The Bible's Plagiarism Of Itself: Isaiah And 2 Kings

 Did....the Bible just plagiarize itself? To answer that, we need only to take a look at a peculiar incident that took place in the Bible's writings. Sending the detective to investigate a possible case of plagiarism, we will.....

"Found it!"

Oh, great work, detective! Was it a clue?

"Most obvious one yet!"

How obvious?

"These passages say the exact same thing word from word in one chapter, but the other 2 Kings chapter seems to have added a little extra to the story of its Isaiah counterpart."

Great! Let's examine it. Starting in Isaiah 36 and 2 Kings 18. We will show the similar verses side by side and let them roll naturally.

Isaiah 36:1- "Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them."

2 Kings 18:13- "Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them."

Is. 36:2- "And the king of Assyria sent Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fullers' field."

2 Kings 18:14- "And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold."

Is. 36:3- "Then came forth unto him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder."

2 Kings 18:15- "And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house."

Is. 36:4- "And Rab-shakeh said unto them: 'Say ye now to Hezekiah: Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?"

2 Kings 18:16- "At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria."

Is. 36:5- "I said: It is but vain words; for counsel and strength are for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?"

2 Kings 18:17- "And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field."

Is. 36:6- "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 to all that trust on him."

2 Kings 18:18- "And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder."

Is. 36:7- "But if thou say unto me: We trust in the LORD our God; is not that He, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem: Ye shall worship before this altar?"

2 Kings 18:19- "And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?"

Is. 37:8- "Now therefore, I pray thee, make a wager with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them."

2 Kings 18:20- "Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?"

Is. 37:9- "How then canst thou turn away the face of one captain, even of the least of my master's servants? yet thou puttest thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!"

2 Kings 18:21- "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."

Is. 37:10- "And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? The LORD said unto me: Go up against this land, and destroy it."

2 Kings 18:22- "But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?"

Is. 37:11- "Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rab-shakeh: 'Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Aramean language, for we understand it; and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall."

2 Kings 18:23- "Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them."

Is. 37:12- "But Rab-shakeh said: 'Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?"

2 Kings 18:24- "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?"

Is. 37:13- "Then Rab-shakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said: 'Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria."

2 Kings 18:25- "Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it."

Is. 37:14- "Thus saith the king: Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he will not be able to deliver you;"

2 Kings 18:26- "Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall."

Is. 37:15- "neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying: The LORD will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."

2 Kings 18:27- "But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?"

Is. 37:16- "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;"

2 Kings 18:28- "Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:"

Is. 37:17- "until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards."

2 Kings 18:29 "Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:"

Is. 37:18- "Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying: The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?"

2 Kings 18:30- "Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria."

Is. 37:19- "Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?"

2 Kings 18:31- "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:"

Is. 37:20- "Who are they among all the gods of these countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?"

2 Kings 18:32- "Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us."

Is. 37:21- "But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying: 'Answer him not."

2 Kings 18:33- "Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?"

Is. 37:22- "Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh."

2 Kings 18:34- "Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?"

2 Kings 18:35- "Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?"


As we can see here, The authors of these books intended to speak about the same events, but there's a problem. The author of 2 Kings added some things that the author of Isaiah didn't. Compare:

Isaiah 36:2- "And the king of Assyria sent Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fullers' field."

to

2 Kings 18:17- "And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field."

Tartan and Rabsaris weren't there before. What happened?

Now compare Isaiah 36:17&18- "17- until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18- Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying: The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?"

to

2 Kings 18:32- "until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive-trees and of honey, that ye may live, and not die; and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying: The LORD will deliver us."

Oddly, the former account of this story, found in Isaiah, never mentioned anything about olive trees nor honey nor did it mention "that ye may live and not die". The author of 2 Kings added those things in there on his own accord.


Keep in mind that this exact same story is being written by two different writers at two different times. Not only did the author of 2 Kings plagiarize the passage, but he made a few later additions to the original story. Does this not put into question the reliability of this account?

Now we go forward by one chapter in both books to see the most damaging evidence. Isaiah 37 and 2 Kings 19.

Isaiah 37 says: "1- And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. 2- And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3- And they said unto him: 'Thus saith Hezekiah: This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of contumely; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

4- It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to taunt the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD thy God hath heard; wherefore make prayer for the remnant that is left. 5- So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6- And Isaiah said unto them: 'Thus shall ye say to your master: Thus saith the LORD: Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.

7- Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return unto his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. 8- So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9- And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia: 'He is come out to fight against thee.' And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying:......."

To keep it short, I'll only list those. Feel free to pick up a Bible or download a Bible app to read all of it. I encourage it, actually.

Now let's move on to 2 Kings 19: "1- And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. 2- And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3- And they said unto him: 'Thus saith Hezekiah: This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of contumely; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. 4- It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to taunt the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD thy God hath heard; wherefore make prayer for the remnant that is left.

5- So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6- And Isaiah said unto them: 'Thus shall ye say to your master: Thus saith the LORD: Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. 7- Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return unto his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. 8- So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9- And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia: 'He is come out to fight against thee.' And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying:...."


There it is, a word from word plagiarism. Does this not put the reliability of it into serious question? I encourage everyone to pick up a Bible and read it. It's right in the Bible. It's alleged that the authors of the Bible took note of their personal experiences. This is clearly not the case, as the author of 2 Kings plagiarized from the story of Isaiah and went so far as to add some things that weren't even in the original story.

The author of 2 Kings is alleged to be Jeremiah. Does this not put everything else Jeremiah said and wrote into question? Those who compiled the Bible allowed this one through the cracks, which has now proven to be a grave mistake for the Bible. It's understandable for humans to make a mistake. Except, this mistake is coming from a book that pretends to be inspired by an all-knowing creator.

The book of Isaiah was written between 700 BC and 681 BC while the book of 2 Kings was written between 561 BC and 538 BC. That leaves a 120 year gap between the end of the former and the beginning of the latter. This plagiarism was clearly the result of a deliberate copycat author.