2 Kings 18:36

Contemporary English Version

Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah had been warned by King Hezekiah not to answer the Assyrian commander. So they tore their clothes in sorrow and reported to Hezekiah everything the commander had said.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But the people kept silent; they did not answer him at all, for the king’s command was, “Don’t answer him.”

Hebrew Names Version
But the people held their shalom, and answered him not a word; for the king's mitzvah was, saying, Don't answer him.

King James Version
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

English Standard Version
But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."

New Century Version
The people were silent. They didn't answer the commander at all, because King Hezekiah had ordered, "Don't answer him."

New English Translation
The people were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, "Don't respond to him."

Amplified Bible
But the people kept silent and did not answer him, for the king had commanded, "Do not answer him."

New American Standard Bible
But the people were silent and did not answer him with even a word, because it was the king's command: "Do not answer him."

World English Bible
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying, Don't answer him.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But the people helde their peace, and answered not him a worde: for the Kings commandement was, saying, Answere ye him not.

Legacy Standard Bible
But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him."

Berean Standard Bible
But the people remained silent and did not answer a word, for Hezekiah had commanded, "Do not answer him."

Complete Jewish Bible
But the people kept still and didn't answer him so much as a word; for the king's order was, "Don't answer him."

Darby Translation
But the people were silent and answered him not a word; for the king's command was, saying, Answer him not.

Easy-to-Read Version
But the people were silent. They did not say a word to the commander, because King Hezekiah had commanded them, "Don't say anything to him."

George Lamsa Translation
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king had commanded, saying, Do not answer him.

Good News Translation
The people kept quiet, just as King Hezekiah had told them to; they did not say a word.

Lexham English Bible
The people were silent, and they did not answer him a word, for the command of that king was saying, "You shall not answer him."

Literal Translation
But the people kept silent and did not answer him a word, for the command of the king was, saying, Do not answer him.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As for the people, they helde their peace, and gaue him no answere: for the kynge had commaunded and sayde: Answere him nothinge.

American Standard Version
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

Bible in Basic English
But the people kept quiet and gave him no answer: for the king's order was, Give him no answer.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the people held their peace, and aunswered not him a word: for the king had commaunded, saying: Aunswere hym not.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying: 'Answer him not.'

King James Version (1611)
But the people helde their peace, and answered him not a word: for the kings commaundement was, saying, Answere him not.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But the men were silent, and answered him not a word: for there was a commandment of the king, saying, Ye shall not answer him.

English Revised Version
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the puple was stille, and answeride not ony thing to hym; for thei hadden take comaundement of the kyng, that thei schulden not answere to hym.

Young's Literal Translation
And the people have kept silent, and have not answered him a word, for the command of the king is, saying, `Do not answer him.'

Update Bible Version
But the people held their peace, and did not answer him a word; for the king's commandment was, saying, Don't answer him.

Webster's Bible Translation
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

New King James Version
But the people held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him."

New Living Translation
But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, "Do not answer him."

New Life Bible
But the people were quiet. They did not answer him a word. For Hezekiah had told them, "Do not answer him."

New Revised Standard
But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word, - for, the command of the king, it was, saying - Ye must not answer him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for they had received commandment from the king that they should not answer him.

Revised Standard Version
But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."

THE MESSAGE
The people were silent. No one spoke a word for the king had ordered, "Don't anyone say a word—not one word!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him."

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ The king of Assyria ordered his three highest military officers to leave Lachish and take a large army to Jerusalem. When they arrived, the officers stood on the road near the cloth makers' shops along the canal from the upper pool. ¹⁸ They called out to Hezekiah, and three of his highest officials came out to meet them. One of them was Hilkiah's son Eliakim, who was the prime minister. The other two were Shebna, assistant to the prime minister, and Joah son of Asaph, keeper of the government records. ¹⁹ One of the Assyrian commanders told them: I have a message for Hezekiah from the great king of Assyria. Ask Hezekiah why he feels so sure of himself. ²⁰ 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? ²¹ Is he depending on Egypt and its king? That's the same as leaning on a broken stick, and it will go right through his hand. ²² Is Hezekiah now depending on the Lord your God? Didn't Hezekiah tear down all except one of the Lord 's altars and places of worship? Didn't he tell the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship at that one place? ²³ The king of Assyria wants to make a bet with you people. He will give you two thousand horses, if you have enough troops to ride them. ²⁴ How could you even defeat our lowest ranking officer, when you have to depend on Egypt for chariots and cavalry? ²⁵ Don't forget that it was the Lord who sent me here with orders to destroy your nation! ²⁶ Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said, "Sir, we don't want the people listening from the city wall to understand what you are saying. So please speak to us in Aramaic instead of Hebrew."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

held their peace: Psalms 38:13, Psalms 38:14, Psalms 39:1, Proverbs 9:7, Proverbs 26:4, Amos 5:13, Matthew 7:6

Reciprocal: Proverbs 11:12 - a man

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 36. Answer him not. — The blasphemy is too barefaced; Jehovah is insulted, not you; let him avenge his own quarrel. See the 2 Kings 19:0.