Bible/Isaiah/36

Isaiah 36:6

36:5 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? vain: Heb. a word of lips I have: or, but counsel and strength are for the war
Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

KJV

Save image

Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt, which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

See, you trust in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; where on if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

36:7 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?

What does Isaiah 36:6 mean?

Isaiah 36:6 is a verse in the book of Isaiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include בָּטַח (bâṭach), מִשְׁעֵנָה (mishʻênâh), רָצַץ (râtsats).

Hebrew interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
Lo,
thou
trustestבָּטַחbâṭach/baw-takh'/H982figuratively, to trust, be confident or sure
in
the
staffמִשְׁעֵנָהmishʻênâh/mish-ay-naw'/H4938support (abstractly), i.e. (figuratively) sustenance or (concretely) a walking-stick
of
this
brokenרָצַץrâtsats/raw-tsats'/H7533to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively
reed,קָנֶהqâneh/kaw-neh'/H7070a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod (especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of the arm), beam (of a steelyard)
on
Egypt;מִצְרַיִםMitsrayim/mits-rah'-yim/H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt
whereon
if
a
manאִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
lean,סָמַךְçâmak/saw-mak'/H5564to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense)
it
will
goבּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/H935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
into
his
hand,כַּףkaph/kaf/H3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power
and
pierceנָקַבnâqab/naw-kab'/H5344to puncture, literally (to perforate, with more or less violence) or figuratively (to specify, designate, libel)
it:
so
is
PharaohפַּרְעֹהParʻôh/par-o'/H6547Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings
kingמֶלֶךְmelek/meh'-lek/H4428a king
of
EgyptמִצְרַיִםMitsrayim/mits-rah'-yim/H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt
to
all
that
trustבָּטַחbâṭach/baw-takh'/H982figuratively, to trust, be confident or sure
in
him.

Topics

Reed

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Isaiah 36:6.

2 Kings 18:21

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. trustest: Heb. trustest thee

Ezekiel 29:6

And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.

Genesis 12:11

And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

Genesis 12:14

And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

Genesis 13:10

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

Isaiah 42:3

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. smoking: or, dimly burning quench: Heb. quench it

Frequently asked questions

What does Isaiah 36:6 say?

Isaiah 36:6 (King James Version) reads: "Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him."

Is Isaiah 36:6 in the Old or New Testament?

Isaiah 36:6 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.

Reflect

As you read Isaiah 36:6, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Isaiah 36:6 →
← 36:5Read all of Isaiah 3636:7 →