Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Sennacherib invades Judah and taunts the citizens of Jerusalem. An angel wipes out Sennacherib’s army because of Hezekiah’s and Isaiah’s prayers. Hezekiah’s successes and shortcomings are listed.
II. Photo
Hezekiah prospers: “Hezekiah enjoyed riches and glory in abundance; he filled treasuries with silver and gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all lovely objects.” (v. 27)
III. Select Verses
9-15: Afterward, King Sennacherib of Assyria sent his officers to Jerusalem — he and all his staff being at Lachish — with this message to King Hezekiah of Judah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem: “Thus said King Sennacherib of Assyria: On what do you trust to enable you to endure a siege in Jerusalem? Hezekiah is seducing you to a death of hunger and thirst, saying, ‘The LORD our God will save us from the king of Assyria.’ But is not Hezekiah the one who removed His shrines and His altars and commanded the people of Judah and Jerusalem saying, ‘Before this one altar you shall prostrate yourselves, and upon it make your burnt offerings’? Surely you know what I and my fathers have done to the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands able to save their lands from me? Which of all the gods of any of those nations whom my fathers destroyed was able to save his people from me, that your God should be able to save you from me? Now then, do not let Hezekiah delude you; do not let him seduce you in this way; do not believe him. For no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from me or from my fathers — much less your God, to save you from me!”
20-21: Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed about this, and cried out to heaven. The LORD sent an angel who annihilated every mighty warrior, commander, and officer in the army of the king of Assyria, and he returned in disgrace to his land. He entered the house of his god, and there some of his own offspring struck him down by the sword.
27-30: Hezekiah enjoyed riches and glory in abundance; he filled treasuries with silver and gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all lovely objects; 28 and store-cities with the produce of grain, wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of beasts, and flocks for sheepfolds. And he acquired towns, and flocks of small and large cattle in great number, for God endowed him with very many possessions. It was Hezekiah who stopped up the spring of water of Upper Gihon, leading it downward west of the City of David; Hezekiah prospered in all that he did.
IV. Outline
1-23. Sennacherib’s invasion
1. Sennacherib invades Judah
2-4. Hezekiah stops up the wadis
5a. Rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls
5b. Arming the people
6-8. Rousing the people
9. Sennacherib sends a message to Jerusalem
10-15. The message: Hezekiah and Yhwh will fail
16-19. Sennacherib’s messengers taunt the Jerusalemites
20. Hezekiah and Isaiah pray
21a. An angel strikes the Assyrian camp
21b. Sennacherib is killed by his offspring in his land
22. God’s involvement
23a. Tribute to Yhwh
23b. Hezekiah’s fame
24-30. Hezekiah’s shortcomings and successes
24-26. Hezekiah’s arrogance, sickness, and repentance
27-30. Hezekiah’s wealth and building projects
31. Success with the Babylonians
32-33. Summary; Death
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
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