2 Kings 19 24

2 Kings 19:24 kjv

I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.

2 Kings 19:24 nkjv

I have dug and drunk strange water, And with the soles of my feet I have dried up All the brooks of defense."

2 Kings 19:24 niv

I have dug wells in foreign lands and drunk the water there. With the soles of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt."

2 Kings 19:24 esv

I dug wells and drank foreign waters, and I dried up with the sole of my foot all the streams of Egypt.'

2 Kings 19:24 nlt

I have dug wells in many foreign lands
and refreshed myself with their water.
With the sole of my foot
I stopped up all the rivers of Egypt!'

2 Kings 19 verses

2 Kings 19 24 Meaning

This verse contains the boastful declaration of Sennacherib, King of Assyria, concerning his military might and absolute dominion over conquered lands. He asserts his ability to effortlessly overcome all geographical barriers, even in the driest and most foreign territories, by digging for water where none is readily available. Furthermore, he claims to have "dried up" with the mere "sole of his foot" all the streams and branches of the Nile River in Egypt. This is a hyperbolic assertion of total power, signifying not just military conquest but an apparent divine-like control over the very elements and life-sustaining resources of nature, effectively rendering any nation powerless and desolate before him.

2 Kings 19 24 Context

2 Kings chapter 19 describes King Hezekiah of Judah's plea to the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, in response to Sennacherib, King of Assyria's, defiant and blasphemous message. The Assyrian king, confident in his widespread conquests and unmatched military power, sent a letter boasting of his might and mocking Yahweh's inability to save Jerusalem, just as other gods failed to protect their cities (2 Ki 19:10-13). Verse 24 is part of this extended, boastful message, specifically portraying Sennacherib's absolute dominion over nature and resources as a testament to his unstoppable force. This extreme arrogance sets the stage for God's dramatic and decisive intervention, powerfully demonstrating that the Lord alone holds ultimate sovereignty, not any human king or empire. Historically, Assyria was the dominant global power of the late 8th century BC, renowned for its ruthless efficiency and vast conquests, making Sennacherib's claims resonate with terror in the ancient Near East. The reference to Egypt also highlights the geopolitical landscape, as Judah often considered Egypt as a potential, albeit unreliable, ally against Assyria.

2 Kings 19 24 Word analysis

• I have dug (כרה - kârâh): This Hebrew verb means "to dig," typically for wells or pits. It speaks of effort and skill in engineering and resource acquisition. In the context of military conquest, it signifies not only the ability to supply armies in barren lands but also the mastery over difficult terrains, finding sustenance where others would perish. It portrays an conqueror unhindered by natural obstacles.
• and drunk (שתה - shâthâh): Simple action of drinking, but in this context, it underscores the complete appropriation and utilization of resources from conquered territories. It signifies unchallenged possession and freedom from any limitation.
• foreign waters (מים זרים - mâyim zārîm): Literally "strange waters." This phrase emphasizes that even in alien lands, previously uncharted or hostile, Sennacherib asserts his capacity to bend the environment to his will and access life-sustaining resources that belong to others, highlighting the total reach of his conquests and disregard for others' rights or boundaries.
• with the sole of my foot (כף רגלי - kaph raglı̄): A vivid and striking hyperbole. The "sole of the foot" implies effortless, contemptuous action, akin to crushing something beneath one's feet or simply walking over it. It signifies ultimate ease of conquest, that the mere presence or march of his army could desiccate and devastate even the most fertile regions without active military engagement. It is a graphic illustration of supreme power.
• I have dried up (יבש - yâbash): To cause to be dry, wither, or parch. This verb indicates absolute destruction of a land's life source, rendering it infertile and uninhabitable. This claim mirrors God's power over waters, implying that Sennacherib possesses a similar divine attribute to manipulate creation.
• all the streams of Egypt (יאורי מצרים - ye'orey Mitsrayim): "Streams/canals/branches of Egypt," referring specifically to the life-giving Nile River and its various branches and canals. Egypt's very existence and prosperity depended entirely on the Nile. To claim to dry up "all the streams of Egypt" is the ultimate boast of rendering the most formidable and water-rich nation completely helpless and desolate. This statement directly challenges Yahweh, who had famously parted and dried up the Red Sea and Jordan, showing that Sennacherib saw himself as having even greater, encompassing control over all waters.

• "I have dug and drunk foreign waters": This phrase portrays Sennacherib as self-sufficient and resourceful, overcoming natural barriers through his own might and ingenuity. It establishes his claim over all lands and their hidden resources, boasting that no land is beyond his reach or capability to sustain his forces.
• "with the sole of my foot I have dried up all the streams of Egypt": This group of words embodies the climax of Sennacherib's arrogant power claim. It suggests that his power is so immense and inherent that his mere presence can miraculously alter the fundamental geography and life source of a mighty nation. This is a clear and direct polemic against God's unique power over nature and life, especially recalling the Red Sea event. It effectively positions Sennacherib as a god-like figure who can unmake the created order.

2 Kings 19 24 Bonus section

This verse is a prime example of ancient Near Eastern conquest boasts, common in Assyrian and Babylonian inscriptions. Such boasts were meant to intimidate and assert the conqueror's divinely sanctioned (or self-proclaimed divine) power. However, within the biblical narrative, this typical ancient Near Eastern boasting serves a deeper theological purpose: it provides a stark and audacious challenge to Yahweh, thereby setting up the ultimate demonstration of His exclusive omnipotence and righteous judgment. Sennacherib’s language ironically mimics or attempts to surpass divine actions (e.g., Yahweh parting the sea) and attributes such power to himself, exposing the core sin of human pride that claims the prerogatives of God. His claims foreshadow the prophetic indictment of Babylon in Revelation 18, highlighting that all earthly power that exalts itself against God will ultimately be dried up and desolate.

2 Kings 19 24 Commentary

2 Kings 19:24 is the peak of Sennacherib's prideful declaration, setting his human power against the divine. His boast of effortlessly "digging" for water in desolate foreign lands, coupled with the claim to have "dried up" the very "streams of Egypt" with his "foot," signifies more than military victory. It is a grotesque hyperbole asserting a cosmic, god-like control over the fundamental elements of creation—water and land—which in Israelite theology belonged solely to Yahweh. The mention of Egypt, historically seen as a bastion of power and dependent on its abundant waters, intensifies the boast; Sennacherib suggests he could destroy its very life source with ease, eclipsing even the divine acts of drying the Red Sea. This hubris provides the dramatic tension against which God's swift and powerful intervention in the following verses (2 Kings 19:35) will starkly contrast. The verse serves as a crucial moment illustrating that all human might and pride ultimately crumble before the unchallengeable sovereignty of the Lord.