Isaiah 36:14-18

14-18. Special pleading begins here against Hezekiah’s influence; also, so far forth, against the people’s fealty to Jehovah. Striking down one makes both to fall.

Make an agreement He calls upon them to come to pleasant terms with him, to make a blessing, probably a mutual blessing; (so the original;) that is, to leave Hezekiah, ignore his assurances of divine aid and deliverance from the great king’s power, choose sustenance from figs and oil and wine and wholesome water, outside the walls, rather than the revolting extremities of a siege and famine inside. Prepare also to go to a similar land of plenty beyond the great river Euphrates. Until I come, means his return from conquering Egypt. He is now at Lachish, subduing that outpost and others lying in the way of his advance upon Egypt. His confidence that he can break Egypt to pieces, like the reeds of her river banks, seems now as strong as his purpose to do so. This accomplished, his purpose is to overthrow the government at Jerusalem and to transport the people, as Israel had been, to Assyria. This device of Rabshakeh is apparently to reconcile the Jews toward this probable result.