Isaiah 37:7

7 Look! I am putting a spirit in him and he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.' "[a][b]

Isaiah 37:7 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 37:7

Behold, I will send a blast upon him
The king of Assyria; a pestilential one, as he afterwards did, which destroyed his army: or, I will put a spirit into him
F19; a spirit of fear and dread, which will oblige him to desist from his purposes, and flee; though some interpret it only of an inclination, a will F20 in him, to return: it may be understood of an angel, a ministering spirit, and be rendered "I will send a spirit against him"; an angelic spirit, as he did, which cut off his army in one night: and he shall hear a rumour;
of the sudden and total destruction of his army; though some refer this to the rumour of the king of Ethiopia coming out to make war against him, ( Isaiah 37:9 ) , but upon this he did not return to his own land, nor was he slain with the sword, as follows: and return to his own land;
as he did, immediately upon the slaughter of his army by the angel: and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land:
as he did, being slain by his own sons, ( Isaiah 37:37 Isaiah 37:38 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F19 (xwr wb Ntwn) "indam ei Spiritum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F20 So Ben Melech explains it by (Nwur) , "will", "desire", "purpose".

Isaiah 37:7 In-Context

5 When King Hezekiah's servants came to Isaiah,
6 Isaiah said to them, "Say this to your master, 'The Lord says: Don't be afraid because of the words you have heard, which the king of Assyria's attendants have blasphemed Me with.
7 Look! I am putting a spirit in him and he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.' "
8 When the Rabshakeh heard that the king had left Lachish, he returned and discovered that the king of Assyria was fighting against Libnah.
9 The king had heard this about Tirhakah, king of Cush: "He has set out to fight against you." So when he heard this, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,

Footnotes 2

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