Isaiah 37:17-20

17 Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

18 “It is true, LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.

19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.

20 Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, LORD, are the only God.^[a] ”

Isaiah 37:17-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 37

In this chapter are contained Hezekiah's message to Isaiah, desiring his prayer for him and his people, in this time of sore distress, Isa 37:1-5, the comforting and encouraging answer returned by the prophet to him, Isa 37:6,7, the king of Assyria's letter to Hezekiah, to terrify him into a surrender of the city of Jerusalem to him, Isa 37:8-13 which Hezekiah spread before the Lord, and prayed unto him for deliverance, Isa 37:14-20, upon which he received a gracious answer by the hand of the prophet, promising safety and deliverance to him, and destruction to the king of Assyria, of which a sign was given, Isa 37:21-35 and the chapter is closed with the slaughter of the Assyrian army by an angel, the flight of the king, and his death by the hands of his sons, Isa 37:36-38.

Cross References

• 1. S 1 Kings 8:29; S 2 Chronicles 6:40
• 2. Jeremiah 25:29; Daniel 9:18
• 3. S 2 Chronicles 32:1
• 4. S 2 Chronicles 32:17
• 5. S Joshua 3:10
• 6. S 2 Kings 15:29; Nahum 2:11-12
• 7. S Joshua 7:15
• 8. Isaiah 26:14; Isaiah 36:20
• 9. 2 Chronicles 13:9; Isaiah 40:17; Isaiah 41:24,29; Jeremiah 2:11; Jeremiah 5:7; Jeremiah 16:20; Galatians 4:8
• 10. S 2 Chronicles 32:19; S Psalms 135:15; Isaiah 40:18-20; Isaiah 44:9-11
• 11. S Psalms 3:2,7; S Proverbs 20:22
• 12. S Joshua 4:24
• 13. S 1 Samuel 17:46; S Psalms 46:10

Footnotes

• [a]. Dead Sea Scrolls (see also 2 Kings 19:19); Masoretic Text "you alone are the " Lord