2 Kings 19:11 kjv
Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?
2 Kings 19:11 nkjv
Look! You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered?
2 Kings 19:11 niv
Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?
2 Kings 19:11 esv
Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, devoting them to destruction. And shall you be delivered?
2 Kings 19:11 nlt
You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different?
2 Kings 19 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 10:5-7 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger… a nation of plunder." | God uses nations as instruments, though they boast in their own might. |
| Isa 36:18-20 | Rabshakeh's earlier taunt: "Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land...?" | Direct echo of Sennacherib's same blasphemous challenge against YHWH. |
| Isa 37:10 | "Let not your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given..." | Sennacherib's direct warning against trusting in God for deliverance. |
| 2 Ki 18:33-35 | Rabshakeh listing conquered cities whose gods failed to deliver them. | Foundation for Sennacherib's rhetorical question in 19:11. |
| Ps 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." | Contrast between human military might (Assyria) and divine power. |
| Ps 33:10-11 | "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples." | God's sovereignty over the mightiest human empires and their schemes. |
| Ps 115:3 | "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases." | God's omnipotence compared to powerless idols. |
| Dan 4:34-35 | Nebuchadnezzar's declaration of God's sovereign rule over all kingdoms. | Post-Assyrian recognition of God's ultimate authority over human kingdoms. |
| Jer 10:10-11 | "The Lord is the true God... The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish..." | Contrast between the living God of Israel and the false, impotent gods of nations. |
| Job 9:12 | "Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, 'What are you doing?'" | God's irresistible power to deliver or destroy, beyond human questioning. |
| Deut 28:49-50 | Prophecy of a distant, fierce nation invading Judah and showing no mercy. | Reflects the terrifying nature of the Assyrian invasion, fulfilling prophecy. |
| Deut 32:39 | "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive..." | God alone has power over life and death, deliverance and destruction. |
| 1 Sam 17:45-47 | David defying Goliath, trusting in the God who delivers, not human weapons. | Illustrates trust in God against overwhelming human odds. |
| Ex 14:13 | Moses to Israel before Red Sea: "Do not fear, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord..." | Precedent of divine deliverance from a mighty, conquering foe (Egypt). |
| Ps 76:5-6 | "The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil... At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay fast asleep." | God's sudden intervention against military power. |
| Prov 21:31 | "The war horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance belongs to the Lord." | Emphasizes that ultimate victory and salvation come from God. |
| Isa 31:1 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help... and rely on chariots." | Warns against trusting human alliances/might rather than YHWH. |
| Hab 1:6-7 | God raising up the Chaldeans, a dreadful and terrifying nation. | Echoes how God can empower fierce nations for His purposes. |
| Isa 37:33-36 | God's precise prophecy and immediate action in delivering Jerusalem from Sennacherib. | The direct fulfillment of God contradicting Sennacherib's taunt. |
| Zec 2:8 | "For thus declares the Lord of hosts: after glory sent me against the nations who plundered you..." | Future prophecy of God's vengeance on nations that oppressed His people. |
| 2 Tim 3:8 | Resistors of truth like Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses. | Analogous to resisting God's truth with empty claims, similar to Sennacherib's taunt. |
| Col 2:8 | "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit..." | Warns against empty, humanistic arguments that would undermine faith, like Sennacherib's. |
2 Kings 19 verses
2 Kings 19 11 Meaning
This verse presents a direct and intimidating challenge from Sennacherib, king of Assyria, to King Hezekiah of Judah. It asserts that Hezekiah is well aware of the Assyrian kings' consistent policy of utterly destroying all the lands and peoples they conquered. Based on this observable and widespread pattern of overwhelming military might and total subjugation, Sennacherib rhetorically questions Judah's expectation of being delivered, implying such a deliverance is impossible. It is a psychological warfare tactic aimed at crushing hope and forcing surrender, underpinned by Assyria's track record of unrivaled dominance.
2 Kings 19 11 Context
Chapter 19 of 2 Kings is a pivotal narrative concerning Judah's deliverance from the Assyrian Empire, specifically during Sennacherib's invasion in 701 BC. The chapter immediately follows the siege of Jerusalem and the Assyrian general Rabshakeh's audacious and blasphemous challenge to King Hezekiah and YHWH (Chapter 18).
Hezekiah, deeply distressed, sought counsel from the prophet Isaiah. In response, God, through Isaiah, promised to turn back Sennacherib and defend Jerusalem. Verse 11 is taken from a letter Sennacherib sends to Hezekiah, designed to undermine any remaining hope or trust in God, following the failure of Rabshakeh's initial verbal threats to induce surrender. This letter is a climactic attempt to demoralize Hezekiah, reminding him of Assyria's unparalleled power and destruction, thereby presenting trust in YHWH as futile.
Historically, Assyria was the dominant superpower of the ancient Near East, renowned for its brutal efficiency in conquest, systematic destruction of cities, and mass deportation of populations (as exemplified by the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 2 Kings 17). Sennacherib's boast was based on the undeniable historical reality of his empire's overwhelming success against all opposition, whose gods had proven powerless to save them. The message carries a direct polemic against the unique nature of Israel's God, YHWH, challenging Him to prove He is different from the vanquished deities of other nations.
2 Kings 19 11 Word analysis
- Behold (הִנֵּה, hinneh): This is an interjection used to call attention, similar to "Lo!" or "Look!" It serves to introduce something significant or striking, in this case, a declaration that Assyria believes to be undeniable and final, intended to create an immediate impact and emphasize the severity of the statement that follows.
- you have heard (shamata): Implies an appeal to common knowledge or widespread information. Assyrian campaigns were meticulously documented, and their reputation preceded them. There's an insinuation that Hezekiah cannot feign ignorance of Assyria's power and actions, thus intensifying the rhetorical force of the challenge.
- what the kings of Assyria (malchei Ashur) have done (‘āśû): Emphasizes the continuity and collective power of the Assyrian dynasty. It's not one isolated act but a sustained pattern of successful conquest by multiple rulers over generations, suggesting an irresistible, systemic force. The phrase suggests a historical and proven track record.
- to all lands (kol-ha'araṣôt): While likely hyperbolic, this phrase emphasizes the vast reach and scope of Assyrian dominion, aiming to present them as an irresistible force that no land has successfully withstood. This exaggerated claim reinforces the message of inevitable doom for Judah.
- by destroying them utterly (b'ḥarem 'ōtām): The Hebrew word ḥerem (חֶרֶם) is critical. While it can mean complete destruction, particularly by fire, it also carries the nuanced theological sense of "devoting to destruction" or "irrevocable dedication." In biblical context, ḥerem often refers to a holy war in which enemies or their possessions are devoted to YHWH for utter destruction, as seen in Joshua (e.g., Jericho). Sennacherib's use of this term could be an arrogant adoption of Israelite concepts to mock YHWH's authority, or simply reflect a common ancient Near Eastern understanding of total warfare that includes ritualistic obliteration, dedicating the spoils or the people to their own gods as a sign of absolute victory and their gods' supremacy. It signals not just defeat, but complete and irreversible annihilation, suggesting a religious aspect to their conquests, similar to Israel's commanded ḥerem wars.
- and shall you be delivered? (whə’attâ tināṣel?): This is a rhetorical question designed to elicit a negative answer. The verb nāṣal (נָצַל) means "to snatch away, to deliver, to rescue." The implied message is, "If no one else has been delivered from this overwhelming and utterly destructive force, how can you possibly expect to be?" It directly challenges the unique redemptive power of YHWH, contrasting it with the perceived impotency of other gods. It's an expression of utter certainty regarding Judah's fate.
2 Kings 19 11 Bonus section
The Assyrian empire's strategy of total destruction and demoralization, reflected in Sennacherib's words, aimed to shatter any theological or national identity among conquered peoples. This contrasted sharply with the biblical concept of YHWH as the sole, sovereign God who acts in history according to His covenant, not simply by raw military power. Sennacherib's boasting serves as a prime example of human hubris, a theme frequently addressed in prophetic literature, such as Isaiah 10, which foretells God's judgment on Assyria for its pride and self-exaltation. The challenge posed by Sennacherib demanded a response that would reaffirm YHWH's universal kingship and His exclusive ability to deliver, something He demonstrably did for Judah, thus silencing the taunt.
2 Kings 19 11 Commentary
Sennacherib's letter, as captured in 2 Kings 19:11, is a masterstroke of psychological warfare, leveraging undeniable historical facts to undermine faith. The Assyrian king presents himself and his predecessors as an unstoppable force, capable of utterly destroying (Hebrew: ḥerem) any nation or people in their path. This isn't just about conquest; it's about obliteration, aiming to eradicate any identity or hope, and asserting the supremacy of the Assyrian gods.
The rhetorical question, "shall you be delivered?", highlights the core spiritual battle. Sennacherib's logic is purely empirical and humanistic: since every nation conquered has fallen, so too will Judah, irrespective of their God. He reduces YHWH to merely another national deity, indistinguishable from the powerless idols of peoples already vanquished. This presents Hezekiah with a profound test of faith: will he trust in God's word and His unique power, or succumb to the overwhelming evidence of human might? The verse sets the stage for God's dramatic and miraculous intervention, proving that He is indeed unlike the gods of the nations and that His deliverance is unlike any earthly escape. It emphasizes that what is impossible with man is possible with God (Mt 19:26).