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Texts -- 2 Kings 19:1-20 (NET)

Context
19:1 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes , put on sackcloth , and went to the Lord’s temple . 19:2 He sent Eliakim the palace supervisor , supervisor , Shebna the scribe , and the leading priests , clothed in sackcloth , with this message to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz : 19:3 “This is what Hezekiah says : ‘This is a day of distress , insults , and humiliation , as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal , but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. 19:4 Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master , the king of Assyria , who sent him to taunt the living God . When the Lord your God hears , perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said . So pray for this remnant that remains .’” 19:5 When King Hezekiah’s servants came to Isaiah , 19:6 Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master this : ‘This is what the Lord says : “Don’t be afraid because of the things you have heard – these insults the king of Assyria’s servants have hurled against me. 19:7 Look , I will take control of his mind ; he will receive a report and return to his own land . I will cut him down with a sword in his own land .”’” 19:8 When the chief adviser heard the king of Assyria had departed from Lachish , he left and went to Libnah , where the king was campaigning. 19:9 The king heard that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was marching out to fight him. He again sent messengers to Hezekiah , ordering them: 19:10 “Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this : ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says , “Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria .” 19:11 Certainly you have heard how the kings of Assyria have annihilated all lands . Do you really think you will be rescued ? 19:12 Were the nations whom my ancestors destroyed – the nations of Gozan , Haran , Rezeph , and the people of Eden in Telassar – rescued by their gods ? 19:13 Where are the king of Hamath , the king of Arpad , and the king of Lair, Sepharvaim , Hena , and Ivvah ?’” 19:14 Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord . 19:15 Hezekiah prayed before the Lord : “Lord God of Israel , who is enthroned on the cherubs ! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth . You made the sky and the earth . 19:16 Pay attention , Lord , and hear ! Open your eyes , Lord , and observe ! Listen to the message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God ! 19:17 It is true , Lord , that the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands . 19:18 They have burned the gods of the nations , for they are not really gods , but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone . That is why the Assyrians could destroy them . 19:19 Now , O Lord our God , rescue us from his power , so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you , Lord , are the only God .” 19:20 Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah : “This is what the Lord God of Israel says : ‘I have heard your prayer concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Intercession

    [isbe] INTERCESSION - in-ter-sesh'-un (pagha`, "to make intercession"; originally "to strike upon," or "against"; then in a good sense, "to assail anyone with petitions," "to urge," and when on behalf of another, "to intercede" (Ru...
    [nave] INTERCESSION. Of One Person with Another 1 Sam. 2:25 Instances of: Reuben for Joseph, Gen. 37:21, 22. Judah for Joseph, Gen. 37:26, 27. Pharaoh's chief baker for Joseph, Gen. 41:9-13, with Gen. 40:14. Jonathan for David...

  • Prayer

    [ebd] is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching t...
    [nave] PRAYER. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Answer to, Promised; Answered, Instances of Answered; Confession in; Importunity in, Instances of Importunity in; Intercessor...

  • Blasphemy

    [isbe] BLASPHEMY - blas'-fe-mi (blasphemia): In classical Greek meant primarily "defamation" or "evil-speaking" in general; "a word of evil omen," hence, "impious, and irreverent speech against God." (1) In the Old Testament as sub...
    [nave] BLASPHEMY See also Slander; Speaking, Evil.Ex. 20:7 Deut. 5:11. Lev. 19:12 Lev. 22:32. Lev. 24:10-16; 2 Kin. 19:22 Isa. 37:23. 2 Chr. 32:19 The following passages from the book of Job (with the exception of Job 21:13,14) are...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Sennacherib

    [ebd] Sin (the god) sends many brothers, son of Sargon, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria (B.C. 705), in the 23rd year of Hezekiah. "Like the Persian Xerxes, he was weak and vainglorious, cowardly under reverse, and cruel...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Faith

    [nave] FAITH. 2 Sam. 22:31; Psa. 5:11; Psa. 7:1; Psa. 9:9, 10; Psa. 18:30; Psa. 32:10; Psa. 33:18, 19; Psa. 34:8, 22 vs. 1-8;; Psa. 2:12. Psa. 36:7; Psa. 40:4; Psa. 64:10; Psa. 78:7 vs. 5-7.; Psa. 84:5, 12; Psa. 112:5, 7, 8; Psa. ...

  • Assyria

    [nave] ASSYRIA An empire founded by Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-12; Mic. 5:6. It extended from east of the Tigris, Gen. 2:14; 10:11; possibly to Egypt, Gen. 25:18. Its armies invade the land of Israel under Pul, 2 Kin. 15:19; 1 Chr. 5:26; ...

  • Isaiah

    [nave] ISAIAH, called also Esaias. Son of Amos, Isa. 1:1. Prophesies in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, Isa. 1:1; 6:1; 7:1, 3; 14:27; 20:1; 36:1; 38:1; 39:1; at the time of the invasion by Tartan, of...

  • Diplomacy

    [nave] DIPLOMACY. 1 Cor. 9:20-23 See: Tact. Instances of Of Abimelech, Gen. 21:22, 23; 26:26-31. The Gibeonites, in securing a league with the Israelites through deception, Josh. 9:3-16. Of Jephthah, with the king of Moab, uns...

  • Rabmag

    [ebd] Assyrian Rab-mugi, "chief physician," "who was attached to the king (Jer. 39:3, 13), the title of one of Sennacherib's officers sent with messages to Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:17-19:13; Isa. 36:12-37:1...

  • JERUSALEM, 4

    [isbe] JERUSALEM, 4 - IX. History. Pre-Israelite period.--The beginnings of Jerusalem are long before recorded history: at various points in the neighborhood, e.g. at el Bukei`a to the Southwest, and at the northern extremity of th...

  • Amoz

    [ebd] strong, the father of the prophet Isaiah (2 Kings 19:2, 20; 20:1; Isa. 1:1; 2:1). As to his personal history little is positively known. He is supposed by some to have been the "man of God" spoken of in 2 Chr. 25:7, 8.
    [isbe] AMOZ - a'-moz (amots, "strong"): The father of Isaiah the prophet (2 Ki 19:2,20; 20:1; 2 Ch 26:22; 32:20,32; Isa 1:1; 2:1; 13:1; 20:2; 37:2,21; 38:1).
    [smith] (strong), father of the prophet Isaiah, and, according to rabbinical tradition, brother of Amaziah king of Judah. (2 Kings 19:2,20; 20:1; Isaiah 1:1) (B.C. before 756.)
    [nave] AMOZ, father of Isaiah, 2 Kin. 19:2, 20; 20:1; Isa. 1:1; 13:1.

  • Religion

    [nave] RELIGION. False Deut. 32:31-33. See: Idolatry; Intolerance; Teachers, False. Family See: Family. National Supported by taxes, Ex. 30:11-16; 38:26. Priests supported by the State, 1 Kin. 18:19; 2 Chr. 11:13-15. Subve...

  • Sepharvaim

    [ebd] taken by Sargon, king of Assyria (2 Kings 17:24; 18:34; 19:13; Isa. 37:13). It was a double city, and received the common name Sepharvaim, i.e., "the two Sipparas," or "the two booktowns." The Sippara on the east bank of the...
    [isbe] SEPHARVAIM - sef-ar-va'-im, se-far-va'-im (cepharwayim: Sephpharouaim, Seppharoudim, Seppharoun, Seppharoumain, Eppharouaim, Sepphareim, the first two being the forms in manuscripts Alexandrinus and Vaticanus respectively, o...
    [smith] (the two Sipparas) is mentioned by Sennacherib in his letter to Hezekiah as a city whose king had been unable to resist the Assyrians. (2 Kings 19:13; Isaiah 37:13) comp. 2Kin 18:34 It is identified with the famous town of...
    [nave] SEPHARVAIM, an Assyrian city, from which the king of Assyria colonized Samaria, 2 Kin. 17:24, 31; 18:34; 19:13; Isa. 36:19; 37:13.

  • Rezeph

    [ebd] solid; a stone, (2 Kings 19:12; Isa. 37:12), a fortress near Haran, probably on the west of the Euphrates, conquered by Sennacherib.
    [isbe] REZEPH - re'-zef (retseph; 1. Forms of the Name: Codex Vaticanus Rhapheis; Rhaphes; Codex Alexandrinus ten Rhapheth (2 Ki 19:12), B Q margin Rhapheth Codex Sinaiticus Q Rhafes; Codex Alexandrinus Rhapheis (Isa 37:12); Vulgat...
    [smith] (a hot stone), one of the places which Sennacherib mentions, in his taunting message to Hezekiah, as having been destroyed by his predecessor. (2 Kings 19:12; Isaiah 37:12)
    [nave] REZEPH, a city destroyed by the Assyrians, 2 Kin. 19:12; Isa. 37:12.

  • Hena

    [ebd] one of the cities of Mesopotamia destroyed by sennacherib (2 Kings 18:34; 19:13). It is identified with the modern Anah, lying on the right bank of the Euphrates, not far from Sepharvaim.
    [isbe] HENA - he'-na (hena`; Ana): Named in 2 Ki 19:13, as one of the cities destroyed by Sennacherib along with Sepharvaim. It does not appear in a similar connection in 17:24. The text is probably corrupt. No reasonable identific...
    [smith] (troubling), a city the Assyrian kings had reduced shortly before the time of Sennacherib. (2 Kings 19:13; Isaiah 37:13) At no great distance from Sippara (now Mosaib) is an ancient town called And or Anah , which may be t...
    [nave] HENA, a city on the Euphrates, 2 Kin. 18:34; 19:13; Isa. 37:13.

  • Eliakim

    [ebd] whom God will raise up. (1.) The son of Melea (Luke 3:30), and probably grandson of Nathan. (2.) The son of Abiud, of the posterity of Zerubbabel (Matt. 1:13). (3.) The son of Hilkiah, who was sent to receive the message of ...
    [isbe] ELIAKIM - e-li'-a-kim ('elyaqim; Eliakeim, "God sets up"): (1) The son of Hilkiah who succeeded Shebna as gorvernor of the palace and "grand vizier" under Hezekiah (Isa 22:20). The functions of his office are seen from the o...
    [nave] ELIAKIM 1. Son of Melea, Luke 3:30. 2. Son of Hilkiah, deputy of Hezekiah, 2 Kin. 18:18; 19:2; Isa. 36:3, 11, 22; 37:2. 3. Original name of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, 2 Kin. 23:34; 2 Chr. 36:4. 4. Son of Abiud, Matt. 1:13....

  • Ethiopia

    [ebd] country of burnt faces; the Greek word by which the Hebrew Cush is rendered (Gen. 2:13; 2 Kings 19:9; Esther 1:1; Job 28:19; Ps. 68:31; 87:4), a country which lay to the south of Egypt, beginning at Syene on the First Catara...
    [isbe] ETHIOPIA - e-thi-o'-pi-a (kush; Aithiopia): 1. Location, Extent and Population: Critically speaking Ethiopia may refer only to the Nile valley above the First Cataract, but in ancient as in modern times the term was often us...
    [nave] ETHIOPIA, a region in Africa, inhabited by the descendants of Ham. The inhabitants of, black, Jer. 13:23. Within the Babylonian empire, Esth. 1:1. Rivers of, Gen. 10:6; Isa. 18:1. Bordered Egypt on the S., Ezek. 29:10. Wa...

  • Eden

    [ebd] delight. (1.) The garden in which our first parents dewlt (Gen. 2:8-17). No geographical question has been so much discussed as that bearing on its site. It has been placed in Armenia, in the region west of the Caspian Sea, ...
    [smith] (pleasure). The first residence of man, called in the Septuagint Paradise. The latter is a word of Persian origin, and describes an extensive tract of pleasure land, somewhat like an English park; and the use of it suggests ...
    [nave] EDEN 1. The garden of Eden, Gen. 2:8-17; 3:23, 24; 4:16; Isa. 51:3; Ezek. 28:13; 31:9, 16, 18; 36:35; Joel 2:3. 2. An Aramaic city-state; traded with Tyre, 2 Kin. 19:12; Isa. 37:12; Ezek. 27:23; Amos 1:5. 3. A Gershonite, ...
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Arts

Questions

  • The two chapters in the Bible that are alike are II Kings 19 and Isa. 37. Both are regarded as the work of Isaiah, relating a series of events which in one book are placed in their proper historical setting and in the other f...
  • In a very general way, I think I can say that one could come to faith in Christ for salvation without believing in the inerrancy of the Word of God, but I am doubtful that one could stay that way for long. The disciples of ou...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 2:4 Having related the creation of the universe as we know it, God next inspired Moses to explain for his readers what became of it.129Sin entered it and devastated it."The destiny of the human creation is to live in God's wo...
  • God dealt with 21 different cases of skin diseases in this pericope. Some of these may have included measles, smallpox, scarlet fever, and other diseases characterized by skin rash.141Some authorities believe that exact ident...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • I. The reign of Solomon chs. 1-11A. Solomon's succession to David's throne 1:1-2:121. David's declining health 1:1-42. Adonijah's attempt to seize the throne 1:5-533. David's charge to Solomon 2:1-94. David's death 2:10-12B. ...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Kings)3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:184. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:155. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-246. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29C. The ...
  • Hezekiah began reigning as his father Ahaz's vice-regent in 729 B.C. and ruled as such for 14 years. In 715 B.C. he began his sole rule over Judah that lasted until 697 B.C. (18 years). He then reigned with his son Manasseh w...
  • Sennacherib sent another warning to Hezekiah (vv. 10-13) that led him to pray again. His model prayer shows the king's proper view of Yahweh, himself, and their relationship all of which were in harmony with God's revelation....
  • Josiah began to seek Yahweh when he was 16 years old and began initiating religious reforms when he was 20 (2 Chron. 34:3-7). His reforms were more extensive than those of any of his predecessors. One of them was the repair o...
  • In a few details this account differs from the one in 2 Kings 18-20 and Isaiah 36-37. It was after Hezekiah's acts of faithfulness that God tested his trust (v. 1). Many of Judah's other good kings had followed God faithfully...
  • We can understand why Mordecai reacted to Haman's decree so strongly (v. 1). Undoubtedly he felt personally responsible for this decree (cf. 3:2-5). However we should not interpret Mordecai's actions in verse 1 as a sign of g...
  • The texts of the individual psalms do not usually indicate who wrote them.1However some of the titles of the individual psalms do contain information about the writers.2This is the only really reliable information we have as ...
  • Chapters 36-39 conclude the section of the book dealing with the issue of trust by giving historical proof that Yahweh will protect those who trust in Him. In these chapters, King Hezekiah represents the people of Judah.344Th...
  • 3:11 Yahweh instructed His prophet that though both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms had committed spiritual harlotry, Judah's sin was worse than Israel's. Here the Lord personified Judah as "Treachery"as he again personifi...
  • This message demonstrates a structure that is quite typical of many others in the Book of Jeremiah (cf. 11:1-17; 17:19-27; 34:8-22). First there is an explanation of Yahweh's will (word, law; vv. 1-7), then a description of I...
  • This passage probably dates from the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 588-586 B.C. (vv. 2, 4; cf. 2 Kings 25). King Zedekiah sought advice from Jeremiah more than once (cf. 37:3-10, 17-21; 38:14-28). This passage consists of ...
  • This section consists of four parts: a summary of Jeremiah's Temple Sermon (vv. 2-6), the prophet's arrest and trial (vv. 7-16), the elders' plea for his life (vv. 17-19, 24), and the incident involving Uriah and his executio...
  • This chapter has many similarities to 2 Kings 24:18-25:30 with the exception of 25:22-26, the story of Gedaliah's assassination (cf. chs. 40-41). This chapter forms a fitting conclusion to the book since it records the fulfil...
  • "God would not share His dwelling place with other gods,' and the sanctuary had been polluted with idolatry. God's worship center at Shiloh was removed shortly after His glory had departed from it (1 Sam. 4:1-4, 10-11, 19-23;...
  • 1:8 In view of this coming judgment, Micah said he felt compelled to lament and wail. He would express his sorrow by going barefoot and naked, a common way of expressing it in his culture (cf. 2 Sam. 15:30; Isa. 20:2; 22:12; ...
  • The prophet used several clever wordplays in this poem to describe the desolation that God would bring on Judah. He selected towns and villages near his own hometown in Judah's Shephelah whose names were similar to the coming...
  • Emphasis now shifts from Assyria to Judah.1:12 Yahweh declared that even though the Assyrians were powerful and numerous, He would cut them off and they would pass off the stage of history. This must have been hard for many I...
  • 4:23-28 After hearing the apostle's report, the Christians sought the Lord (Gr. Despota, sovereign ruler) in prayer."Three movements may be discerned in this prayer of the early church: (1) God is sovereign (v. 24). (2) God's...
  • 9:20 These three severe judgments (fire, smoke, and brimstone, vv. 17-18) will not move the remaining unbelievers as a whole to repent (cf. Exod. 7:13, 23; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 12, 35; 10:20; 11:10)."In all cases in the apocaly...
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