Isaiah 36:21

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."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But they kept silent; they didn’t say anything, for the king’s command was, “Don’t answer him.”

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

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

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

New American Standard Bible
But they were silent and did not answer him so much as 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."

Amplified Bible
But they kept silent and did not say a word to him in reply, for King Hezekiah's command was, "Do not answer him."

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

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then they kept silence, and answered him not a worde: for the Kings commandement was, saying, Answere him not.

Legacy Standard Bible
But they 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."

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.

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

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

George Lamsa Translation
But they 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
But they were silent and did not answer him a word, for the command of the king was, "You must not answer him."

Literal Translation
But they were silent, and did not answer him a word; for this was the king's order, saying, Do not answer him.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Vnto this, Ezechias messaungers helde their tunges, and answered not one worde: for the kinge had charged them, that they shulde geue him none answere.

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

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

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

King James Version (1611)
But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the Kings commandement was, saying; Answere him not.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Unto this Hezekias messengers helde their tongues, and aunswered not one worde: for the kyng had charged them that they should geue him no aunswere.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they were silent, and none answered him a word; because the king had commanded that none should answer.

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

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei weren stille, and answeriden not to hym a word. For whi the kyng comaundide to hem, and seide, Answere ye not to him.

Update Bible Version
But they 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 they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

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

New King James Version
But they 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 they were quiet and did not answer him. For the king had told them, "Do not answer him."

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

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But they 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
And they held their peace, and answered him not a word. For the king had commanded, saying: Answer him not.

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

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

THE MESSAGE
The three men were silent. They said nothing, for the king had already commanded, "Don't answer him."

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

Contextual Overview

¹¹ Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the commander, "Please, speak to us in Hebrew. We understand that language. Don't speak to us in the language of Judah. If you use our language, the people on the city walls will understand you." ¹² But the commander said, "My master sent me to speak to everyone, not just to you and your master. I must also speak to those people sitting there on the wall. When we surround your city, they will suffer too. Like you, they will become so hungry they will eat their own waste and drink their own urine!" ¹³ Then the commander, shouting loudly in Hebrew, gave this warning to them all: Hear this message from the great king, the king of Assyria! ¹⁴ This is what the king says: Don't let Hezekiah fool you! He cannot save you from my power. ¹⁵ Don't listen to him when he tells you to trust in the Lord . Don't believe him when he says, "The Lord will save us. He will not let the king of Assyria defeat the city." ¹⁶ Don't listen to Hezekiah! This is what the king of Assyria says: Come out here and show me that you want peace. Then you will all be free to have grapes from your own vines, figs from your own trees, and water from your own well. ¹⁷ After some time, I will come and take you to a land like your own. In that new land, you will have plenty of grain for making bread and vineyards for producing wine. ¹⁸ Don't believe Hezekiah when he tells you, "The Lord will save us." He is wrong. Did any of the gods of other nations save their land from the king of Assyria? ¹⁹ When I destroyed the cities of Hamath and Arpad, where were their gods? What about the gods of Sepharvaim? Were any gods able to save Samaria from my power? ²⁰ None of the gods of these other places were able to save their land from me! So why do you think the Lord can save Jerusalem from me?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

2 Kings 18:26, 2 Kings 18:37, Psalms 38:13-15, Psalms 39:1, Proverbs 9:7, Proverbs 26:4, Amos 5:13, Matthew 7:6

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 10:27 - he held his peace 1 Samuel 25:12 - came Proverbs 23:9 - Speak Ecclesiastes 3:7 - time to keep

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But they held their peace, and answered him not a word,.... The three ministers of Hezekiah; not as confounded, and unable to return an answer: they were capable of saying many things in proof that the Lord God was greater than the gods of the nations, and in favour of their king, Hezekiah, whom he had treated in a scurrilous manner; and could have objected to him the king of Assyria's breach of faith and honour, but these things they waved, and said nothing of; no doubt they said something to him, had some conference with him, or otherwise what were they sent as commissioners about? but they made no answer to his blasphemies and menaces:

for the king's commandment was, saying, answer him not: with respect to the above things; when he sent them, he might be aware that he would behave in such a rude, insolent, and blaspheming manner, and therefore the king gave them instructions how to conduct themselves, should this be the case. Musculus thinks the king was on the wall, and heard all himself, and gave orders to his ministers to make no reply; but this does not seem likely; what is here said of the ministers is also said of the people, 2 Kings 18:36.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But they held their peace - Hezekiah had commanded them not to answer. They were simply to hear what Rabshakeh had to propose, and to report to him, that he might decide on what course to pursue. It was a case also in which it was every way proper that they should be silent. There was so much insolence, self-confidence, blasphemy, the proposals were so degrading, and the claims were so arrogant, that it was not proper that they should enter into conference, or listen a moment to the terms proposed. Their minds also were so horror-stricken with the language of insolence and blasphemy, and their hearts so pained by the circumstances of the city, that they would not feel like replying to him. There are circumstances when it is proper to maintain a profound silence in the presence of revilers and blasphemers, and when we should withdraw from them, and go and spread the case before the Lord. This was done here Isaiah 37:1, and the result showed that this was the course of wisdom.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 36:21. But they held their peace - "But the people held their peace"] The word העם haam, the people, is supplied from the other copy, and is authorized by a MS. which inserts it after אתו otho.