2 Kings 18:21
New International Version
Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.

New Living Translation
On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!

English Standard Version
Behold, you are trusting now in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

New American Standard Bible
Now behold, you have relied on the support of this broken reed, on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. That is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who rely on him.

NASB 1995
“Now behold, you rely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.

NASB 1977
“Now behold, you rely on the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now behold, you trust in the staff of this crushed reed, even on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Amplified Bible
Now pay attention: you are relying on Egypt, on that staff of crushed reed; if a man leans on it, it will only go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust and rely on him.

Christian Standard Bible
Now look, you are relying on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who grabs it and leans on it. This is what Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who rely on him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look, you are now trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will enter and pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. This is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who trust in him.

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Behold, you have trusted on a support of a broken reed, on an Egyptian, upon which a man having leaned, it went into his hand and pierced him. So is Pharaoh, King of Egypt, to all whoever trust upon him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
See now, art thou trusting for thyself on this broken staff of reed, even upon Egypt? whosoever shall stay himself upon it, it shall even go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharao king of Egypt to all that trust on him.

Contemporary English Version
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Dost thou trust in Egypt a staff of a broken reed, upon which if a man lean, it will break and go into his hand, and pierce it? so is Pharao king of Egypt, to all that trust in him.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Now, look! When you trust Egypt, you're trusting a broken stick for a staff. If you lean on it, it stabs your hand and goes through it. This is what Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) is like for everyone who trusts him.

Good News Translation
You are expecting Egypt to help you, but that would be like using a reed as a walking stick--it would break and jab your hand. That is what the king of Egypt is like when anyone relies on him."

International Standard Version
Look, you're trusting on Egypt to lean on like a staff, but it's a crushed reed, and if you lean on it, it will collapse and pierce your hand. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is just like that to everyone who relies on him!

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Literal Standard Version
Now behold, you have trusted for yourself on the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; which a man leans on, and it has gone into his hand and pierced it! So [is] Pharaoh king of Egypt to all those trusting on him.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

New American Bible
Do you trust in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it? That is what Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is to all who trust in him.

NET Bible
Now look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If a man leans for support on it, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him.

New Revised Standard Version
See, you are relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.

New Heart English Bible
Now, look, 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
20You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me? 21Look 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. 22But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is He not the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem: ‘You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?…

Cross References
Isaiah 1:1
This is the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah 20:5
Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed.

Isaiah 30:2
They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh's protection and take refuge in Egypt's shade.

Isaiah 30:3
But Pharaoh's protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt's shade your disgrace.

Jeremiah 46:2
concerning Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah:

Ezekiel 29:6
Then all the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD. For you were only a staff of reeds to the house of Israel.

Ezekiel 29:7
When Israel took hold of you with their hands, you splintered, tearing all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke, and their backs were wrenched.


Treasury of Scripture

Now, behold, you trust on the staff of this bruised reed, even on Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him.

trustest.

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.

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…

upon Egypt.

Isaiah 30:2,7
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! …

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! …

so is Pharaoh.

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.

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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Basing Broken Bruised Crushed Depend Depending Egypt Hand Lean Pharaoh Pierce Pierces Reed Rely Relying Rod Splintered Staff Trust Trustest Whereon Wounds
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Basing Broken Bruised Crushed Depend Depending Egypt Hand Lean Pharaoh Pierce Pierces Reed Rely Relying Rod Splintered Staff Trust Trustest Whereon Wounds
2 Kings 18
1. Hezekiah's good reign
4. He destroys idolatry, and prospers
9. The inhabitants of Samaria are carried captive for their sins
13. Sennacherib invading Judah, is pacified by a tribute
17. Rabshakeh, by blasphemous persuasions, solicits the people to revolt














(21) The staff of this bruised reed.--Cracked or flawed would be better than bruised; because, as is clear from the following words, the idea is that of a reed splitting and piercing the hand that rests upon it. (Comp. Isaiah 42:3.) As to the Judaean expectations from Egypt, comp. Isaiah 20:1-5; Isaiah 30:1-8; Isaiah 31:1-4, passages in which such expectations are denounced as implying want of faith in Jehovah.

Verse 21. - Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt. Sennacherib had good information. Hezekiah's embassy to Egypt (Isaiah 30:2-7) was known to him; and he rightly judged that Hezekiah was expecting aid from this quarter. This expectation he ridicules. What is Egypt but a "bruised reed"? The Nile bulrush (רצץ) has a goodly show; it rears itself aloft, and leeks strong and stately; but use it as a staff, lean upon it, and it snaps at once. Such is Pharaoh - nay, he is worse; he is a bruised reed, which can give no support at all, even for a moment. The Assyrian monarch was justified in his contempt. Egypt had never yet given any effectual support to the states attacked by Assyria Shebek gave no manner of aid to Hoshea, but allowed Samaria to be conquered in B.C. 722 without making the slightest effort on her behalf. In B.C. 720 he came to the aid of Gaza ('Eponym Canon,' p. 126), but Gaza was captured notwithstanding. In B.C. 711 either he or Sabatok undertook the protection of Ashdod, but with the same lack of success (ibid., pp. 130, 131). "Kings of Egypt" assisted the Ascalonites against Sennacherib himself in B.C. 701, and were again completely defeated (ibid., pp. 133, 134). Sargon calls the King of Egypt, whoso aid was invited by the Ashdedites (ibid., p. 130, line 37), "a monarch who could not save them." On which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it; i.e. trust in Egypt will not only bring a country no advantage, but it will bring positive injury. The sharp siliceous casing of a reed might run into the hand and give an ugly wound. So is Pharaoh King of Egypt unto all that trust on him. Sargon in one place (ibid., p. 130, line 36) speaks of a King of Egypt under the title of "Pharaoh."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Look
הִנֵּ֣ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

now,
עַתָּ֡ה (‘at·tāh)
Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

you are trusting
בָטַ֣חְתָּ (ḇā·ṭaḥ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 982: To trust, be confident, sure

in
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Egypt,
מִצְרַ֔יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

that splintered
הָרָצ֤וּץ (hā·rā·ṣūṣ)
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 7533: To crack in pieces

reed
הַקָּנֶ֨ה (haq·qā·neh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7070: A reed, a, rod, shaft, tube, stem, the radius, beam

of a staff
מִשְׁעֶנֶת֩ (miš·‘e·neṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4938: Support, sustenance, a walking-stick

that will pierce
וּנְקָבָ֑הּ (ū·nə·qā·ḇāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5344: To puncture

the hand
בְכַפּ֖וֹ (ḇə·ḵap·pōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3709: Hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot), a pan

of anyone
אִישׁ֙ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

who
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

leans
יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ (yis·sā·mêḵ)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5564: To prop, to lean upon, take hold of

on it.
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Such is
כֵּ֚ן (kên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

Pharaoh
פַּרְעֹ֣ה (par·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Egypt
מִצְרַ֔יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

to all
לְכָֽל־ (lə·ḵāl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who trust
הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים (hab·bō·ṭə·ḥîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 982: To trust, be confident, sure

in him.
עָלָ֔יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT History: 2 Kings 18:21 Now behold you trust on the staff (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 18:20
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