2 Kings 18:31
New International Version
“Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern,

New Living Translation
“Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: Make peace with me—open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well.

English Standard Version
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern,

Berean Standard Bible
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and drink water from his own cistern,

King James Bible
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:

New King James Version
Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern;

New American Standard Bible
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat, each one, from his vine and each from his fig tree, and drink, each one, the waters of his own cistern,

NASB 1995
‘Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern,

NASB 1977
‘Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern,

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern,

Amplified Bible
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: “Surrender to me and come out to [meet] me, and every man may eat from his own vine and fig tree, and every man may drink the waters of his own well,

Christian Standard Bible
“Don’t listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: ‘Make peace with me and surrender to me. Then each of you may eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and each may drink water from his own cistern

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: ‘Make peace with me and surrender to me. Then every one of you may eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and every one may drink water from his own cistern

American Standard Version
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;

Contemporary English Version
Stop listening to Hezekiah! Pay attention to my king. Surrender to him. He will let you keep your own vineyards, fig trees, and cisterns

English Revised Version
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't listen to Hezekiah, because this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me! Come out and give yourselves up to me! Everyone will eat from his own grapevine and fig tree and drink from his own cistern.

Good News Translation
Don't listen to Hezekiah. The emperor of Assyria commands you to come out of the city and surrender. You will all be allowed to eat grapes from your own vines and figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells--

International Standard Version
Don't listen to Hezekiah, because this is what the king of Assyria says: "Make peace with me and come out to me! Each of you will eat from his own vine. Each will eat from his own fig tree. And each of you will drink water from his own cistern

Majority Standard Bible
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and drink water from his own cistern,

NET Bible
Don't listen to Hezekiah!' For this is what the king of Assyria says, 'Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me. Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,

New Heart English Bible
Do not listen to Hezekiah.' For thus says the king of Assyria, 'Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and everyone of you eat of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and everyone drink the waters of his own cistern;

Webster's Bible Translation
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:

World English Bible
Don’t listen to Hezekiah.’ For the king of Assyria says, ‘Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and everyone of you eat from his own vine, and everyone from his own fig tree, and everyone drink water from his own cistern;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus said the king of Asshur: Make a blessing with me, and come out to me, and each eat of his vine, and each [eat] of his fig tree, and each drink the waters of his own well,

Young's Literal Translation
'Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for thus said the king of Asshur, Make with me a blessing, and come out unto me, and eat ye each of his vine, and each of his fig-tree, and drink ye each the waters of his own well,

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall not hear to Hezekiah: for thus said the king of Assur, Make me a gift, and come forth to me, and eat ye a man his vine and a man his fig tree, and drink ye a man water of his well,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Do not hearken to Ezechias. For thus saith the king of the Assyrians: Do with me that which is for your advantage, and come out to me: and every man of you shall eat of his own vineyard, and of his own fig tree: and you shall drink water of your own cisterns,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do not choose to listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of the Assyrians: Do with me what is for your own good, and come out to me. And each one of you will eat from his own vine, and from his own fig tree. And you shall drink water from your own wells,

New American Bible
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: Make peace with me, and surrender to me! Eat, each of you, from your vine, each from your own fig tree. Drink water, each from your own well,

New Revised Standard Version
Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me; then every one of you will eat from your own vine and your own fig tree, and drink water from your own cistern,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Do not hearken to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat every one of you of his own vine and of his own fig tree and drink every one the waters of his own cistern,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You will not hear Hezekiah, for thus says the King of Assyria: “Make a blessing with me and go out with me, and a man will eat his grapes and a man his figs, and a man will drink the waters of his well.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Hearken not to Hezekiah; for thus saith the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
for thus says the king of the Assyrians, Gain my favour, and come forth to me, and every man shall drink of the wine of his own vine, and every man shall eat of his own fig-tree, and shall drink water out of his own cistern;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
30Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ 31Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and drink water from his own cistern, 32until I come and take you away to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey—so that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, for he misleads you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’…

Cross References
Isaiah 36:16
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and drink water from his own cistern,

Jeremiah 29:5-7
“Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce. / Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. / Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Deuteronomy 8:7-9
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills; / a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; / a land where you will eat food without scarcity, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and whose hills are ready to be mined for copper.

Isaiah 7:22
and from the abundance of milk they give, he will eat curds; for all who remain in the land will eat curds and honey.

Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

Ezekiel 36:29-30
I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine upon you. / I will also make the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field plentiful, so that you will no longer bear reproach among the nations on account of famine.

Genesis 49:11-12
He ties his donkey to the vine, his colt to the choicest branch. He washes his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. / His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.

1 Kings 4:25
Throughout the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel dwelt securely from Dan to Beersheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree.

Micah 4:4
And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken.

Zechariah 3:10
On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, you will each invite your neighbor to sit under your own vine and fig tree.’”

Matthew 6:31-33
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ / For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. / But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

John 4:13-14
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. / But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”

John 6:27
Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. / Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. / For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”


Treasury of Scripture

Listen not to Hezekiah: for thus said the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat you every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink you every one the waters of his cistern:

Make an agreement with me.

Genesis 32:20
And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

Genesis 33:11
Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.

Proverbs 18:16
A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

eat ye.

1 Kings 4:20,25
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry…

Zechariah 3:10
In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

cistern.

Jump to Previous
Agreement Assyria Cistern Drink Eat Fig Fig-Tree Hearken Hezekiah Peace Present Tree Vine Waters
Jump to Next
Agreement Assyria Cistern Drink Eat Fig Fig-Tree Hearken Hezekiah Peace Present Tree Vine Waters
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














Do not listen to Hezekiah
This phrase is a direct command from the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, attempting to undermine the authority of King Hezekiah of Judah. The Hebrew root for "listen" is "שָׁמַע" (shama), which means to hear, listen, or obey. In the biblical context, listening often implies obedience and allegiance. The Assyrian king is trying to sow doubt and rebellion among the people of Judah by urging them not to obey their God-appointed leader, Hezekiah, who is known for his faithfulness to Yahweh.

for this is what the king of Assyria says
This phrase introduces the authority of the Assyrian king, who was one of the most powerful rulers of the time. Historically, Assyria was a dominant empire known for its military prowess and brutal conquests. The king's words are meant to intimidate and coerce the people of Judah into submission. The Assyrian king's message contrasts with the divine authority that Hezekiah represents, highlighting the spiritual battle between earthly power and divine promise.

Make peace with me
The phrase "make peace" comes from the Hebrew "בְּרָכָה" (berakah), which can mean blessing or treaty. The Assyrian king is offering a false sense of security, suggesting that peace can be achieved through submission to his rule. This is a deceptive offer, as true peace in the biblical sense is found in obedience to God, not in compromising with oppressive powers.

and come out to me
This invitation to "come out" implies surrender and submission. The Hebrew root "יָצָא" (yatsa) means to go out or come forth. The Assyrian king is calling the people to abandon their fortified city and their trust in God, to physically and spiritually step out from under God's protection and into the hands of their enemies.

Then each of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree
This promise of prosperity is a common biblical metaphor for peace and security (see Micah 4:4). The vine and fig tree symbolize agricultural abundance and personal well-being. However, the Assyrian king's promise is hollow, as true prosperity in the biblical narrative is tied to covenant faithfulness to God, not to submission to foreign powers.

and drink water from his own cistern
Water is a vital resource in the arid climate of the Near East, and having one's own cistern signifies self-sufficiency and stability. The Hebrew word for cistern, "בּוֹר" (bor), can also mean pit or well. The Assyrian king's promise is an attempt to lure the people with the illusion of self-reliance, yet it is a false assurance, as true security comes from reliance on God.

(31) Make an agreement with me by a present.--Literally, make with me a blessing, i.e. (according to the Targum and Syriac), "make peace with me." The phrase does not elsewhere occur. Perhaps it is grounded on the fact that the conclusion of peace was generally accompanied by mutual expressions of goodwill. (Gesenius says peace is a conception akin to blessing, weal.)

Come out to me.--From behind your walls; surrender (1Samuel 11:3; Jeremiah 21:9).

And then eat ye.--Omit then. The country-folk who had taken refuge in Jerusalem are invited to return to their farms, and dwell in peace, "until Sennacherib has brought his Egyptian campaign to a close; then, no doubt, they will be removed from their home, but a new home will be given them equal to the old" (Cheyne). We might, however, render, according to a well-known Hebrew idiom, so shall ye eat, every man of his own vine, &c., i.e., If ye surrender at once, no harm shall befall you; but ye shall enjoy your own land, until I remove you to a better. (Comp. 1Kings 5:5.) Thenius denies the reference to the Egyptian campaign, and makes Sennacherib pose as a father who wishes to make the necessary preparations for the reception of his dear children (!).

Verse 31. - Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the King of Assyria. Rabshakeh, before concluding, tries the effect of blandishments. The King of Assyria is no harsh lord, as he has been represented to them. He will be a kinder master than Hezekiah. Hezekiah condemns them to all the hardships of a siege; and then, if they survive it, to a wasted land, ruined homes, broken cisterns. Sennacherib, if they will but yield to him, promises them peace and prosperity, a time of quiet enjoyment in their own land, and then removal to another equally good, where they will "live and not die," be happy and not miserable. It will be observed that none but material inducements are held out to them. They are expected to barter freedom, independence, religious privileges, country, home, for the sake of creature comforts - for ease, quiet, and security. Setting aside the question whether they could count on the performance of the promises made them, it will be felt that they did well not to be tempted. Better vigorous national life, with any amount of hardship, struggle, and suffering, than the gilded chains of the most peaceful servitude. Make an agreement with me by a present - rather, make peace with me, or "make terms with me" (Knobel, Thenius, Keil, Bahr); in other words, give in your submission - and come out to me; i.e. quit the town, surrender it (see 1 Samuel 11:3; Jeremiah 21:9; Jeremiah 38:17), place yourselves at my mercy, "and then" see what great things I will do for you." The tone, as Bahr says, is one of "wheedling" and cajolement. And then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree. Proverbial expressions for a peaceful, happy time (see 1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10), when there are no inroads, no ravages, no disturbances. Rabshakeh promises, in the name of Sennacherib, that they shall rest in their own land for a term - an indefinite term - in a blissful state of peace and quietness before any new resolution is taken about them. And drink ye every one the waters of his cistern; rather, of his well (בר). Every man who had a field or a vineyard was sure to have a well in it. Cisterns for the storage of rain-water were comparatively uncommon.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
אַֽל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

listen
תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ (tiš·mə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Hezekiah,
חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ (ḥiz·qî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2396: Hezekiah -- 'Yah has strengthened', a king of Judah, also several other Israelites

for
כִּי֩ (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

this is what
כֹ֨ה (ḵōh)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

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

of Assyria
אַשּׁ֗וּר (’aš·šūr)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 804: Ashshur

says:
אָמַ֜ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

Make
עֲשֽׂוּ־ (‘ă·śū-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

peace
בְרָכָה֙ (ḇə·rā·ḵāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1293: Benediction, prosperity

with me
אִתִּ֤י (’it·tî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

and come out
וּצְא֣וּ (ū·ṣə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

to me.
אֵלַ֔י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Then every one of you
אִישׁ־ (’îš-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

will eat
וְאִכְל֤וּ (wə·’iḵ·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 398: To eat

from his own vine
גַּפְנוֹ֙ (gap̄·nōw)
Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1612: A vine, the grape

his own fig tree,
תְּאֵֽנָת֔וֹ (tə·’ê·nā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8384: Of foreign derivation, the fig

[and]
וְאִ֣ישׁ (wə·’îš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

drink
וּשְׁת֖וּ (ū·šə·ṯū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8354: To imbibe

water
מֵֽי־ (mê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

from his own cistern,
בוֹרֽוֹ׃ (ḇō·w·rōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 953: A pit, cistern, well


Links
2 Kings 18:31 NIV
2 Kings 18:31 NLT
2 Kings 18:31 ESV
2 Kings 18:31 NASB
2 Kings 18:31 KJV

2 Kings 18:31 BibleApps.com
2 Kings 18:31 Biblia Paralela
2 Kings 18:31 Chinese Bible
2 Kings 18:31 French Bible
2 Kings 18:31 Catholic Bible

OT History: 2 Kings 18:31 Don't listen to Hezekiah: for thus says (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 18:30
Top of Page
Top of Page