2 Kings 19:19-29

19 Now therefore, our Lord God, make us safe from the hand of them, that all the realms of [the] earth (may) know that thou art the Lord God alone. (And so now, Lord our God, make us safe from them, so that all the kingdoms of the earth can know that thou alone art the Lord God.)
20 Forsooth Isaiah, the son of Amoz, sent to Hezekiah, and said, The Lord God of Israel saith these things, I have heard those things, which thou prayedest (to) me on Sennacherib, king of Assyrians.
21 This is the word, that the Lord hath spoken of him, Thou virgin the daughter of Zion, the king of Assyria hath despised thee, and scorned thee; thou daughter of Jerusalem, he moved his head after thy back. (This is the word that the Lord hath spoken about him, saying, The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and scorned thee; the daughter of Jerusalem hath moved her head behind thy back.)
22 O! Sennacherib, whom hast thou despised, and whom hast thou blasphemed? Against whom hast thou raised thy voice, and hast raised (up) thine eyes on high? Against the Holy (One) of Israel.
23 By the hand of thy servants thou hast despised the Lord, and saidest, In the multitude of my chariots I went up into the high things of (the) hills, in the highness of Lebanon, and [I] cutted down the high cedars thereof, and the chosen box trees thereof; and I entered unto the terms, or uttermost coasts, thereof, and I cutted down the forest of Carmel thereof; (By the words of thy servants thou hast despised the Lord, and saidest, With the multitude of my chariots I went up into the high places of the hills, into the heights of Lebanon, and I cut down its tall cedars, and its chosen pine trees; and I entered unto its uttermost coasts, and I cut down the fartherest forest there;)
24 and I drank alien waters, and I made dry with the steps of my feet all [the] waters enclosed. (and I drank foreign waters, and with the steps of my feet I made dry all the rivers and streams.)
25 Whether thou heardest not, what I made at the beginning? From eld days I made it, and now I have brought it forth; and strengthened cities of fighters shall be into (the) falling of hills (and thou shalt bring down fortified cities into heaps of rubble).
26 And they that sit meek in hand in those cities, trembled together, and be shamed; they be made as the hay of the field, and as green herb of roofs, which dried, or withered, before that it came to ripeness. (And they who sit in those cities, be made meek, or weak, and shake and tremble, and be ashamed; they be made like the hay of the field, and like the green herb of the roofs, which dried, or withered, before that it became ripe.)
27 And I knew thy dwelling [place], and thy going out, and thine entering/and thy going in, and thy way, and thy strong vengeance against me. (And I know thy dwelling place, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy way, and thy strong vengeance against me.)
28 Thou were wroth against me, and thy pride went up into mine ears; therefore I shall put a ring in thy nostrils, and a barnacle in thy lips (and a bit between thy lips), and I shall lead thee again into the way by which thou camest.
29 Forsooth Hezekiah, this shall be a sign to thee; eat thou in this year that, that thou findest; forsooth in the second year, those things that grow by their own will; soothly in the third year, sow ye, and reap ye, and plant ye vineries, and eat the fruits of those.

2 Kings 19:19-29 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 19

This chapter relates that King Hezekiah, on a report made to him of Rabshakeh's speech, sent a message to the prophet Isaiah to pray for him, who returned him a comfortable and encouraging answer, 2Ki 19:1-7 and that upon Rabshakeh's return to the king of Assyria, he sent to Hezekiah a terrifying letter, 2Ki 19:8-13, which Hezekiah spread before the Lord, and prayed unto him to save him and his people out of the hands of the king of Assyria, 2Ki 19:14-19, to which he had a gracious answer sent him by the prophet Isaiah, promising him deliverance from the Assyrian army, 2Ki 19:20-34, which accordingly was destroyed by an angel in one night, and Sennacherib fleeing to Nineveh, was slain by his two sons, 2Ki 19:35-37.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.