The Meaning of Isaiah 36:10 Explained

Isaiah 36:10

KJV: And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

YLT: And now, without Jehovah have I come up against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said unto me, Go up unto this land, and thou hast destroyed it.'

Darby: And now am I come up without Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.

ASV: And am I now come up without Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And am I now come up  without  the LORD  against this land  to destroy  it? the LORD  said  unto me, Go up  against this land,  and destroy  it. 

What does Isaiah 36:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Perhaps the commander was referring to Isaiah 10:5-6, Isaiah"s prophecy that God would send Assyria against His people. Alternatively, he may have just been claiming divine authorization for Sennacherib"s invasion when there was none. It was not unusual for ancient Near Eastern conquerors to claim that the god of the invaded people had joined the invader. [1]
Hezekiah"s officials interrupted the commander when they heard this last unsettling claim.

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 36

1  Sennacherib invades Judah
2  Rabshakeh, sent by Sennacherib, solicits the people to revolt
22  His words are told to Hezekiah

What do the individual words in Isaiah 36:10 mean?

now have without Yahweh I come up against land this to destroy it Yahweh said to me go up against land and destroy it
וְעַתָּה֙ הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עָלִ֛יתִי עַל־ הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֑הּ יְהוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י עֲלֵ֛ה אֶל־ הָאָ֥רֶץ וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ

וְעַתָּה֙  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י  have  without 
Parse: Preposition, Preposition
Root: בַּלְעֲדֵי  
Sense: apart from, except, without, besides.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עָלִ֛יתִי  I  come  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָאָ֥רֶץ  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַזֹּ֖את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֑הּ  to  destroy  it 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אָמַ֣ר  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלַ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
עֲלֵ֛ה  go  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אֶל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָאָ֥רֶץ  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ  and  destroy  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.