This continues the king of Assyria's message to Hezekiah. The chief commander is speaking the message to Hezekiah's men. (See: [Isaiah 36:4-5](./04.md))
This speaks of Egypt, specifically its army and its Pharaoh, as if it were a splintered reed to emphasize that relying on them would not help them but would only harm them. AT: "that is like walking with a splintered reed for a staff. If a man leans on it, it will stick into his hand and pierce it" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
A reed is the long, thin stem of a plant like tall grass. If it is splintered or damaged it cannot carry any weight.
# walking staff
This is a stick that someone would use for support when walking, made of whatever kind of tree limb that is found along the way.
# is not he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away ... Jerusalem"?
The king of Assyria uses this question to ridicule the people and to imply that Yahweh was angry about what Hezekiah did and would not protect them. This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. AT: "he is the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away ... Jerusalem." or "he is the one whom Hezekiah insulted by tearing down his high places and altars ... Jerusalem." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
# has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem"?
This can be written as an indirect quote. "Judah" and "Jerusalem" refer to the people who live in them. AT: "has told the people of Judah and Jerusalem that they must worship only at this altar in Jerusalem." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-quotations]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])
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