2 Kings 19:12 kjv
Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?
2 Kings 19:12 nkjv
Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
2 Kings 19:12 niv
Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them?the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?
2 Kings 19:12 esv
Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
2 Kings 19:12 nlt
Have the gods of other nations rescued them ? such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? My predecessors destroyed them all!
2 Kings 19 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 18:33-35 | Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?... | Rabshakeh's earlier challenge, same theme |
| 2 Ki 19:19 | Now therefore, O L ORD our God, save us from his hand...that all the kingdoms of the earth may know... | Hezekiah's prayer for God to vindicate His name |
| 2 Ki 19:28 | Because of your raging against Me and your arrogance...I will put My hook in your nose... | God's response to Sennacherib's pride |
| Isa 37:18-19 | Indeed, O L ORD , the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations... | Parallel account of Sennacherib's boast |
| Ps 115:3-7 | Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases...Their idols are silver and gold... | Contrast of God's sovereignty with impotent idols |
| Jer 10:3-5 | For the customs of the peoples are worthless...a delusion; there is no breath in them. | Idols are worthless and powerless |
| Hab 2:18-19 | What profit is the idol...that its maker trusts in it?...Woe to him who says to a wooden thing... | Futility of worshipping mute idols |
| Isa 40:18-20 | To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?... | God's incomparability and uniqueness |
| Isa 44:6-8 | Thus says the L ORD ...“I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.” | God alone is God, no other deliverer |
| Isa 45:5-7 | I am the L ORD , and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God... | God's exclusive claim to deity and power |
| Deut 32:39 | See now that I, even I, am He, And there is no god besides Me; I kill and I make alive... | God's supreme power, none compares |
| 1 Ki 18:27 | Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating...” | Humiliation of pagan deities (Baal) |
| 2 Chron 32:15 | Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you...No god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver | Sennacherib's consistent argument throughout |
| Ps 33:16-17 | The king is not saved by a mighty army...A war horse is a false hope for salvation... | Reliance on God, not earthly power |
| Ps 20:7 | Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the L ORD our God. | Trust in God's name, not military might |
| 1 Sam 4:8 | Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods?... | Philistines' fear of Israel's God after ark's arrival |
| Exod 12:12 | For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike all the firstborn... | God's judgment against the gods of Egypt |
| Num 33:4 | The Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the L ORD had struck down among them... | God executing judgment on Egypt's deities |
| Jer 2:11 | Has a nation changed gods when they are not gods? | Nations loyal to their false gods, unlike Israel |
| Ps 96:5 | For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the L ORD made the heavens. | Distinction between idols and the Creator God |
| 1 Cor 8:4-6 | An idol has no real existence...there is no God but one...yet for us there is but one God, the Father | Apostolic understanding of pagan gods vs. one God |
| Col 2:15 | He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame... | Christ's victory over spiritual powers/false gods |
| Rev 19:19 | And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth...to make war against Him... | Future kings/powers aligning against God |
2 Kings 19 verses
2 Kings 19 12 Meaning
2 Kings 19:12 records Sennacherib's boastful taunt against King Hezekiah and Judah's God. He questions whether the gods of nations his ancestors destroyed (like Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden in Thelasar) delivered their people. This implicitly challenges Yahweh, claiming He is just another regional deity unable to save Judah from the Assyrian onslaught, paralleling Him with the defeated idols. It's a direct assault on the uniqueness and omnipotence of Israel's God.
2 Kings 19 12 Context
Verse 12 is part of the defiant message Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sends to King Hezekiah of Judah. This message arrives shortly after Rabshakeh's failed attempt to intimidate Jerusalem from outside its walls. Sennacherib's letter directly reiterates and amplifies Rabshakeh's earlier taunts from 2 Kings 18. Historically, Assyria was the dominant superpower of the ancient Near East, renowned for its ruthless military campaigns and policies of deportation and destruction of conquered peoples. Their standard propaganda claimed that their gods were stronger than the gods of the conquered nations. Sennacherib's goal was to break Hezekiah's will and reliance on Yahweh, warning him that Jerusalem's fate would be no different from the many powerful cities and kingdoms Assyria had already subdued. Hezekiah's reaction to this letter (taking it to the Temple and spreading it before the Lord) underscores its blasphemous nature and sets the stage for God's dramatic intervention.
2 Kings 19 12 Word analysis
- Have the gods: The Hebrew word is אֱלֹהִים (
elohim), which can refer to the one true God or to pagan deities, depending on context. Here, it clearly refers to the "gods of the nations," emphasizing their multitude and perceived regionalism. Sennacherib casts Yahweh among them. This is a direct polemic challenging monotheism and the uniqueness of God. - of the nations: (גּוֹיִם, goyim). Refers to the Gentile peoples, often connoting those who are not part of God's covenant with Israel and are therefore typically idolaters. Assyrian military success against these goyim fueled their false conclusion about the weakness of the goyim's gods.
- delivered them: (הִצִּיל, hitzil). To rescue, to save, to deliver from danger or destruction. Sennacherib claims none of the foreign gods could "deliver" their worshippers from the Assyrian army, implying that Judah's God will similarly fail. This highlights a fundamental theological error: God's ultimate plan is not necessarily worldly salvation at all times.
- which my fathers have destroyed: A bold boast of Assyrian imperial might. The phrase signifies their succession of conquest, attributing past military victories to the superiority of the Assyrian state and their (false) gods, not merely human strategy or power. It aims to terrify by showcasing an irresistible force.
- as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?: These are historically verifiable places that had indeed been conquered and destroyed or relocated by Assyrian kings, particularly in the 8th and 9th centuries BCE.
- Gozan: A city in northern Mesopotamia, associated with the Aramaean state of Bit Bahiani. Conquered by Tiglath-Pileser III or Shalmaneser IV/V, deported populations often sent here (2 Ki 17:6).
- Haran: A significant ancient city in northwest Mesopotamia (Abraham's temporary home, Gen 11:31). A major religious center, particularly for the worship of the moon-god Sin. Conquered by Assyria multiple times.
- Rezeph: Located west of the Euphrates, another city in Aramaean region. Also subject to Assyrian dominance.
- children of Eden which were in Thelasar: Refers to the Bit Adini (House of Eden), an Aramaean kingdom conquered by Shalmaneser III, likely exiled to a city named Thelasar, known for brick kilns and military camps.These specific names underscore the concrete nature of Sennacherib's conquests and provide seemingly irrefutable evidence for his claims. They represent the diversity and extent of Assyrian power, challenging Judah's hope in their own "regional" God.
2 Kings 19 12 Bonus section
- The Assyrian kings often ascribed their military victories to their gods (e.g., Ashur). Sennacherib's statement reflects this ingrained worldview where the power of a nation's god was directly correlated with its military success. He fails to grasp Yahweh's nature as the Lord of all the earth (2 Ki 19:15), not just a national deity.
- The historical and geographical precision of the named places (Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, Eden, Thelasar) reflects the meticulous nature of Assyrian records and serves as a powerful testament to their empire's reach and terror for their contemporaries.
- The theological 'battle' established here by Sennacherib's taunt is central to the subsequent narrative, culminating in God's miraculous deliverance (2 Kings 19:35-36) and the explicit refutation of the idea that God is like any other god. It directly addresses the temptation for Israel to assimilate their faith to the syncretistic practices of surrounding nations.
2 Kings 19 12 Commentary
Sennacherib's challenge in 2 Kings 19:12 is more than a military taunt; it's a profound theological confrontation. By listing previously conquered nations and their supposedly impotent gods, he frames Yahweh as merely one deity among many, destined to share the fate of other regional idols before Assyrian might. This fundamentally misunderstands the God of Israel, who is not bound by earthly limitations or susceptible to human armies. Sennacherib's error lies in comparing the omnipotent, sovereign Creator to finite, man-made idols that "cannot deliver." The very specificity of the named cities and peoples – Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, Eden, and Thelasar – is a chilling reminder of Assyria's devastating conquests, intended to induce despair and erode Hezekiah's faith. This verse thus sets the stage for a spectacular demonstration of God's uniqueness and power, as He ultimately answers Hezekiah's prayer, vindicating His name and shattering Sennacherib's proud assumptions about His nature and ability. It's a stark portrayal of worldly pride colliding with divine omnipotence.