Ésaïe 37:1

1 Lorsque le roi Ezéchias eut entendu cela, il déchira ses vêtements, se couvrit d'un sac, et alla dans la maison de l'Eternel.

Ésaïe 37:1 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 37:1

And it came to pass, when King Hezekiah heard it
The report that his ministers made to him of the blasphemies and threatenings of Rabshakeh, the general of the Assyrian army: that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth;
the one because of the blasphemies he heard; the other cause of the destruction he and his people were threatened with: and went into the house of the Lord;
the temple, to pray to him there: he could have prayed in his own house, but he chose rather to go to the house of God, not so much on account of the holiness of the place, but because there the Lord promised, and was used to hear the prayers of his people, 1Ki 8:29,30
as also because it was more public, and would be known to the people, and set them an example to follow him in. Trouble should not keep persons from, but bring them to, the house of God; here the Lord is to be inquired of, here he is to be found; and from hence he sends deliverance and salvation to his people. Nothing is more proper than prayer in times of affliction; it is no ways unbecoming nor lessening the greatest king on earth to lay aside his royal robes, to humble himself before God, in a time of distress, and pray unto him. Hezekiah does not sit down to consider Rabshakeh's speech, to take it in pieces, and give an answer to it, but he applies unto God.

Ésaïe 37:1 In-Context

1 Lorsque le roi Ezéchias eut entendu cela, il déchira ses vêtements, se couvrit d'un sac, et alla dans la maison de l'Eternel.

2 Il envoya Eliakim, chef de la maison du roi, Schebna, le secrétaire, et les plus anciens des sacrificateurs, couverts de sacs, vers Esaïe, le prophète, fils d'Amots.

3 Et ils lui dirent: Ainsi parle Ezéchias: Ce jour est un jour d'angoisse, de châtiment et d'opprobre; car les enfants sont près de sortir du sein maternel, et il n'y a point de force pour l'enfantement.

4 Peut-être l'Eternel, ton Dieu, a-t-il entendu les paroles de Rabschaké, que le roi d'Assyrie, son maître, a envoyé pour insulter le Dieu vivant, et peut-être l'Eternel, ton Dieu, exercera-t-il ses châtiments à cause des paroles qu'il a entendues. Fais donc monter une prière pour le reste qui subsiste encore.

5 Les serviteurs du roi Ezéchias allèrent donc auprès d'Esaïe.