2 Kings 19 23

2 Kings 19:23 kjv

By thy messengers thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

2 Kings 19:23 nkjv

By your messengers you have reproached the Lord, And said: "By the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, To the limits of Lebanon; I will cut down its tall cedars And its choice cypress trees; I will enter the extremity of its borders, To its fruitful forest.

2 Kings 19:23 niv

By your messengers you have ridiculed the Lord. And you have said, "With my many chariots I have ascended the heights of the mountains, the utmost heights of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the choicest of its junipers. I have reached its remotest parts, the finest of its forests.

2 Kings 19:23 esv

By your messengers you have mocked the Lord, and you have said, 'With my many chariots I have gone up the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon; I felled its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses; I entered its farthest lodging place, its most fruitful forest.

2 Kings 19:23 nlt

By your messengers you have defied the Lord.
You have said, 'With my many chariots
I have conquered the highest mountains ?
yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon.
I have cut down its tallest cedars
and its finest cypress trees.
I have reached its farthest corners
and explored its deepest forests.

2 Kings 19 verses

2 Kings 19 23 Meaning

This verse encapsulates the boastful words of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, relayed to King Hezekiah of Judah through his messengers. It highlights Sennacherib's arrogant assertion of his overwhelming military power and ability to conquer any geographical obstacle or exploit any natural resource. He claims to have scaled the highest mountains with his numerous chariots, penetrated the most remote parts of Lebanon, and intends to cut down its most magnificent cedars and cypresses, conquering its deepest, most formidable forests. The passage attributes these words to him "mocking the Lord," indicating his speech is not merely boasting about human might, but a direct affront and challenge to the God of Israel's ultimate authority and power over creation and nations.

2 Kings 19 23 Context

2 Kings chapter 19 describes the climactic confrontation between Assyria under King Sennacherib and Judah under King Hezekiah. After devastating much of Judah and demanding Jerusalem's surrender, Sennacherib sends a blasphemous letter to Hezekiah, asserting the inability of Hezekiah's God, YHWH, to deliver Jerusalem, just as no other gods had delivered other nations from Assyrian might (2 Kgs 19:10-13). Distraught, Hezekiah spreads the letter before the Lord in the Temple and fervently prays for deliverance and for God's name to be vindicated (2 Kgs 19:14-19). This prayer forms the immediate backdrop to verse 23.

Verse 23 is not Sennacherib's direct words to Hezekiah, but part of God's prophetic response through Isaiah to Hezekiah's prayer (2 Kgs 19:20-34). In this divine oracle, God directly quotes or re-narrates Sennacherib's boastful intentions and actions, highlighting his pride and blasphemy. It is a divine retort, confirming that God has heard the blasphemy and understands the depth of Sennacherib's arrogance. The words represent Sennacherib's previous boasts of conquest (which also feature earlier in the account in 2 Kgs 18:33-35) and future intentions, directly challenging YHWH's ultimate sovereignty. Historically, this occurred during Sennacherib's 701 BCE campaign against Judah, showcasing the immense power of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, whose military advances were unparalleled and who considered themselves invincible. Their kings often took personal credit for victories and mocked the gods of conquered peoples.

2 Kings 19 23 Word analysis

• By your messengers (בְּמַלְאָכֶיךָ - bəmal’ākêkā): God directly addresses Sennacherib. This emphasizes that the taunt was a deliberate, formal act, relayed through official envoys (like the Rabshakeh in 2 Kgs 18), making the insult to YHWH direct and personal.
• you have mocked (חֵרַפְתָּ - ḥērap̄tā): This verb means to taunt, reproach, defame, blaspheme, or revile. It's a strong condemnation of Sennacherib's attitude and words, indicating a direct challenge and insult to the character and power of God. It's not just disbelief, but open contempt.
• the Lord (אֲדֹנָי - ’Ăḏōnāy or יְהוָה - YHWH in the original text, usually read as Adonai for reverence): Refers to YHWH, the sovereign God of Israel. Sennacherib's mockery is specifically directed at the one true God, contrasting Him with the idols he easily subdued.
• and you have said (וַתֹּאמֶר - vattō’mer): Indicates direct speech, revealing the arrogant mindset and specific content of Sennacherib's boasts. God lays out his exact thoughts and words.
• ‘With my many chariots’ (בְּרֹב רִכְבִּי - bərov rikkəvī): Highlights Sennacherib's reliance on his vast military machine, particularly chariots, which were the cutting edge of ancient warfare. The emphasis on "my" signifies human pride and self-sufficiency, attributing success to his own power rather than divine allowance.
• I have gone up (עָלִיתִי - ‘ālîtî): Signifies past successful conquests. The "I" pronoun recurs, asserting personal accomplishment.
• the heights of the mountains (מְרוֹם הָרִים - mərôm hārîm): Mountains were often considered insurmountable barriers or places of refuge/fortress. Conquering them represents extreme military achievement, demonstrating dominance over geography. This boast implies nothing is beyond his reach.
• to the far recesses of Lebanon (אֶל יַרְכְּתֵי לְבָנוֹן - ’el yarkəṯê ləḇānôn): "Far recesses" (yarkəṯê) refers to the remotest parts, inaccessible interior, or uttermost bounds. Lebanon was famed for its dense, pristine cedar forests. Sennacherib boasts of penetrating its deepest, most challenging regions.
• I will cut down (אֶכְרֹת - ’eḵrōṯ): Indicates future intent and destructive power. It shows an exploitative nature, treating sacred or revered natural features as mere resources for conquest.
• its tallest cedars (קוֹמַת אֲרָזָיו - qōmaṯ ’ărāzāw): Cedars of Lebanon were iconic for their height, majesty, durability, and value, used in grand structures like the Temple. Symbolically, they can represent power and might, often referring to great nations or proud rulers (cf. Ezek 31:3). Cutting them down represents desolation and subjugation.
• its choicest cypresses (מִבְחַר בְּרֹשָׁיו - mibəḥar bərôšāw): Cypresses (often identified as fir or juniper) were also prized for timber. "Choicest" indicates his desire to seize the very best resources.
• I will enter (וְאָבוֹא - və’āḇô’): Reiterates his determined penetration and mastery.
• its farthest lodging place (מְלוֹן קִצֹּה - məlôn qiṣṣōh): May refer to an extreme border outpost, a secret dwelling place, or simply the most remote point where lumberjacks would stay, implying complete domination of even the most inaccessible parts.
• its densest forest (יַעַר כַּרְמִלּוֹ - ya‘ar karmillô): Karmil usually refers to a luxuriant field, garden, or vineyard; here, it metaphorically means a dense, productive, and perhaps sacred or untouched forest, representing the most verdant and impenetrable parts of the land. His aim is complete despoilment.

• "By your messengers you have mocked the Lord": This phrase directly frames Sennacherib's entire message as an act of direct blasphemy against God. It signifies a divine accusation, not just human offense. His verbal attacks are interpreted as insults towards God's very being and power.
• "With my many chariots I have gone up... I will cut down... I will enter": This series of first-person declarations highlights the immense hubris of Sennacherib. He attributes all military success and control over natural barriers to his own strength and strategic genius, completely disregarding any divine agency or limitation. The boast of conquering the mighty cedars and dense forests of Lebanon is especially significant given that God's power is often displayed over nature and majestic trees (e.g., Ps 29:5-6).

2 Kings 19 23 Bonus section

• Echoes in Isaiah 37: This verse is almost perfectly paralleled in Isa 37:24, which is Isaiah's version of the account. This demonstrates consistency in the prophetic message and emphasizes the gravity of Sennacherib's words from God's perspective. It shows that God's judgment against Assyria was predicated on their pride and direct opposition to Him.
• Symbolic Language: Beyond literal mountains and trees, the "tallest cedars" and "densest forest" of Lebanon can also serve as metaphors for the mightiest and most resistant of Sennacherib's conquered foes or future targets, whom he views as mere timber to be exploited. His boast thus extends beyond natural conquest to complete dominion over all earthly powers.
• Divine Foreknowledge and Providence: The irony highlighted in subsequent verses (2 Kgs 19:25-26) is that Sennacherib’s seemingly autonomous conquests were actually part of YHWH's predetermined plan. God explains, "Have you not heard that I planned it long ago... that you should lay waste fortified cities...?" Sennacherib, in his pride, thought he was the master of his own destiny, but he was merely an axe in the hand of a divine woodcutter. This fundamentally undermines his boast, revealing his perceived power as subservient to God's will.
• Challenge to Polytheism: Sennacherib’s claim of conquering mountains and cutting down sacred trees implicitly challenges local deities or nature gods associated with such features. By proclaiming mastery over them, he posits himself, or the gods of Assyria, as superior. YHWH's response definitively reasserts His exclusive divinity and power over all of creation and all false gods.

2 Kings 19 23 Commentary

This verse functions as God's powerful indictment against Sennacherib's unparalleled pride and blasphemy. It vividly details the Assyrian king's self-congratulatory assessment of his military achievements, boasting of conquering geographical extremes—from the formidable heights of mountains to the inaccessible, prized forests of Lebanon. His emphasis on "my many chariots" underscores reliance on material might, while his intention to "cut down its tallest cedars" reveals a destructive, exploitative, and ultimately de-creationist mindset that seeks to master and defile creation for his own glory. The repeated "I have gone up," "I will cut down," "I will enter" reflects a complete egocentrism, ascribing all power and glory to himself. Critically, these boastful words are declared to be "mocking the Lord." This is the core issue: Sennacherib's pride elevates himself to a divine status, implicitly denying or challenging YHWH's omnipotence and unique sovereignty over nations and nature. God's act of quoting Sennacherib's words back to him serves as evidence for the coming divine judgment, making clear that He has heard every word and will hold the arrogant king accountable for daring to defame the Creator of the heavens and earth. The subsequent events (2 Kgs 19:35-37) demonstrate that it is YHWH, not human armies or plans, who truly has ultimate power over mountains, trees, and kings.