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 blasphemy: 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 Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy 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 unto 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 send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
8 So Rabshakeh 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 forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.
11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?
12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar?
13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?
14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
15 And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying,
16 O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
17 Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.
18 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries,
19 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
20 Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.
21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:
22 This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
23 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
24 By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.
25 I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.
26 Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps.
27 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
28 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
29 Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
30 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.
31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:
32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
33 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.
34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
36 Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
Chapter 37 of the Book of Isaiah is a powerful narrative that highlights the supremacy of God and the importance of faith during times of distress. This chapter is a compelling account of King Hezekiah's response to the threat of the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, and God's intervention to save Jerusalem from the impending disaster. The chapter is filled with vivid imagery, emotive language, and profound theological implications, providing a rich source of inspiration and insight for believers.
King Sennacherib of Assyria had launched an attack against the fortified cities of Judah, laying them to waste. He then sent a message to King Hezekiah of Judah, taunting him and undermining his faith in God. This dramatic historical setting sets the stage for a powerful narrative where faith, prayer, and divine intervention play significant roles.
Upon receiving the threatening letter from Sennacherib's messengers, Hezekiah did not resort to military strategies or diplomatic negotiations. Instead, he turned to God in prayer. He went to the temple, spread the letter before the Lord, and prayed for deliverance. This act of faith and humility is a powerful demonstration of Hezekiah's recognition of his limitations and his dependence on God's power and mercy.
The Lord responded to Hezekiah's prayer through the prophet Isaiah, assuring him that He had heard his prayer and would defend the city of Jerusalem. The Lord declared that Sennacherib would not enter the city, nor would he even shoot an arrow there. Instead, he would retreat by the same way he came. This divine promise was not based on the strength or worthiness of the people of Jerusalem, but solely on God's grace and faithfulness.
True to His word, God intervened miraculously to save Jerusalem. An angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. The Assyrian army was decimated, and Sennacherib returned to Nineveh in disgrace. The narrative concludes with a brief account of Sennacherib's assassination by his own sons, further demonstrating the downfall of those who defy God.
Several key theological themes emerge from this chapter. The first is the sovereignty and power of God. Despite the might of the Assyrian army and the seeming hopelessness of the situation, God demonstrated His supremacy over all earthly powers. He not only prophesied the downfall of the Assyrian king but also brought it to pass, reinforcing the truth that nothing is impossible for God.
The second theme is the efficacy of prayer. Hezekiah's prayer was not a mere ritual, but a sincere cry for help, rooted in faith and humility. God's favourable response to his prayer underscores the importance of prayer in the believer's life and its potential to bring about divine intervention.
The third theme is God's faithfulness. Despite the people's unworthiness and the enormity of the threat they faced, God remained faithful to His promise to protect Jerusalem. His faithfulness not only brought deliverance but also reaffirmed His commitment to His people.
Chapter 37 of the Book of Isaiah is not just a historical account, but a timeless message of hope and inspiration. It reminds believers of the power of prayer, the supremacy of God, and His faithfulness in times of crisis. It encourages believers to trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem hopeless. In a world filled with uncertainties and challenges, this chapter offers a beacon of hope, inspiring faith and courage in the face of adversity.
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