2 Kings 19:20 kjv
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
2 Kings 19:20 nkjv
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.'
2 Kings 19:20 niv
Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
2 Kings 19:20 esv
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
2 Kings 19:20 nlt
Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer about King Sennacherib of Assyria.
2 Kings 19 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 10:17 | O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart; You will incline Your ear. | God hears the humble. |
| Psa 116:1-2 | I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and My supplications... He has inclined His ear to me. | God hears and responds. |
| Isa 65:24 | It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. | God's eagerness to answer. |
| Jer 33:3 | ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ | God's promise to answer prayer. |
| Mt 7:7-8 | "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." | God responds to seeking. |
| 1 Jn 5:14-15 | Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. | Asking in His will ensures hearing. |
| Dan 2:20-21 | He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings. | God's sovereignty over earthly rulers. |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. | God controls human rulers. |
| Isa 40:23 | He brings princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. | God's power over human authority. |
| Psa 46:1 | God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. | God's immediate availability in crisis. |
| Ex 14:13-14 | And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD..." | God fighting for His people. |
| 2 Chr 20:15 | "...Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s." | God's battle, not man's. |
| Rom 8:31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's protective stance for His people. |
| Heb 11:6 | But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. | God rewards faith and earnest seeking. |
| Php 4:6-7 | Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. | Bring worries to God in prayer. |
| 2 Kgs 20:5 | "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer..."'" | Another instance of God hearing Hezekiah's prayer. |
| 1 Sam 7:9-10 | Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD... The LORD answered him. | God hears a national plea for deliverance. |
| Psa 18:6 | In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. | Personal testimony of God hearing prayer. |
| Jn 14:13-14 | "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." | Power of prayer in Christ's name. |
| Lk 18:1-8 | The parable of the persistent widow shows that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. | Persistence in prayer. |
| 2 Chr 32:20 | Now King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven. | The specific joint prayer mentioned here. |
2 Kings 19 verses
2 Kings 19 20 Meaning
This verse declares God's immediate and authoritative response to King Hezekiah's earnest prayer amidst the dire threat from Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Through the prophet Isaiah, God communicates that He has attentively heard Hezekiah's fervent petition and is now prepared to act. It signifies divine acknowledgement, assurance, and imminent deliverance.
2 Kings 19 20 Context
This verse is situated at a critical juncture in the history of the Kingdom of Judah. Following Sennacherib's relentless invasion and boastful threats against Jerusalem and Yahweh Himself (as narrated in 2 Kgs 18-19), King Hezekiah has just concluded a fervent, humble, and God-honoring prayer in the Temple. Hezekiah did not ask for deliverance based on Judah's merit but on the basis of God's honor among the nations. The Assyrians, who had conquered many nations and their gods, were now directly challenging the supremacy of the God of Israel. Thus, 2 Kings 19:20 immediately provides God's divine and emphatic response to Hezekiah's prayer, setting the stage for Judah's miraculous deliverance. It highlights God's readiness to intervene when His people, especially their leaders, turn to Him in genuine faith and humility.
2 Kings 19 20 Word analysis
- Then Isaiah (וַיִּשְׁלַח יְשַׁעְיָהוּ - vayyishlaḥ Yeshaʿyāhu): "Isaiah" means "Salvation of Yahweh" or "Yahweh is salvation." This name profoundly reflects the content of his message – salvation comes from God. His sending by God emphasizes the divine origin and authority of the message to Hezekiah.
- the son of Amoz (בֶּן־אָמוֹץ - ben-ʾāmōts): "Amoz" means "strong" or "burden-bearer." While details about Amoz are scarce, mentioning his father adds legitimacy to Isaiah's prophetic office and lineage, confirming his identity as the established prophet of that era.
- sent (וַיִּשְׁלַח - vayyishlaḥ): Implies a divine commission. Isaiah is not acting on his own initiative but as a direct emissary of God, ensuring the authenticity and weight of the ensuing message.
- to Hezekiah (אֶל־חִזְקִיָּהוּ - ʾel-Ḥizqiyyāhu): "Hezekiah" means "Yahweh strengthens" or "My strength is Yahweh." The recipient of God's message, Hezekiah had just displayed great spiritual strength and reliance on Yahweh through his fervent prayer. This is a divine response directed precisely to the one who prayed.
- saying, 'Thus says the Lord God of Israel:' (לֵאמֹר כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - lēʾmōr koh-ʾāmar YHWH ʾĕlōhēy Yisrāʾēl): This is a powerful, authoritative prophetic formula.
- Thus says (koh-ʾāmar): A definitive opening indicating that the words are not human, but directly from God, carrying ultimate authority and truth.
- the Lord (YHWH): The covenant name of God, the personal, holy, and unchangeable God who acts in history. It speaks to His faithfulness to His promises.
- God of Israel (ʾĕlōhēy Yisrāʾēl): Emphasizes His unique covenant relationship with Israel, signifying His commitment to His chosen people and land. This directly counters Sennacherib's claims that Yahweh was merely one among many defeated gods.
- Because you have prayed to Me (אֲשֶׁר הִתְפַּלַּלְתָּ אֵלַי - ʾasher hitpallaltā ʾēlay): The direct link between Hezekiah's action and God's response.
- prayed (hitpallaltā): The verb is in the Hithpael stem, suggesting an intense, earnest, and often reflexive form of prayer – Hezekiah pouring out his heart, supplicating fervently before God. This was not a casual request.
- to Me (ʾēlay): Stresses the direct object of prayer: God Himself. Hezekiah sought God alone, not foreign aid or other deities, a pivotal act of faith.
- against Sennacherib king of Assyria, (אֶל־סַנְחֵרִיב מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר - ʾel-Sanḥērîḇ melek ʾashshûr): Identifies the specific threat and the subject of Hezekiah's prayer. This highlights that God takes notice of the specific adversities His people face and the boastful pride of His enemies. Sennacherib represented the ultimate worldly power and defiance against God.
- I have heard you. (שָׁמָעְתִּיךָ - šāmāʿtîḵā): The climactic assurance.
- heard (šāmāʿtî): More than just audible perception; it implies attentive listening, understanding, acknowledging, and preparing to act in response. God's hearing is active and effectual. It signals His acceptance of the prayer and His readiness to fulfill His promises.
- you (-ḵā): The direct personal address signifies God's direct engagement with Hezekiah's specific plea.
2 Kings 19 20 Bonus section
Hezekiah's prayer (2 Kgs 19:15-19) is a model of fervent supplication. It was marked by:
- Humility: He laid out the problem before God without demands.
- Focus on God's glory: He asked God to deliver them so "all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone are the LORD God." This prayer wasn't primarily for his comfort but for God's reputation among the nations.
- Acknowledgement of God's uniqueness: He confessed God as the only true God, the Creator.
The speed of God's response (Isaiah sent then) underscores His vigilance and readiness to answer prayers made according to His will and for His glory. This narrative perfectly illustrates the principle that "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (Jas 5:16). It also establishes the pattern for deliverance in times of overwhelming threat when faith is placed squarely in God alone.
2 Kings 19 20 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the very essence of divine responsiveness to genuine, faith-filled prayer. In a moment of extreme national peril, when human power seemed futile against the might of the Assyrian empire, King Hezekiah turned directly to Yahweh, casting the entire burden upon God's honor and ability. God's immediate dispatch of Isaiah with the message, "I have heard you," demonstrates His intimate involvement in human affairs and His readiness to honor the faith of His people. This is not merely an acknowledgment of prayer; it is an affirmation of a covenant-keeping God who actively listens and intervenes. It stands as a testament to God's ultimate sovereignty over all earthly rulers and His profound faithfulness to those who seek Him wholeheartedly. It also serves as a strong polemic against the false gods worshipped by Assyria, contrasting their impotence with Yahweh's living, active power.