The Meaning of Isaiah 36:9 Explained

Isaiah 36:9

KJV: How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

YLT: And how dost thou turn back the face of one captain of the least of the servants of my lord, and dost trust for thee on Egypt, for chariot and for horsemen?

Darby: How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants? And thou reliest upon Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!

ASV: How then canst thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

How then wilt thou turn away  the face  of one  captain  of the least  of my master's  servants,  and put thy trust  on Egypt  for chariots  and for horsemen? 

What does Isaiah 36:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Judeans did not have enough strength to repulse even a minor Assyrian officer or enough soldiers to man the horses and chariots that they were looking to Egypt to supply.

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 36:9 mean?

Then how will you repel - the face captain of one servants of my master the least and put trust your in Egypt for chariots and horsemen
וְאֵ֣יךְ תָּשִׁ֗יב אֵ֠ת פְּנֵ֨י פַחַ֥ת אַחַ֛ד עַבְדֵ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י הַקְטַנִּ֑ים וַתִּבְטַ֤ח לְךָ֙ עַל־ מִצְרַ֔יִם לְרֶ֖כֶב ؟ וּלְפָרָשִֽׁים

וְאֵ֣יךְ  Then  how 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: אֵיךְ 
Sense: how? interj.
תָּשִׁ֗יב  will  you  repel 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֵ֠ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פְּנֵ֨י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
פַחַ֥ת  captain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּחָה  
Sense: governor.
אַחַ֛ד  of  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
עַבְדֵ֥י  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
אֲדֹנִ֖י  of  my  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הַקְטַנִּ֑ים  the  least 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: קָטָן 
Sense: young, small, insignificant, unimportant.
וַתִּבְטַ֤ח  and  put  trust 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּטוּחַ 
Sense: to trust.
לְךָ֙  your 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
מִצְרַ֔יִם  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
לְרֶ֖כֶב  for  chariots 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶכֶב  
Sense: a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders.
؟ וּלְפָרָשִֽׁים  and  horsemen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פָּרָשׁ 
Sense: horse, steed, warhorse.