Isaiah 37

1 On hearing [when king Hezekiah heard] this report, King [the royal ruler] Hezekiah [a king of Judah who served Jehovah] tore [rent] his clothes [garments, robe], put on [covered himself with] sackcloth [a coarse cloth], and entered [went into] the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 2 And he sent Eliakim [over the household] the palace administrator, Shebna [secretary] the scribe, and the leading [elderly, chief] priests, all wearing [clothed in, covered with] sackcloth [a coarse cloth], to the prophet [one who speaks for God, spokesperson] Isaiah [Jeshaiah, Jehovah has saved] son of Amoz word study 3 to tell him, “This is what Hezekiah [the faithful king of Judah] says: Today [this present day, a time of crisis] is a day [a period of time, a season] of distress [trouble, vexation], rebuke [correction, chastisement], and disgrace [contempt, shame]; for children [sons, descendants] have come to the point of birth [the womb, the place of delivery], but there is no strength [power, might] to deliver [give birth to, bring forth] them. word study 4 Perhaps [it may be, possibly] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] will hear [listen and obey] the words [messages, matters] of the Rabshakeh [a high-ranking official], whom his master [lord, ruler] the king of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians] has sent [dispatched, commissioned] to defy [taunt, reproach] the living [alive, having life] God [the all-powerful, supreme deity], and He will rebuke [correct, reprove] him for the words [messages, matters] that the LORD [Yehovah] your God [Elohim] has heard [listened to, given attention]. Therefore [so, thus] lift up [raise, offer] a prayer [supplication, request] for the remnant [what is left, the remaining ones] that still survives [is left, remains].” word study 5 So the servants [or slaves, attendants] of King [ruler, monarch] Hezekiah [a righteous king of Judah] went [came, approached] to [toward, in the direction of] Isaiah [Jeshaiah, Jehovah has saved], word study 6 who replied, “Tell your master [lord, ruler] that this is what the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] says: ‘Do not be afraid [dread, terrified] of the words [messages, threats] you have heard [listened to, perceived], with which the servants [attendants, officials] of the king of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation] have blasphemed [reviled, spoken evil of] Me [the Almighty, God Himself]. word study 7 Behold [look, take notice], I will put [give, place] a spirit [breath of life, mind and emotions] in him so that he will hear [listen, obey] a rumor [news, report, tidings] and return [turn back, go back] to his own land [country, territory], where I will cause him to fall [be defeated, die] by the sword [cutting instrument, weapon].’” word study 8 When the Rabshakeh [a high-ranking official, chief cupbearer] heard that the king of Assyria [the ruler of the Assyrian empire] had left [departed from, set out from] Lachish, he withdrew [turned back, returned] and found [discovered, came upon] the king fighting [warring, battling] against [opposed to, in conflict with] Libnah [a city in Palestine, a Canaanite royal city]. word study 9 Now Sennacherib had been warned [informed, received news] about Tirhakah [the king of Ethiopia, a powerful ruler] king of Cush [Ethiopia, the region south of Egypt]: “He has set out [come forth, marched] to fight [make war, engage in battle] against you [with the intention of defeating].” On hearing [receiving, giving attention to] this, Sennacherib sent [dispatched, commissioned] messengers [representatives, ambassadors] to Hezekiah [the king of Judah, a faithful leader], saying [speaking, declaring], word study 10 “Give this message to Hezekiah [king of the tribe of Judah] king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God [Elohim, the one supreme God], in whom you trust [have confidence, rely], deceive you [lead astray, mislead] by saying that Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Judah] will not be delivered [given, surrendered] into the hand [power, control] of the king of Assyria [the ruler of the Assyrian empire]. word study 11 Surely [behold, look] you have heard [to hear, listen, and obey] what the kings [royal rulers, monarchs] of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians] have done [to make, accomplish, bring about] to all [every, the whole] the other countries [lands, territories, nations], devoting [to devote, destroy, utterly demolish] them to destruction [utter ruin, complete devastation]. Will you [you personally, as an individual] then be spared [rescued, delivered, saved from harm]? word study 12 Did the gods [divine beings, deities] of the nations [Gentile peoples, non-Hebrews] destroyed [ruined, devastated] by my fathers [ancestors, forefathers] rescue [deliver, save] those nations—the gods of Gozan [a province in Assyria], Haran [a city in northern Syria], and Rezeph [a place of hot stones], and of the people [sons, descendants] of Eden [a place of pleasure, delight] in Telassar [Assyrian hill, a conquered city]? word study 13 Where [in what place, at what location] are the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Hamath [an ancient city in Syria], Arpad [a city in northern Syria], Sepharvaim [a city near the Euphrates River], Hena [a place in Mesopotamia], and Ivvah [a region in Assyria, meaning destruction]?’” word study 14 So Hezekiah [the faithful king of Judah] received the letter [scroll, written document] from the messengers [representatives], read it, and went up [ascended, rose] to the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and spread it out [stretched out, unfolded] before the LORD [in His presence, face to face]. word study 15 And Hezekiah [a king of Judah, son of Ahaz] prayed [to intercede, to make petition] to [toward, in the direction of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]: word study 16 “O LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] of Hosts [armies of angels], God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] of Israel, enthroned [seated in majesty] above the cherubim [heavenly guardians], You alone [solely, uniquely] are God [the one true Deity] over all [every, the entirety of] the kingdoms [dominions, realms] of the earth [the land, the world]. You made [created, brought into being] the heavens [the sky, the celestial realm] and the earth [the land, the material world]. word study 17 Incline Your ear [to listen carefully], O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and hear [with attention and obedience]; open Your eyes [to see and understand], O LORD, and see [to perceive and discern]. Listen to all [every single one] the words [messages, declarations] that Sennacherib [the Assyrian king] has sent [to convey a message] to defy [to reproach, insult] the living [having life, spiritual life] God [Elohim, the one supreme God]. word study 18 Truly [of a truth, surely], O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the kings [rulers, royal persons] of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians] have laid waste [destroyed, desolated] all [everything, every nation] these countries [lands, territories] and their lands [territories, regions]. word study 19 They have cast their gods [idols, false deities] into the fire [burning, flame] and destroyed them, for they were not [lacking true divine nature] gods, but only [merely, nothing more than] wood [natural, unrefined material] and stone [inanimate, lifeless objects]—the work [deeds, creations] of human hands [the product of human skill and labor]. word study 20 And now [at this time, in this moment], O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] our God [Elohim, the one supreme God], save us [deliver us, rescue us] from his hand [power, strength], so that all [every, the whole] the kingdoms [domains, territories] of the earth [land, world] may know [understand, recognize] that You alone [only, apart from all others], O LORD [Yehovah], are God [the one true God, having all power and authority]. ” word study 21 Then Isaiah [son of the prophet] son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob], says: Because you have prayed [interceded, made a request] to Me concerning Sennacherib [the Assyrian king] king of Assyria [the land of Asshur], word study 22 this is the word [which the Lord has spoken, a message from God] that the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has spoken against him: ‘The Virgin [bath, a female child or woman, untouched] Daughter of Zion [a mountain in Jerusalem] despises [to hold in contempt, to scorn] you and mocks [to deride, to laugh at] you; the Daughter of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the chief city of the united kingdom] shakes [to move back and forth, to tremble] her head [the topmost part of the body] behind you [after you, in your rear]. word study 23 Whom have you [reproached, defied] taunted and blasphemed [spoken badly of, reviled]? Against whom have you raised your voice [exalted your voice, lifted up your sound] and lifted your eyes [looked with pride, gazed upward] in pride [arrogance, haughtiness]? Against the Holy One [set apart, sacred] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s chosen people]! word study 24 Through your servants [faithful attendants, those who serve] you have taunted [reproached, defied] the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God], and you have said: “With my many chariots [multitude of war-carriages] I have ascended [gone up, risen] to the heights [elevated places, lofty regions] of the mountains [hills, rugged terrain], to the remote [inmost, farthest] peaks of Lebanon [the white mountain]. I have cut down [destroyed, felled] its tallest cedars [strongest, most majestic trees], the finest [choicest, most excellent] of its cypresses [evergreen trees]. I have reached [entered, penetrated] its farthest heights [most distant, extreme regions], the densest [thickest, most luxuriant] of its forests [wooded areas]. word study 25 I [the Assyrian king, personally] have dug [excavated, made water-holes] wells and drunk [feasted on, enjoyed] foreign [distant, exotic] waters [sources of refreshment]. With the soles [palm, underside] of my feet I have dried up [desolated, destroyed] all [every single one, the entirety] the streams [rivers, watercourses, like the Nile] of Egypt [the land of the Nile, a place of siege].” word study 26 Have you not heard [from afar]? Long ago [in days of old, from ancient times] I ordained [planned, formed, and purposed] it; in days of old [from the beginning, in times past] I planned [formed, and shaped] it. Now [at this time, in these circumstances] I have brought [caused, and made] it to pass, that you should [be able to, and will] crush [lay waste, and destroy] fortified [strong, and defended] cities into piles [heaps, and ruins] of rubble [desolation, and destruction]. word study 27 Therefore their inhabitants [of small power, feeble-handed], devoid of [physical or spiritual] power, are [completely broken, shattered] dismayed [terrified, humiliated] and [deeply] ashamed [put to shame, feeling guilt]. They are like [tender] plants [herbs, green shoots] in the field [a cultivated area, a flat land] [soft], tender green shoots [new growth, vegetation], grass [herb, tender grass] on the rooftops [housetops, the top of a house], scorched [blasted, withered] before it is [fully] grown [mature, ripe]. word study 28 But I know [am intimately aware of] your sitting down [dwelling, remaining], your going out [coming out, departing] and coming in [entering, approaching], and your raging [trembling with anger, furious] against Me [toward, in the direction of]. word study 29 Because your rage [furious anger, intense wrath] and arrogance [proud, haughty attitude, feeling secure] against Me have reached [come up to, ascended] My ears [the ability to hear, giving attention], I will put [place, set] My hook [ring, nose ring] in your nose [face, anger] and My bit [bridle, control] in your mouth [lips, language]; I will send [turn, cause to return] you back the way [road, path, manner of life] you came [went, approached, entered].’ word study 30 And this [the following miracle] will be a sign [a miraculous token, a wonder] to you, O Hezekiah: This year [the current year, a period of time] you will eat [consume, devour] what grows [sprouts, comes forth] on its own [naturally, without cultivation], and in the second year what springs [grows, shoots forth] from the same [self-sown crop]. But in the third [final] year you will sow [plant seed, scatter] and reap [harvest, gather]; you will plant [establish, cultivate] vineyards [gardens for grapes, plots of land] and eat [enjoy, partake of] their fruit [the produce, the result]. word study 31 And the surviving [escaped, remaining] remnant of the house [family, tribe] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, son of Jacob] will again [continue, revive] take root [be established, have a foundation] below [beneath, in the earth] and bear [produce, yield] fruit [the results of their faith, spiritual growth] above [upward, in a heavenly direction]. word study 32 For [because of this reason] a remnant [a small surviving group] will go forth [come out, escape] from Jerusalem [the city of peace], and survivors [those who remain] from Mount [hill] Zion [the spiritual high point]. The zeal [intense determination] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] of Hosts [armies] will accomplish [make, do] this [the promised event]. word study 33 So this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says about the king [ruler, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians]: ‘He will not enter [come into, approach] this city [town, settlement] or shoot [to show or teach, like pointing out] an arrow [a sharp object shot from a bow] into it. He will not come before [meet, go before] it with a shield [a protective device] or build up [pour out, shed] a siege ramp [a military mound or rampart] against it [upon, above]. word study 34 He will go back [return, turn back] the way [path, road, or manner of action] he came, and he will not [never, under no circumstances] enter [come into, approach] this [specific, particular] city [town, urban center],’ declares [utters, speaks forth] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 35 ‘I will [protect, keep safe] defend this city [the settlement, town] and save [rescue, deliver] it for My own sake [for My honor, reputation] and for the sake [because of, on account of] of My servant [loyal attendant, bondslave] David [the king].’” word study 36 Then the angel [messenger of God] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] went out and struck down [smiting, hitting] 185,000 men in the camp [army, group of people] of the Assyrians [descendants of Asshur]. When the people got up [rose early, started early] the next morning [break of day, new beginnings], there were all the dead bodies [corpses, lifeless]! word study 37 So Sennacherib [king of the Assyrian empire] king of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestral homeland] broke camp [departed, went away] and withdrew [returned, turned back]. He returned [to his place, home] to Nineveh [the capital city, a major metropolis] and stayed [dwelt, remained] there [in his kingdom, at rest]. word study 38 One day, while he was worshiping [bowing down, showing reverence] in the temple [house, place of worship] of his god [deity, idol] Nisroch, his sons [children, descendants] Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword [killed him, struck him down] and escaped [fled, slipped away] to the land [region, territory] of Ararat [a mountainous area, a place of refuge]. And his son [child, heir] Esar-haddon [a king of Assyria, a powerful ruler] reigned [ruled, governed] in his place [stead, position]. word study