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Texts -- 2 Kings 19:20-37 (NET)

Context
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 . 19:21 This is what the Lord says about him: “The virgin daughter Zion despises you, she makes fun of you; Daughter Jerusalem shakes her head after you. 19:22 Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at? At whom have you shouted , and looked so arrogantly ? At the Holy One of Israel ! 19:23 Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master, ‘With my many chariots I climbed up the high mountains , the slopes of Lebanon . I cut down its tall cedars , and its best evergreens . I invaded its most remote regions , its thickest woods . 19:24 I dug wells and drank water in foreign lands. With the soles of my feet I dried up all the rivers of Egypt .’ 19:25 Certainly you must have heard ! Long ago I worked it out, In ancient times I planned it; and now I am bringing it to pass . The plan is this: Fortified cities will crash into heaps of ruins . 19:26 Their residents are powerless , they are terrified and ashamed . They are as short-lived as plants in the field , or green vegetation . They are as short-lived as grass on the rooftops when it is scorched by the east wind . 19:27 I know where you live , and everything you do. 19:28 Because you rage against me, and the uproar you create has reached my ears ; I will put my hook in your nose , and my bridle between your lips , and I will lead you back the way you came .” 19:29 This will be your confirmation that I have spoken the truth: This year you will eat what grows wild , and next year what grows on its own from that. But in the third year you will plant seed and harvest crops ; you will plant vines and consume their produce . 19:30 Those who remain in Judah will take root in the ground and bear fruit . 19:31 For a remnant will leave Jerusalem ; survivors will come out of Mount Zion . The intense devotion of the sovereign Lord to his people will accomplish this . 19:32 So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria : “He will not enter this city , nor will he shoot an arrow here . He will not attack it with his shield-carrying warriors , nor will he build siege works against it. 19:33 He will go back the way he came . He will not enter this city ,” says the Lord . 19:34 I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant .’” 19:35 That very night the Lord’s messenger went out and killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp . When they got up early the next morning , there were all the corpses . 19:36 So King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and went on his way. He went home and stayed in Nineveh . 19:37 One day, as he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch , his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword . They escaped to the land of Ararat ; his son Esarhaddon replaced him as king .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Assyria

    [ebd] the name derived from the city Asshur on the Tigris, the original capital of the country, was originally a colony from Babylonia, and was ruled by viceroys from that kingdom. It was a mountainous region lying to the north of...
    [isbe] ASSYRIA - a-sir'-i-a: I. GEOGRAPHY II. EARLY HISTORY III. CLIMATE AND PRODUCTIONS IV. POPULATION V. TRADE AND LAW VI. ART VII. MECHANICS VIII. FURNITURE, POTTERY AND EMBROIDERY IX. LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND SCIENCE X. GOVERNM...
    [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; ...

  • 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...

  • 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...
    [isbe] SENNACHERIB - se-nak'-er-ib (cancheribh; Sennachereim, Assyrian Sin-akhierba, "the moon-god Sin has increased the brothers"): Sennacherib (704-682 BC) ascended the throne of Assyria after the death of his father Sargon. Appr...

  • 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...

  • Prophecy

    [nave] PROPHECY Concerning Jesus, See: Jesus. Concerning church, See: Church, Prophecies Concerning Prosperity of. Relating to various countries, nations, and cities, see under their respective titles. Respecting individuals, see...

  • 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...

  • Jerusalem

    [nave] JERUSALEM Called Jebus, Josh. 18:28; Judg. 19:10; Zion, 1 Kin. 8:1; Zech. 9:13; City of David, 2 Sam. 5:7; Isa. 22:9; Salem, Gen. 14:18; Psa. 76:2; Ariel, Isa. 29:1; City of God, Psa. 46:4; City of the Great King, Psa. 48:2;...

  • 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. ...

  • 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...

  • Intercession

    [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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Hezekiah

    [ebd] whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1.) Son of Ahaz (2 Kings 18:1; 2 Chr. 29:1), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B.C. 726-697). The history of this king is contained in 2 Ki...
    [nave] HEZEKIAH 1. King of Judah, 2 Kin. 16:20; 18:1, 2; 1 Chr. 3:13; 2 Chr. 29:1; Matt. 1:9. Religious zeal of, 2 Chr. 29; 30; 31. Purges the nation of idolatry, 2 Kin. 18:4; 2 Chr. 31:1; 33:3. Restores the true forms of worshi...

  • Nisroch

    [ebd] probably connected with the Hebrew word nesher, an eagle. An Assyrian god, supposed to be that represented with the head of an eagle. Sennacherib was killed in the temple of this idol (2 Kings 19:37; Isa. 37:38).
    [isbe] NISROCH - nis'-rok, niz'-rok (nicrokh): The Assyrian god in whose temple Sennacherib was worshipping when put to death by his sons (2 Ki 19:37; Isa 37:38). The name is not found elsewhere. Some identify him with Asshur, the ...
    [smith] (the great eagle) an idol of Nineveh, in whose temple Sennacherib was worshipping when assassinated by his sons, Adrammelech and Shizrezer. (2 Kings 19:37; Isaiah 37:38) This idol is identified with the eagle-headed human ...
    [nave] NISROCH, an idol, 2 Kin. 19:36, 37; Isa. 37:37, 38.

  • Nineveh

    [ebd] First mentioned in Gen. 10:11, which is rendered in the Revised Version, "He [i.e., Nimrod] went forth into Assyria and builded Nineveh." It is not again noticed till the days of Jonah, when it is described (Jonah 3:3; 4:11)...
    [smith] (abode of Ninus), the capital of the ancient kingdom and empire of Assyria. The name appears to be compounded from that of an Assyrian deity "Nin," corresponding, it is conjectured, with the Greek Hercules, and occurring in t...
    [nave] NINEVEH Capital of the Assyrian empire, Gen. 10:11, 12. Contained a population of upwards of one hundred and twenty thousand when Jonah preached, Jonah 4:11. Extent of, Jonah 3:4. Seacherib in, 2 Kin. 19:36, 37; Isa. 37:3...

  • Zion

    [ebd] sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height...
    [nave] ZION, called also Sion, stronghold of Jerusalem. Taken from the Jebusites by David, 2 Sam. 5:6-9; 1 Chr. 11:5-7. Called thereafter "the city of David,'' 2 Sam. 5:7, 9; 6:12, 16; 1 Kin. 8:1; 1 Chr. 11:5, 7; 15:1, 29; 2 Chr. 5...

  • Sharezer

    [ebd] (god) protect the king!, a son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. He and his brother Adrammelech murdered their father, and then fled into the land of Armenia (2 Kings 19:37).
    [isbe] SHAREZER - sha-re'zer (sar'etser, shar'etser): Corresponds to the Assyrian Shar-ucur, "protect the king"; found otherwise, not as a complete name, but as elements in personal names, e.g. Bel-shar-ucur, "may Bel protect the k...
    [smith] (prince of fire) was a son of Sennacherib, whom, In conjunction with his brother Adrammelech, he murdered. (2 Kings 19:37) (B.C. after 711.)
    [nave] SHAREZER 1. Son of Seacherib, 2 Kin. 19:37; Isa. 37:38. 2. A delegate to priests and prophets to consult as to a day of humiliation, Zech. 7:2. Also called Sherezer.

  • 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.

  • Armenia

    [ebd] high land, occurs only in Authorized Version, 2 Kings 19:37; in Revised Version, "Ararat," which is the Hebrew word. A country in western Asia lying between the Caspian and the Black Sea. Here the ark of Noah rested after th...
    [isbe] ARMENIA - ar-me'-ni-a: I. GEOGRAPHY II. ANCIENT HISTORY 1. Turanian Armenians Their Religion 2. Aryan Armenians: History to 114 AD LITERATURE I. Geography. 'araraT (Sumerian Ar, "region," plus ar "high," plus Tu, "mountain,"...
    [smith] (land of Aram) is nowhere mentioned under that name in the original Hebrew, though it occurs in the English version, (2 Kings 19:37) for Ararat. Description. --Armenia is that lofty plateau whence the rivers Euphrates, Tig...
    [nave] ARMENIA, a region in Western Asia, 2 Kin. 19:37; Jer. 51:27. Assassins of Seacherib take refuge in, Isa. 37:38.

  • Angel

    [ebd] a word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14: 1 Sam. 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), of...
    [isbe] ANGEL - an'-jel (mal'akh; Septuagint and New Testament, aggelos): I. DEFINITION AND SCRIPTURE TERMS II. ANGELS IN OLD TESTAMENT 1. Nature, Appearances and Functions 2. The Angelic Host 3. The Angel of the Theophany III. ANGE...
    [nave] ANGEL. One of the Holy Trinity Trinitarian authorities interpret the Scriptures cited under this topic as referring to Christ, who according to this view was the divine presence in the wilderness. Called Angel, Acts 7:30, ...
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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...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 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 ...
  • Second Kings begins with Ahaziah's reign that fell during the 33-year period of Israel and Judah's alliance (874-841 B.C.; -1 Kings 16:29-2 Kings 9:29). This period in turn fits within the larger context of the divided kingdo...
  • 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...
  • God sent Hezekiah the news of what He would do and why through Isaiah. The "virgin"daughter of Zion (v. 21) refers to Jerusalem as a city that a foreign foe had never violated. The "Holy One of Israel"(v. 22), a favorite name...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 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 ...
  • 37:1 Nebuchadnezzar, sovereign over Judah since Jehoiakim's unsuccessful rebellion against him in 598 B.C., set up Zedekiah, Jehoiakim's brother, as Judah's king in 597 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 24:17). Jehoiakim's son, Jehoiachin (C...
  • 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...
  • The Lord used Hosea's family members as signs to communicate His message of coming judgment on Israel.1:2 At the beginning of Hosea's ministry, Yahweh commanded him to take a wife of harlotry and to have children of harlotry....
  • Joel called on four different entities to mourn the results of the locust invasion: drunkards (vv. 5-7), the land (vv. 8-10), farmers (vv. 11-12), and priests (v. 13). In each section there is a call to mourn followed by reas...
  • 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...
  • The second description of Nineveh's fall is more philosophical than the first one and ends with a statement by Yahweh that gives the reason for its fall (v. 13).2:8 Nineveh had been as placid as the waters around the city for...
  • Though God had not responded to the prophet's questions previously, He did eventually, and Habakkuk recorded His answer. The form of this revelation is an oracle.1:5 The Lord told Habakkuk and his people (plural "you"in Hebre...
  • The first part of this oracle focused particularly on the true King who would come and exercise sovereignty over the nations (ch. 9). Now the emphasis changes to the people of the King, the Israelites, who will return to the ...
  • 14:1 "And I looked"(Gr. kai eidon) introduces three scenes in chapter 14 (vv. 1, 6, 14), as this phrase did twice in chapter 13 (vv. 1, 11). "Behold"(Gr. idou, cf. v. 14) calls special attention to the greatness of the sight ...
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