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.
2 Kings 18:21 in other translations
| BSB | Look 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. |
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| WEB | Now, behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt. 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 on him. |
| ASV | Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon 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. |
| YLT | ‘Now, lo, thou hast trusted for thee on the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; which a man leaneth on, and it hath gone into his hand, and pierced it! --so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all those trusting on him. |
| DARBY | Now behold, thou reliest upon the staff of that broken reed, upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it goes into his hand and pierces it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that rely upon him. |
| BBE | See, now, you are basing your hope on that broken rod of Egypt, which will go through a man's hand if he makes use of it for a support; for so is Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to all who put their faith in him. |
| Webster | Now behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man leaneth, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him. |
What does 2 Kings 18:21 mean?
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 18:17-37
Rabshakeh tries to convince the Jews, that it was to no purpose for them to stand it out. What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? It were well if sinners would submit to the force of this argument, in seeking peace with God. It is, therefore, our wisdom to yield to him, because it is in vain to contend with him: what confidence is that which those trust in who stand out against him? A great deal of art there…
2 Kings 18:21 in the original Hebrew
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Cross references for 2 Kings 18:21
- Isaiah 30:7
For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.
- Ezekiel 29:6-7
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. When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand.
- Isaiah 30:2-3
That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
- 2 Kings 17:4
And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
- Isaiah 36:6
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.
- Isaiah 31:1-3
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.
- Jeremiah 46:17
They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- 2 Kings 18:20
Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
- 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.
- 2 Kings 18:22
But if ye say unto me, We trust in the Lord our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
2 Kings 18:21 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | He aquí tú confías ahora en este bordón de caña cascada, en Egipto, en el que si alguno se apoyare, entrarále por la mano, y se le pasará. Tal es Faraón rey de Egipto, para todos los que en él confían. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Or voici, tu te confies en ce bâton de roseau cassé, en l’Égypte, lequel, si quelqu’un s’appuie dessus, lui entre dans la main et la perce. Tel est le Pharaon, roi d’Égypte, pour tous ceux qui se confient en lui. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Nun, siehe, du vertraust auf jenen geknickten Rohrstab, auf Ägypten, der, wenn jemand sich auf ihn stützt, ihm in die Hand fährt und sie durchbohrt. So ist der Pharao, der König von Ägypten, allen, die auf ihn vertrauen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | an speras in baculo arundineo atque confracto Ægypto, super quem, si incubuerit homo, comminutus ingredietur manum ejus, et perforabit eam? sic est Pharao rex Ægypti omnibus qui confidunt in se. |