Isaiah 37:3-4

37:3 “This is what Hezekiah says:¹ ‘This is a day of distress, insults,² and humiliation,³ as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through.⁴ 37:4 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.⁵ When the Lord your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said.⁶ So pray for this remnant that remains.’”⁷

Isaiah 37:17

37:17 Pay attention, Lord, and hear! Open your eyes, Lord, and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God!⁸

Isaiah 37:23-24

37:23 Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at?

At whom have you shouted

and looked so arrogantly?⁹

At the Holy One of Israel!¹⁰

37:24 Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master,¹¹

‘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,¹²

its thickest woods.

¹tn In the Hebrew text this verse begins with “they said to him” (cf. NRSV).

²tn Or “rebuke” (KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “correction.”

³tn Or “contempt”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “disgrace.”

⁴tn Heb “when sons come to the cervical opening and there is no strength to give birth.”

⁵tn Heb “all the words of the chief adviser whom his master, the king of Assyria, sent to taunt the living God.”

⁶tn Heb “and rebuke the words which the Lord your God hears.”

⁷tn Heb “and lift up a prayer on behalf of the remnant that is found.”

⁹tn Heb “Hear all the words of Sennacherib which he sent to taunt the living God.”

¹³tn Heb “and lifted your eyes on high?” Cf. NIV “lifted your eyes in pride”; NRSV “haughtily lifted your eyes.”

¹⁴sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

¹⁷tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

¹⁸tn Heb “the height of its extremity”; ASV “its farthest height.”