2 Kings 19 16

2 Kings 19:16 kjv

LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.

2 Kings 19:16 nkjv

Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

2 Kings 19:16 niv

Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

2 Kings 19:16 esv

Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.

2 Kings 19:16 nlt

Bend down, O LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see! Listen to Sennacherib's words of defiance against the living God.

2 Kings 19 verses

2 Kings 19 16 Meaning

2 Kings 19:16 is a direct plea from King Hezekiah to the LORD, the God of Israel. Facing an existential threat from the Assyrian King Sennacherib, who has sent blasphemous messages, Hezekiah urgently calls upon God to pay close attention to the insolent words. His prayer appeals to God's active engagement, asking Him to not merely be aware but to truly perceive and act upon the reproach hurled against His very name and essence as the one, true, "living God," distinct from lifeless idols.

2 Kings 19 16 Context

This verse is Hezekiah's impassioned prayer in response to a grave national crisis. Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, had conquered many fortified cities of Judah and was threatening Jerusalem. He had sent his chief official, the Rabshakeh, to deliver a message mocking Judah's trust in the LORD and asserting Assyria's invincibility by claiming no god could stand against them (2 Ki 18:28-35). This was not merely a military threat but a direct verbal assault, or "reproach," against the God of Israel. Hezekiah, in deep distress, tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, and sends to the prophet Isaiah. This prayer, recorded in 2 Kings 19:15-19 (and almost identically in Isaiah 37:15-20), represents Hezekiah's humble yet firm reliance on the LORD. It follows Hezekiah's initial distress and Isaiah's comforting prophecy, reinforcing the king's faith as he brings the matter directly before God, placing the enemy's blasphemous letter before Him in the temple. The core issue is the honor of YHWH, challenged by a human king.

2 Kings 19 16 Word analysis

• Incline: (Hebrew: נָטָה, nat̃ah) Means to stretch out, to spread abroad, or to lean. Here, it implies an intentional leaning in or bending of the ear, signifying deep attentiveness and concentration. It's not a passive hearing but an active, deliberate act of listening carefully.

• Thine ear: (Hebrew: אֹזֶן, 'ozen) Used anthropomorphically, attributing human characteristics (ear) to God. This conveys a relatable image of God's receptiveness to prayer and His capacity to hear with personal attention, making the divine accessible in human understanding.

• O LORD: (Hebrew: יְהוָה, YHWH) God's covenant name, revealing His personal and relational aspect to Israel. By addressing Him as YHWH, Hezekiah appeals to God's covenant faithfulness, His unique identity as the self-existent, true God, and His established relationship with His people. This underscores the theological basis of his plea.

• and hear: (Hebrew: שָׁמַע, sham'a) More than just perceiving sound, this word implies heeding, obeying, and responding. Hezekiah is asking God to not just register the words, but to take them to heart and act in response to what is heard.

• open: (Hebrew: פָּקַח, paqach) To unstop, to open, especially referring to eyes or ears being opened. It signifies a deliberate and full act of perception, rather than a casual glance.

• Thine eyes: (Hebrew: עַיִן, 'ayin) Also anthropomorphic, representing God's active observation, discernment, and comprehensive understanding. It indicates God seeing clearly, not missing any detail of the situation or the insult.

• and see: (Hebrew: רָאָה, ra'ah) To perceive, observe, discern, or comprehend. Similar to "hear," this verb implies seeing with understanding and leading to a response or action, not just a mere glance.

• words of Sennacherib: Refers specifically to the letter and messages delivered by Rabshakeh, which contained direct insults and challenges to YHWH's power and ability to save Judah.

• sent to reproach: (Hebrew: חֵרֵף, cheraph) This is a strong verb meaning to taunt, revile, mock, or defile. It signifies a severe insult, not merely criticism, but an attack intended to dishonor and blaspheme. Sennacherib's actions were seen as a direct assault on God's reputation.

• the living God: (Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים חַי, 'Elohim chay) This is a critical theological distinction. It contrasts YHWH, who is active, powerful, and truly existent, with the dead, inert, and impotent idols worshipped by other nations. Hezekiah highlights that Sennacherib's taunts are not just against a national deity, but against the very Being who alone possesses life and exercises ultimate sovereignty. This phrase acts as a polemic against pagan beliefs.

• "Incline Thine ear...and hear; open Thine eyes...and see": This coupled phrase is a powerful double anthropomorphism. Hezekiah pleads for God's full and active sensory engagement, using terms that imply human attentiveness, demonstrating his profound desire for God to intimately grasp the severity of the blasphemy and respond. It signifies a prayer for divine intervention based on thorough comprehension of the insult.

• "reproach the living God": This phrase encapsulates the core of Hezekiah's distress. The insult is not merely a threat to Judah, but a direct affront to God's very being and identity. The emphasis on "living God" highlights the contrast with lifeless idols, presenting Sennacherib's taunt as not just a strategic miscalculation, but profound spiritual ignorance and blasphemy that demanded God's direct, personal vindication.

2 Kings 19 16 Bonus section

The anthropomorphic language ("ear," "eyes") does not imply limitation in God but rather expresses His profound, relatable involvement with His creation, particularly in moments of distress and challenge to His honor. This language makes God's attentiveness comprehensible to human minds. Hezekiah’s prayer strategically places the Assyrian threat not merely as a national conflict, but as a theological battle concerning God's unique power and status. This spiritual framing transforms a political problem into a direct challenge to God, thereby inviting divine intervention for the vindication of His holy name. God's immediate and dramatic response in sending the angel to strike down the Assyrian army (2 Ki 19:35) validates Hezekiah's theological insight: God will indeed act when His honor is reproached by human arrogance.

2 Kings 19 16 Commentary

Hezekiah's prayer is a model of faith in crisis. Rather than focusing solely on Judah's imminent destruction, he elevates the plea to God's honor. By urging God to "incline His ear" and "open His eyes," he acknowledges God's omnipresence and omniscience, yet pleads for a demonstration of His active engagement and a clear understanding of the specific blasphemy. The repetition of "hear" and "see" conveys the king's desperation for God to not merely witness but to be fully present and responsive. The crucial point is that Sennacherib's message "reproaches the living God," meaning the Assyrian king dared to equate YHWH with the false, inanimate deities he had conquered. Hezekiah skillfully points out that the real affront is against God's nature and reputation. His prayer appeals not to God's sympathy for Judah's weakness, but to God's jealousy for His own holy name and His distinction as the sole living and powerful Deity. This approach strategically shifts the burden of response from human weakness to divine glory, knowing that God will defend His own character.