2 Kings 19:21 kjv
This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
2 Kings 19:21 nkjv
This is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him: 'The virgin, the daughter of Zion, Has despised you, laughed you to scorn; The daughter of Jerusalem Has shaken her head behind your back!
2 Kings 19:21 niv
This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him: "?'Virgin Daughter Zion despises you and mocks you. Daughter Jerusalem tosses her head as you flee.
2 Kings 19:21 esv
This is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him: "She despises you, she scorns you ? the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you ? the daughter of Jerusalem.
2 Kings 19:21 nlt
And the LORD has spoken this word against him: "The virgin daughter of Zion
despises you and laughs at you.
The daughter of Jerusalem
shakes her head in derision as you flee.
2 Kings 19 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 19:32-34 | "Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria... 'I will defend this city...'" | God's direct promise to protect Jerusalem. |
| Isa 37:22 | "The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you... the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head..." | Direct parallel to 2 Ki 19:21. |
| Isa 37:33-35 | "He shall not come into this city... For I will defend this city..." | Parallel passage confirming Jerusalem's safety. |
| Ps 46:1-3 | "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." | God as the ultimate protector. |
| Ps 46:5 | "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved..." | Zion's security due to God's presence. |
| Ps 125:2 | "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people..." | Divine encircling protection. |
| Zech 2:5 | "'For I,' declares the Lord, 'will be a wall of fire around her...'" | God's divine protection of Zion. |
| Isa 31:5 | "Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem..." | Vivid imagery of God's defense. |
| Ps 33:10 | "The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations..." | God's power over human plans. |
| Isa 10:5-7, 12-15 | Assyria is God's tool but will be judged for its pride. | God uses and then judges arrogant empires. |
| Isa 14:15-16 | "How you have fallen... all who see you will stare at you, and ponder..." | Taunt against proud, fallen rulers. |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Sennacherib's pride as a prelude to his fall. |
| Ps 22:7 | "All who see me scoff at me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads." | Scornful actions applied prophetically. |
| Jer 18:16 | "They will make their land a desolation; men will hiss and shake their heads." | Derision associated with judgment/desolation. |
| Lam 2:15 | "All who pass by clap their hands at you; they hiss and shake their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem." | Inverse example of Jerusalem being mocked, highlighting severity of 2 Ki 19:21's scorn. |
| Ps 2:4 | "He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord scoffs at them." | God Himself scoffs at futile human efforts. |
| Prov 1:26 | "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes." | Wisdom mocking those who reject her counsel. |
| Isa 1:8 | "The daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard..." | Depiction of Zion's vulnerability without God. |
| Jer 4:31 | "I heard a cry... the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath..." | Another vivid personification of Zion. |
| Mic 4:8 | "To you, O tower of the flock, stronghold of the daughter of Zion..." | Daughter of Zion as a place of refuge. |
| Zeph 3:14 | "Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel!" | Exhortation for Zion to rejoice. |
| Isa 30:8 | "Go, write it on a tablet... for the time to come as a witness forever." | Importance of divine word being recorded. |
| Jer 1:9 | "Then the Lord put out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said... 'Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.'" | Prophet receiving and speaking God's word. |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is living and active..." | The powerful nature of God's word. |
2 Kings 19 verses
2 Kings 19 21 Meaning
This verse records God's direct prophecy delivered through the prophet Isaiah to King Sennacherib of Assyria. It declares that Jerusalem, personified as the "virgin daughter of Zion," far from being conquered, will instead show utter contempt, mockery, and disdain towards the boastful and arrogant Assyrian king. God, not Jerusalem, is the true source of this defiance and ultimate victory, asserting His absolute sovereignty over human powers.
2 Kings 19 21 Context
2 Kings 19 begins with King Hezekiah receiving a terrifying, blasphemous letter from King Sennacherib of Assyria. In this letter, Sennacherib mocks Yahweh, equating Him to the powerless gods of conquered nations, and boasts of his irresistible military might. Devastated but faithful, Hezekiah spreads the letter before the Lord in the temple and pours out a desperate prayer, pleading with God to intervene and deliver Jerusalem so that all kingdoms might know Yahweh alone is God. Verse 21 is God's immediate and comprehensive response to Hezekiah's prayer, delivered through the prophet Isaiah, directly addressing Sennacherib's arrogance and asserting divine supremacy and Jerusalem's inviolability. It sets the stage for God's miraculous intervention that follows.
2 Kings 19 21 Word analysis
- This is the word: (davar) Signifies a divine oracle, an authoritative declaration from God. It’s not human opinion but an undeniable decree, emphasizing the immediate fulfillment of prophecy.
- which the Lord: (YHWH) Identifies the speaker as the covenant God of Israel, Yahweh, the Self-Existent One, distinct from and infinitely superior to the deities Sennacherib boasted of conquering. This is a direct challenge to Sennacherib's claims about other gods.
- has spoken concerning him: Directly targeting Sennacherib, dismissing his boasts as irrelevant and his power as transient. This shows God's specific knowledge and judgment on an individual.
- The virgin daughter of Zion: (b'tulat Bat-Tsion)
- virgin: (b'tulah) Implies purity, innocence, and more importantly, being unconquered, untainted, or inviolate. Historically, Jerusalem had indeed faced many threats but remained largely undestroyed by foreign invaders at this point, particularly in such a direct, successful assault. It underscores divine protection, signifying that Assyria will not "defile" or possess her.
- daughter of Zion: A personification of Jerusalem, representing its inhabitants, its holiness, and its covenant relationship with God. This imagery imbues the city with character, pride, and resolve under God's hand. It carries a deeply emotive connection to the land and people.
- has despised you: (baz) To look down upon with utter contempt, to deem insignificant or worthless. It conveys a deep scorn.
- scorned you: (la'ag) To mock, ridicule, or laugh at someone with derision. This is a stronger form of contempt, implying active disrespect and triumph.
- and shaken her head behind you: A gesture of disbelief, contempt, derision, or triumph over a retreating or failing enemy. "Behind you" might imply she is shaking her head as he turns and retreats, mocking his retreat and failure. It visually communicates her absolute lack of fear and her total rejection of his threats, because of God’s deliverance.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "This is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning him": Establishes divine authority and infallibility. It highlights the divine source of Jerusalem's unexpected defiance. It serves as a direct, prophetic counter-challenge to Sennacherib’s hubris, echoing his own boastful declarations but now turned against him by the supreme divine power.
- "The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you, scorned you, and shaken her head behind you": This entire phrase presents a powerful, ironic reversal. The seemingly vulnerable "virgin daughter" (a small city) is depicted as exhibiting immense contempt towards the world's superpower. It's a striking image of the weak (empowered by God) humiliating the strong, driven by faith rather than military might. The progression from "despised" to "scorned" and then "shaken her head" illustrates escalating disdain, from quiet contempt to open mockery, concluding with the decisive visual gesture of triumph over a retreating foe.
2 Kings 19 21 Bonus section
The personification of Jerusalem as "virgin daughter of Zion" carries significant theological weight, reflecting the covenant ideal of a pure, undefiled people set apart for God. Sennacherib’s attempted conquest would have metaphorically "raped" this virgin, desecrating what God had kept sacred. Thus, her derision is not just human audacity but God's protective love asserting itself through His city. This divine irony—the world's most feared conqueror reduced to an object of scorn by a supposedly vulnerable city—serves as a powerful polemic against any empire or ruler that boasts against Yahweh, asserting God's absolute uniqueness and supreme authority over all nations and their false gods, precisely what Hezekiah had prayed for. The oracle essentially says that Sennacherib is so inconsequential in God's eyes that Zion herself scoffs at his pathetic attempts.
2 Kings 19 21 Commentary
2 Kings 19:21 is a pivotal verse, serving as the beginning of God's response to Hezekiah's prayer and a direct refutation of Sennacherib's arrogant challenge to God. It highlights God's sovereign control over even the most formidable empires and His unwavering commitment to His people and city. The imagery of "the virgin daughter of Zion" mocking the great Assyrian king encapsulates the entire narrative's theme: that ultimate power resides not in human armies but in the living God. The virginity metaphor asserts Jerusalem's sanctity and invincibility under divine protection, despite facing an overwhelming force. It’s a profound testament to the power of faith and prayer, demonstrating that God fights for those who trust Him, turning the tables on their adversaries in astonishing ways. The "shaking of the head" visually conveys not only derision but also the assured outcome of Assyria's humiliating defeat and withdrawal, prefiguring Sennacherib’s actual retreat.
Examples:
- Like a small David mocking a giant Goliath, emboldened by God (1 Sam 17).
- Daniel defying Babylon, upheld by divine favor despite persecution (Dan 6).
- Jesus on the cross, seemingly weak, yet conquering sin and death (Col 2:15).