2 Kings 19 10

2 Kings 19:10 kjv

Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

2 Kings 19:10 nkjv

"Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, "Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."

2 Kings 19:10 niv

"Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, 'Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.'

2 Kings 19:10 esv

"Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

2 Kings 19:10 nlt

"This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don't let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria.

2 Kings 19 verses

2 Kings 19 10 Meaning

The verse, part of Sennacherib’s mocking message to King Hezekiah, asserts that Yahweh, the God of Judah, cannot be trusted to protect Jerusalem from the Assyrian conquest. It is a direct and insidious psychological attack aimed at undermining Hezekiah’s faith and Judah's confidence in their God, suggesting divine deception in promising Jerusalem's inviolability.

2 Kings 19 10 Context

This verse is part of the defiant message sent by Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, to King Hezekiah of Judah, during the Assyrian siege of Lachish (and threat to Jerusalem) in 701 BCE. Sennacherib had already conquered numerous nations and cities, and his propaganda boasted that no god had been able to deliver their people from his hand. This specific verse directly follows Sennacherib’s earlier, more general taunts that the gods of Hamath, Arpad, and Samaria did not deliver them. The intent is to specifically attack the faith of Hezekiah and the Judeans, who clung to the unique promise of Yahweh regarding Jerusalem’s protection. This moment is a critical theological confrontation: the invincible might of Assyria against the unwavering promise of Yahweh.

2 Kings 19 10 Word analysis

• Do not let your god (אַל יַשִּׁאֲךָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ - 'al yashshie'kha Elohekha):
  • אל ('al): A negative imperative, expressing a strong prohibition. "Do not..."
  • ישׁא (yashshi'a): From the root נשא (nasha'), meaning "to deceive," "to lead astray," "to cause to forget." It implies misleading by presenting something false as true, or by failing to keep a promise. Sennacherib suggests Yahweh is unreliable and deceptive.
  • אלהיך (Elohekha): "Your God." While Elohim can be a generic term for 'gods,' when combined with the possessive suffix '-ekha' ("your"), and in the context of the singular 'god' and 'whom you trust,' it clearly refers to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Sennacherib is deliberately confronting Hezekiah’s specific object of worship.
• in whom you trust (אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בֹטֵחַ בּוֹ - asher 'attah boteaḥ bo):
  • בוטח (boteaḥ): From the root בטח (bataḥ), meaning "to trust," "to rely upon," "to be confident in," "to feel secure." It denotes deep reliance and security. Sennacherib explicitly targets the core of Hezekiah’s faith: his unwavering trust in Yahweh. He tries to plant doubt in that very trust.
• deceive you by promising (לֵאמֹר - le'mor):
  • The particle le'mor ("saying," "to say") introduces the content of the deceptive promise. This phrase underlines that the alleged deception is not subtle but conveyed through a direct statement, presumably from Yahweh's prophets or earlier divine declarations.
• that Jerusalem will not be given (לֹא תִּנָּתֵן יְרוּשָׁלִַם - lo tinaten Yerushalaim):
  • לֹא (lo): A strong negative.
  • תִּנָּתֵן (tinaten): Niphal imperfect of נתן (nathan), "to give." Niphal passive voice here means "it will be given." So, "it will not be given." This directly addresses the expectation among Judeans that Jerusalem, as God's city, protected by Him, would not fall.
  • ירושלם (Yerushalaim): Jerusalem. The sacred city, Zion, often associated with divine presence and inviolability due to God's covenant with David and His choice of the city.
• into the hand of the king of Assyria (בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר - beyad melek Ashur):
  • בְּיַד (beyad): "Into the hand of," idiomatic for "into the power/control of."
  • מלך אשור (melek Ashur): The king of Assyria, referring specifically to Sennacherib, who embodies overwhelming military and political power, accustomed to subjugating all opposition.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Do not let your god in whom you trust deceive you": This is the core of Sennacherib's blasphemy and psychological warfare. He seeks to sever the link between Hezekiah's faith and its object. By saying "your god will deceive you by promising", Sennacherib casts Yahweh not merely as weak, but as actively untruthful and a deceiver to His own followers. This attacks the very character of God.
• "that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria": This specifies the false promise and contrasts it with the perceived reality of Assyrian dominance. It directly challenges the "Zion theology"—the belief that God's presence guaranteed Jerusalem's inviolability—which was a strong tenet among the Judeans, based on promises (e.g., Isa 31:5). Sennacherib is saying that Yahweh's promises about Jerusalem are empty in the face of Assyrian power.

2 Kings 19 10 Bonus section

• This verse represents a high point of hubris on the part of a human king directly challenging the omnipotence and truthfulness of the Most High God. Such defiance typically precedes divine judgment in biblical narratives.
• The use of the Niphal passive ("will not be given") rather than an active verb emphasizes that Jerusalem's fall or survival is not dependent on human might, but on divine permission or protection, making Sennacherib's boast all the more pointed towards God's perceived inability.
• Sennacherib's failure to capture Jerusalem stands as one of the most remarkable acts of divine intervention in the Old Testament, reinforcing the themes of God's direct involvement in history and His commitment to His chosen people and city, despite their flaws.

2 Kings 19 10 Commentary

Sennacherib's message in 2 Kings 19:10 is not merely a military threat but a profoundly theological challenge. It aims to demoralize Judah by striking at the very heart of their identity: their trust in Yahweh and His unique relationship with Jerusalem. By implying that Yahweh is deceptive, Sennacherib undermines His faithfulness and power, presenting the Assyrian god-king as supreme. This was a common tactic for the Neo-Assyrians who, having conquered many nations and their gods, sought to demoralize opponents by diminishing their deity's perceived ability to save.

However, Hezekiah understood this to be not just an insult to Judah, but a direct affront to God Himself. This pivotal moment precipitates Hezekiah's humble and desperate prayer (2 Kgs 19:15-19), which underscores the profound theological clash. Sennacherib’s words, intended to break Hezekiah's spirit, instead spurred a reliance on God that led to a miraculous deliverance. The contrast highlights the foolishness of human boasting against divine sovereignty and the unfailing faithfulness of the one true God who cannot lie (Num 23:19). The ensuing events prove Sennacherib wrong and affirm Yahweh's supreme power and covenant fidelity.