Focused Passage

Isaiah 37:1-7

Hezekiah’s Prayer and the LORD’s Deliverance from Assyria

Isaiah 37 moves from Hezekiah’s grief and appeal to the LORD, to Isaiah’s assurance that Assyria’s king will not prevail, to Sennacherib’s renewed letter of intimidation, to Hezekiah spreading the letter before the LORD, to a theologically rich prayer confessing the LORD as the living God over all kingdoms, to the LORD’s oracle against Assyria, and finally to the angelic destruction of the Assyrian army and Sennacherib’s downfall.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.

2And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz

3to tell him, “This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; for children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them.

4Perhaps the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”

5So the servants of King Hezekiah went to Isaiah,

6who replied, “Tell your master that this is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.

7Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Onוַיְהִ֗יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhearing [this report]כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙H8085Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructKingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularHezekiahחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּH2396Noun - proper - masculine singulartoreוַיִּקְרַ֖עH7167Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis clothesבְּגָדָ֑יוH899Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularput onוַיִּתְכַּ֣סH3680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularsackclothבַּשָּׂ֔קH8242Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand enteredוַיָּבֹ֖אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe houseבֵּ֥יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

And he sentוַ֠יִּשְׁלַחH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerEliakimאֶלְיָקִ֨יםH471Noun - proper - masculine singularthe palaceהַבַּ֜יִתH1004Article | Noun - masculine singularvvvאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeadministratorעַל־H5921Preposition-וְאֵ֣ת׀H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerShebnaשֶׁבְנָ֣אH7644Noun - proper - masculine singularthe scribeהַסּוֹפֵ֗רH5608Article | Noun - masculine singular-וְאֵת֙H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand the leadingזִקְנֵ֣יH2205Adjective - masculine plural constructpriestsהַכֹּהֲנִ֔יםH3548Article | Noun - masculine pluralall wearingמִתְכַּסִּ֖יםH3680Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine pluralsackclothבַּשַּׂקִּ֑יםH8242Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluraltoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe prophetהַנָּבִֽיא׃H5030Article | Noun - masculine singularIsaiahיְשַֽׁעְיָ֥הוּH3470Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Amozאָמ֖וֹץH531Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

to tellוַיֹּאמְר֣וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralhimאֵלָ֗יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularThis is whatכֹּ֚הH3541AdverbHezekiahחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּH2396Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularTodayיוֹם־H3117Noun - masculine singular construct. . .הַזֶּ֑הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularis a dayהַיּ֣וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularof distressצָרָ֧הH6869Noun - feminine singularrebukeוְתוֹכֵחָ֛הH8433Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularand disgraceוּנְאָצָ֖הH5007Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularforכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionchildrenבָנִים֙H1121Noun - masculine pluralhave comeבָ֤אוּH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralto the point ofעַד־H5704Prepositionbirthמַשְׁבֵּ֔רH4866Noun - masculine singularbut there is noאַ֖יִןH369Adverbstrengthוְכֹ֥חַH3581Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularto deliver themלְלֵדָֽה׃H3205Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Perhapsאוּלַ֡יH194Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֨הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֜יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular-אֵ֣ת׀H853Direct object markerwill hearיִשְׁמַע֩H8085Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe wordsדִּבְרֵ֣יH1697Noun - masculine plural constructvvvרַב־H7262Noun - masculine singularof the Rabshakehשָׁקֵ֗הH7262Noun - masculine singularwhomאֲשֶׁר֩H834Pronoun - relativehis masterאֲדֹנָיו֙H113Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularthe kingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Assyriaאַשּׁ֤וּר׀H804Noun - proper - feminine singularhas sentשְׁלָח֨וֹH7971Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularto defyלְחָרֵף֙H2778Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructthe livingחַ֔יH2416Adjective - masculine singularGodאֱלֹהִ֣יםH430Noun - masculine pluraland He will rebuke himוְהוֹכִ֙יחַ֙H3198Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularfor the wordsבַּדְּבָרִ֔יםH1697Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralthatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularhas heardשָׁמַ֖עH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularTherefore lift upוְנָשָׂ֣אתָH5375Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singulara prayerתְפִלָּ֔הH8605Noun - feminine singularforבְּעַ֥דH1157Prepositionthe remnantהַשְּׁאֵרִ֖יתH7611Article | Noun - feminine singularthat still survivesהַנִּמְצָאָֽה׃H4672Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Verse 5

Original words

So the servantsעַבְדֵ֛יH5650Noun - masculine plural constructof Kingהַמֶּ֥לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularHezekiahחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּH2396Noun - proper - masculine singularwentוַיָּבֹ֗אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltoאֶל־H413PrepositionIsaiahיְשַׁעְיָֽהוּ׃H3470Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

whoיְשַֽׁעְיָ֔הוּH3470Noun - proper - masculine singularrepliedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularאֲלֵיהֶם֙אֲלֵיהֶם֙H413Preposition | third person masculine pluralכֹּ֥הכֹּ֥הH3541AdverbTellתֹאמְר֖וּןH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionyour masterאֲדֹנֵיכֶ֑םH113Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralthat this is whatכֹּ֣ה׀H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularDo notאַל־H408Adverbbe afraidתִּירָא֙H3372Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularofמִפְּנֵ֤יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructthe wordsהַדְּבָרִים֙H1697Article | Noun - masculine pluralyou have heardשָׁמַ֔עְתָּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֧רH834Pronoun - relativewith whichאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativethe servantsנַעֲרֵ֥יH5288Noun - masculine plural constructof the kingמֶלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Assyriaאַשּׁ֖וּרH804Noun - proper - feminine singular-אוֹתִֽי׃H853Direct object marker | first person common singularhave blasphemed Meגִּדְּפ֛וּH1442Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 7

Original words

Beholdהִנְנִ֨יH2005Interjection | first person common singularI will putנוֹתֵ֥ןH5414Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singulara spiritר֔וּחַH7307Noun - common singularin himבּוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singularso that he will hearוְשָׁמַ֥עH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulara rumorשְׁמוּעָ֖הH8052Noun - feminine singularand returnוְשָׁ֣בH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionhis own landאַרְצ֑וֹH776Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularwhereבְּאַרְצֽוֹ׃H776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularI will cause him to fallוְהִפַּלְתִּ֥יוH5307Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singularby the swordבַּחֶ֖רֶבH2719Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.