Isaiah 37:14

Hezekiah Prays to the LORD

14 When Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, he read it. Then he went up to the LORD's temple. There he spread the letter out in front of the Lord.

Isaiah 37:14 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 37:14

And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the
messengers, and read it
Or books F11, in which the above things were written; and everyone of these he read, as Kimchi interprets it; though the Targum is,

``he took the letters from the hand of the messengers, and read one of them;''
that is, as Kimchi's father explains it, in which was the blasphemy against God; this he read over carefully to himself, observed the contents of it, and then did with it as follows: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of God;
the temple, the outward court of it, further than that he could not go: and spread it before the Lord;
not to read it, as he had done, or to acquaint him with the contents of it, which he fully knew; but, as it chiefly regarded him, and affected his honour and glory, he laid it before him, that he might take notice of it, and vindicate himself, and avenge his own cause; he brought it as a proof of what he had to say to him in prayer, and to support him in his allegations, and as a means to quicken himself in the discharge of that duty.
FOOTNOTES:

F11 (Myrpo ta) "libros", V. L.

Isaiah 37:14 In-Context

12 " 'The kings who ruled before me destroyed many nations. Did the gods of those nations save them? Did the gods of Gozan, Haran or Rezeph save them? What about the gods of the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?
13 Where is the king of Hamath? Where is the king of Arpad? Where is the king of the city of Sepharvaim? Where are the kings of Hena or Ivvah?' "
14 When Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, he read it. Then he went up to the LORD's temple. There he spread the letter out in front of the Lord.
15 Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. He said,
16 "LORD who rules over all, you are the God of Israel. You sit on your throne between the cherubim. You alone are God over all of the kingdoms on earth. You have made heaven and earth.
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