The Meaning of Isaiah 36:21 Explained

Isaiah 36:21

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

YLT: And they keep silent, and have not answered him a word, for a command of the king is, saying, 'Do not answer him.'

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Isaiah 36:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The people listening to this invitation did not respond out loud because Hezekiah commanded them to remain silent.
How would the Judeans respond to this blasphemous challenge? How they did, determined their destiny-not only at that moment, but for years to come.

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 36:21 mean?

but they held their peace and not answered him a word for commandment of the king was saying not do answer him
וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ וְלֹֽא־ עָנ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ דָּבָ֑ר כִּֽי־ מִצְוַ֨ת הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ הִ֛יא לֵאמֹ֖ר לֹ֥א תַעֲנֻֽהוּ

וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ  but  they  held  their  peace 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָרַשׁ 
Sense: to cut in, plough, engrave, devise.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
עָנ֥וּ  answered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
דָּבָ֑ר  a  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
מִצְוַ֨ת  commandment 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לֵאמֹ֖ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תַעֲנֻֽהוּ  do  answer  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.