II Kings 19 Commentary
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.
And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rab–shakeh, 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 are left.
So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
So Rab–shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
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 delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?
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 Thelasar?
Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.
And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
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.
Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
This is the word that 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.
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.
By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
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 fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
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.
But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will 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.
And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
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.
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 shield, nor cast a bank against it.
By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord.
For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
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.
II Kings 19 recounts a pivotal moment in the reign of King Hezekiah, showcasing his unwavering faith in the face of overwhelming adversity. This chapter reveals God's sovereignty, His faithfulness to His promises, and the power of prayer. It also serves as a timeless reminder that even in the darkest of circumstances, we can find hope and deliverance through trusting in the Lord.
Hezekiah's Response to Crisis (II Kings 19:1-4)
Upon hearing the Assyrian king Sennacherib's blasphemous threats against Jerusalem, King Hezekiah demonstrated profound grief and humility. He tore his clothes, a traditional sign of mourning and distress, mirroring the reaction of his men (II Kings 19:1). It's natural to wonder, as Hezekiah surely did, why such trials befall those who are faithful. After all, Hezekiah had been a righteous king, reforming worship in Judah and diligently following God's commands (II Kings 18:5-8). Yet, this passage serves as a crucial reminder: faithfulness does not guarantee a life free from trials. Rather, it equips us to face them with a divine perspective.
Despite his distress, Hezekiah's immediate response was to enter the LORD’s temple to worship (II Kings 19:1). This act of worship in the midst of crisis is a powerful example for us. Furthermore, Hezekiah took action by sending a delegation clothed in sackcloth to the prophet Isaiah, seeking a word from the Lord (II Kings 19:2). This was a departure from the actions of many of his predecessors. The delegation conveyed the dire situation and highlighted the Assyrian king's mockery of the living God (II Kings 19:3-4). In times of trouble, turning to God's Word and seeking wise counsel are essential steps.
Isaiah's Prophecy of Deliverance (II Kings 19:5-7)
God, knowing all things, had already prepared Isaiah to deliver a message of hope and assurance. Isaiah's response to Hezekiah's delegation began with a powerful command: "Do not be afraid" (II Kings 19:6). This command echoes throughout Scripture, a testament to God's desire to calm His people, instill confidence, and remind them of His sovereign control. God had heard Sennacherib's blasphemous words (II Kings 19:6) and was about to act. Isaiah prophesied that Sennacherib would not conquer Jerusalem but would return to his own land and be killed by the sword (II Kings 19:7). This prophecy underscored God's power and His commitment to protecting His people.
Sennacherib's Renewed Threats (II Kings 19:8-13)
Sennacherib, temporarily diverted from Jerusalem by news of King Tirhakah of Cush advancing against him (II Kings 19:9), sent another message to Hezekiah, reiterating his threats (II Kings 19:10-13). This act demonstrated Sennacherib's arrogance and his determination to intimidate Hezekiah and the people of Judah. It's a reminder that the enemy often intensifies his attacks when we stand firm in our faith.
Hezekiah's Prayer for Deliverance (II Kings 19:14-19)
Instead of succumbing to fear, Hezekiah took Sennacherib's letter to the temple and spread it before the Lord, engaging in fervent prayer (II Kings 19:14). This act of laying his burdens before God is a powerful illustration of faith in action. Hezekiah's prayer is a model for believers in distress. He began by acknowledging God's sovereignty: "LORD God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim" (II Kings 19:15). He reminded God of His unique relationship with Israel and contrasted the Lord with the powerless, man-made gods of the nations Assyria had conquered (II Kings 19:17-18). Hezekiah recognized that Sennacherib's attack was ultimately an assault on God's character (II Kings 19:16) and pleaded with God to vindicate Himself and His people (II Kings 19:19). Hezekiah understood that God's response would bring Him great glory. This prayer is a powerful example for believers facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.
God's Response Through Isaiah (II Kings 19:20-34)
God heard Hezekiah's prayer and, once again, sent His answer through Isaiah (II Kings 19:20). This divine response is a poetic rebuke of Sennacherib's arrogance and a declaration of God's sovereign rule over all nations. Isaiah declared that Sennacherib had blasphemed "the Holy One of Israel!" (II Kings 19:22). Sennacherib, in his pride, believed his victories were due to his own strength, but God revealed that these victories were part of His plan, ordained long ago (II Kings 19:25). Sennacherib was merely a pawn in God's grand scheme. God knew Sennacherib's every thought and action (II Kings 19:27) and would ultimately bring him down. God promised to put His hook in Sennacherib's nose and lead him back to Assyria (II Kings 19:28).
God also provided a sign of hope and comfort to Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem, who were facing the threat of siege and starvation. For the next two years, they would eat what grew on its own. In the third year, they would be able to sow, reap, and plant vineyards (II Kings 19:29). Judah would not be destroyed; a remnant would survive and flourish (II Kings 19:30-31). God declared that He would defend Jerusalem (II Kings 19:34) for His own sake and for the sake of His servant David. God would not allow His plans to be thwarted, nor would He fail to fulfill His promise to David to establish an eternal dynasty, culminating in the kingship of Jesus Christ.
The Angel of the Lord and Sennacherib's Demise (II Kings 19:35-37)
God's deliverance came swiftly and decisively. In a single night, the angel of the LORD struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers (II Kings 19:35). Some scholars believe the "angel of the LORD" may be a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Stripped of his army, Sennacherib returned home to Nineveh. Later, while worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, he was assassinated by his own sons (II Kings 19:37). Sennacherib, who had mocked the Lord's inability to protect Jerusalem, found that his own god was powerless to protect him, even in his own temple. This serves as a powerful reminder that those who defy God will ultimately face His judgment.
II Kings 19 is a powerful testament to the sovereignty of God, the importance of faith and prayer, and the assurance of His protection for those who trust in Him. It encourages us to remain steadfast in our faith, even in the face of overwhelming challenges, knowing that God is always in control and will ultimately prevail.
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.
And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rab–shakeh, 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 are left.
So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
So Rab–shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
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 delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?
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 Thelasar?
Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.
And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
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.
Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
This is the word that 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.
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.
By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
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 fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
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.
But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will 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.
And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
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.
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 shield, nor cast a bank against it.
By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord.
For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
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.
II Kings 19 recounts a pivotal moment in the reign of King Hezekiah, showcasing his unwavering faith in the face of overwhelming adversity. This chapter reveals God's sovereignty, His faithfulness to His promises, and the power of prayer. It also serves as a timeless reminder that even in the darkest of circumstances, we can find hope and deliverance through trusting in the Lord.
Hezekiah's Response to Crisis (II Kings 19:1-4)
Upon hearing the Assyrian king Sennacherib's blasphemous threats against Jerusalem, King Hezekiah demonstrated profound grief and humility. He tore his clothes, a traditional sign of mourning and distress, mirroring the reaction of his men (II Kings 19:1). It's natural to wonder, as Hezekiah surely did, why such trials befall those who are faithful. After all, Hezekiah had been a righteous king, reforming worship in Judah and diligently following God's commands (II Kings 18:5-8). Yet, this passage serves as a crucial reminder: faithfulness does not guarantee a life free from trials. Rather, it equips us to face them with a divine perspective.
Despite his distress, Hezekiah's immediate response was to enter the LORD’s temple to worship (II Kings 19:1). This act of worship in the midst of crisis is a powerful example for us. Furthermore, Hezekiah took action by sending a delegation clothed in sackcloth to the prophet Isaiah, seeking a word from the Lord (II Kings 19:2). This was a departure from the actions of many of his predecessors. The delegation conveyed the dire situation and highlighted the Assyrian king's mockery of the living God (II Kings 19:3-4). In times of trouble, turning to God's Word and seeking wise counsel are essential steps.
Isaiah's Prophecy of Deliverance (II Kings 19:5-7)
God, knowing all things, had already prepared Isaiah to deliver a message of hope and assurance. Isaiah's response to Hezekiah's delegation began with a powerful command: "Do not be afraid" (II Kings 19:6). This command echoes throughout Scripture, a testament to God's desire to calm His people, instill confidence, and remind them of His sovereign control. God had heard Sennacherib's blasphemous words (II Kings 19:6) and was about to act. Isaiah prophesied that Sennacherib would not conquer Jerusalem but would return to his own land and be killed by the sword (II Kings 19:7). This prophecy underscored God's power and His commitment to protecting His people.
Sennacherib's Renewed Threats (II Kings 19:8-13)
Sennacherib, temporarily diverted from Jerusalem by news of King Tirhakah of Cush advancing against him (II Kings 19:9), sent another message to Hezekiah, reiterating his threats (II Kings 19:10-13). This act demonstrated Sennacherib's arrogance and his determination to intimidate Hezekiah and the people of Judah. It's a reminder that the enemy often intensifies his attacks when we stand firm in our faith.
Hezekiah's Prayer for Deliverance (II Kings 19:14-19)
Instead of succumbing to fear, Hezekiah took Sennacherib's letter to the temple and spread it before the Lord, engaging in fervent prayer (II Kings 19:14). This act of laying his burdens before God is a powerful illustration of faith in action. Hezekiah's prayer is a model for believers in distress. He began by acknowledging God's sovereignty: "LORD God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim" (II Kings 19:15). He reminded God of His unique relationship with Israel and contrasted the Lord with the powerless, man-made gods of the nations Assyria had conquered (II Kings 19:17-18). Hezekiah recognized that Sennacherib's attack was ultimately an assault on God's character (II Kings 19:16) and pleaded with God to vindicate Himself and His people (II Kings 19:19). Hezekiah understood that God's response would bring Him great glory. This prayer is a powerful example for believers facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.
God's Response Through Isaiah (II Kings 19:20-34)
God heard Hezekiah's prayer and, once again, sent His answer through Isaiah (II Kings 19:20). This divine response is a poetic rebuke of Sennacherib's arrogance and a declaration of God's sovereign rule over all nations. Isaiah declared that Sennacherib had blasphemed "the Holy One of Israel!" (II Kings 19:22). Sennacherib, in his pride, believed his victories were due to his own strength, but God revealed that these victories were part of His plan, ordained long ago (II Kings 19:25). Sennacherib was merely a pawn in God's grand scheme. God knew Sennacherib's every thought and action (II Kings 19:27) and would ultimately bring him down. God promised to put His hook in Sennacherib's nose and lead him back to Assyria (II Kings 19:28).
God also provided a sign of hope and comfort to Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem, who were facing the threat of siege and starvation. For the next two years, they would eat what grew on its own. In the third year, they would be able to sow, reap, and plant vineyards (II Kings 19:29). Judah would not be destroyed; a remnant would survive and flourish (II Kings 19:30-31). God declared that He would defend Jerusalem (II Kings 19:34) for His own sake and for the sake of His servant David. God would not allow His plans to be thwarted, nor would He fail to fulfill His promise to David to establish an eternal dynasty, culminating in the kingship of Jesus Christ.
The Angel of the Lord and Sennacherib's Demise (II Kings 19:35-37)
God's deliverance came swiftly and decisively. In a single night, the angel of the LORD struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers (II Kings 19:35). Some scholars believe the "angel of the LORD" may be a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Stripped of his army, Sennacherib returned home to Nineveh. Later, while worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, he was assassinated by his own sons (II Kings 19:37). Sennacherib, who had mocked the Lord's inability to protect Jerusalem, found that his own god was powerless to protect him, even in his own temple. This serves as a powerful reminder that those who defy God will ultimately face His judgment.
II Kings 19 is a powerful testament to the sovereignty of God, the importance of faith and prayer, and the assurance of His protection for those who trust in Him. It encourages us to remain steadfast in our faith, even in the face of overwhelming challenges, knowing that God is always in control and will ultimately prevail.