Isaiah 37:7

37:7 Look, I will take control of his mind; ¹  he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down ²  with a sword in his own land.”’”

Isaiah 37:35-36

37:35 I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”’” ³ 

37:36 The Lord’s messenger ⁴  went out and killed 185,000 troops ⁵  in the Assyrian camp. When they ⁶  got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses! ⁷ 

[37:7]  ¹ tn Heb “I will put in him a spirit.” The precise sense of רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) is uncertain in this context. It may refer to a spiritual being who will take control of his mind (see 1 Kgs 22:19), or it could refer to a disposition of concern and fear. In either case the Lord’s sovereignty over the king is apparent.

[37:7]  ² tn Heb “cause him to fall” (so KJV, ASV, NAB), that is, “kill him.”

[37:35]  ³ tn Heb “for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.”

[37:36]  ⁵ tn Traditionally, “the angel of the Lord” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[37:36]  ⁶ tn The word “troops” is supplied in the translation for smoothness and clarity.

[37:36]  ⁷ tn This refers to the Israelites and/or the rest of the Assyrian army.

[37:36]  ⁸ tn Heb “look, all of them were dead bodies”; NLT “they found corpses everywhere.”