dr. Kay holds the two forms to be "complementary." I have counsel and strength for war. Either the words of Hezekiah had been reported to Sennacherib, or he rightly divined Hezekiah's thoughts. It was, no doubt, in reliance on the "counsel" of Eliakim and the "strength" of Egypt that the Jewish monarch had a second time provoked his suzerain.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You claim
אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ (’ā·mar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

[to have] a strategy
עֵצָ֥ה (‘ê·ṣāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6098: Advice, plan, prudence

and strength
וּגְבוּרָ֖ה (ū·ḡə·ḇū·rāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1369: Force, valor, victory

for war,
לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה (lam·mil·ḥā·māh)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

but
אַךְ־ (’aḵ-)
Adverb
Strong's 389: A particle of affirmation, surely

[these are] empty
דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

words.
שְׂפָתַ֔יִם (śə·p̄ā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

On
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

whom
מִ֣י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

are you now
עַתָּה֙ (‘at·tāh)
Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

relying,
בָטַ֔חְתָּ (ḇā·ṭaḥ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 982: To trust, be confident, sure

that
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you have rebelled
מָרַ֖דְתָּ (mā·raḏ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4775: To rebel

against me?
בִּֽי׃ (bî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 36:5 I say that your counsel and strength (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 36:4
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