2 Kings 19 28

2 Kings 19:28 kjv

Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

2 Kings 19:28 nkjv

Because your rage against Me and your tumult Have come up to My ears, Therefore I will put My hook in your nose And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back By the way which you came.

2 Kings 19:28 niv

Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.'

2 Kings 19:28 esv

Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come into my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.

2 Kings 19:28 nlt

And because of your raging against me
and your arrogance, which I have heard for myself,
I will put my hook in your nose
and my bit in your mouth.
I will make you return
by the same road on which you came."

2 Kings 19 verses

2 Kings 19 28 Meaning

This verse declares God's decisive and powerful judgment upon King Sennacherib of Assyria. It is a direct response to Sennacherib's blasphemous arrogance and raging defiance against the Living God. The divine pronouncement vividly illustrates God's absolute sovereignty, asserting His ability to utterly control, humiliate, and turn back the mightiest of earthly rulers. It signifies that Sennacherib's plans and power, though seemingly insurmountable, are nothing before God's will. God pledges to manipulate Sennacherib like a subdued animal, forcing him to return home by the same path he presumptuously took to invade Judah, signifying the complete failure of his campaign against Jerusalem.

2 Kings 19 28 Context

The setting of 2 Kings chapter 19 is the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, King of Assyria, approximately in 701 BC. Following a sweeping invasion that had devastated much of Judah, Sennacherib sends a formidable message to King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. This message is laden with hubris and blasphemy, challenging the unique power and very existence of YHWH, the God of Israel. Sennacherib boasts of his conquests over many nations and their gods, effectively equating YHWH with powerless idols and declaring Jerusalem's destruction inevitable. Hezekiah, in deep distress and humility, takes this letter to the Temple and spreads it before the Lord, offering a fervent prayer for deliverance and for God's glory to be vindicated against Assyrian mockery. Verse 28 is part of YHWH's direct and authoritative prophetic reply delivered through the prophet Isaiah, not to Hezekiah alone, but pointedly to Sennacherib. It is the divine response to the Assyrian king's insolence, detailing precisely how God will assert His sovereign control over him and ultimately orchestrate his ignominious retreat. The verse forms a powerful contrast between human boasting and divine might.

2 Kings 19 28 Word analysis

• "Because": Emphasizes the direct causal link between Sennacherib's actions and God's impending judgment. God's response is directly provoked by the king's affront.
• "of your raging against Me":
  • Original Hebrew: קצפך (qetsephekha) from קָצַף (qatsaph), meaning "to rage, be angry, be wroth."
  • Significance: Denotes intense anger, insolence, and fierce indignation, specifically directed at God Himself. It implies contempt and outright defiance of divine authority, as demonstrated by Sennacherib's blasphemous messages (2 Ki 18:35; 19:10-12). This was not merely anger at resistance but rage against the Divine, seen as an impediment.
• "and because your arrogance has come up into My ears":
  • "Arrogance": Original Hebrew: שַׁאֲנַנְךָ (sha'ananeka) from שָׁאֲנַן (sha'anan), meaning "to be at ease, secure, prosperous," often implying presumptuousness, overconfidence, or heedless ease due to success.
  • Significance: This speaks to Sennacherib's self-assured pride, born of his military triumphs, leading him to think himself invulnerable and superior to even the God of Judah. The phrase "come up into My ears" is an anthropomorphism, depicting God's direct and attentive hearing, indicating that Sennacherib's proud boasting had fully reached and offended the Almighty. This signifies God taking personal notice and preparing a specific counteraction.
• "I will put My hook in your nose":
  • "Hook": Original Hebrew: חָח (khakh), meaning "a hook, ring," often used for leading or controlling large animals like camels, oxen, or bears through their nose or lip. This was also a common practice among ancient Near Eastern conquerors to humiliate and lead captives, specifically high-ranking individuals or entire populations. Assyrian reliefs frequently depict conquered kings led by ropes attached to rings in their noses.
  • Significance: This is a graphic and powerful metaphor. It vividly portrays God seizing absolute physical control over Sennacherib, stripping him of all agency and dignity, and forcing him into submission. It depicts the mighty emperor as nothing more than an animal being led and controlled by a superior hand. It highlights God's overwhelming power to manipulate even the most formidable earthly figure.
• "and My bit in your mouth":
  • "Bit": Original Hebrew: מֶתֶג (meteg), meaning "a bridle, bit," typically used to control horses.
  • Significance: Reinforces the previous imagery of forced control and submission. A bit governs direction and speed, demonstrating that God will dictate Sennacherib's movements, speech (no more blasphemy), and ultimate fate, compelling him to move only where and how God decrees.
• "and I will turn you back by the way by which you came":
  • Significance: This signifies a complete and humiliating reversal of Sennacherib's conquering advance. His grand design to conquer Jerusalem will fail entirely, and he will be forced to retreat with his tail between his legs, on the very path he took for invasion. This direct counteraction undermines his military prowess and public image. It's a statement of ultimate divine sovereignty: human plans, even if implemented with overwhelming force, can be utterly thwarted by God.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Because of your raging against Me, and because your arrogance has come up into My ears": This forms the justification for God's impending action. It identifies two specific forms of Sennacherib's offense: his open contempt (raging) and his deep-seated pride (arrogance). The personal pronoun "Me" emphasizes that God takes Sennacherib's words and actions as a direct assault upon His own person and deity. The "ears" indicate not only God's awareness but also His immediate and offended reception of the words.
• "I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth": These two parallel phrases describe the method of divine control. The pairing of the "hook" and "bit" demonstrates a twofold grip on Sennacherib – absolute physical restraint and guidance. It highlights total subjugation, transforming the self-proclaimed invincible emperor into a mere beast under God's command. The "My" emphasizes that this is God's personal, deliberate action.
• "and I will turn you back by the way by which you came": This phrase reveals the precise outcome and execution of God's control. It’s not just punishment but a definitive thwarting of his plans. The repetition of "by the way by which you came" emphasizes the poetic justice and humiliation: Sennacherib’s military enterprise will be completely nullified, culminating in a forced, inglorious retreat over the same ground he confidently marched upon.

2 Kings 19 28 Bonus section

• Polemics Against Assyrian Theology: This prophecy stands in direct opposition to Sennacherib's polytheistic and humanistic boasts. Assyrian kings believed their gods, particularly Ashur, empowered them to conquer. Sennacherib's strategy involved not only military force but psychological warfare, trying to dismantle the confidence of besieged cities by mocking their gods and convincing them of inevitable defeat. This verse directly refutes that; YHWH is not just another god, He is the sovereign God who hears, judges, and decisively acts against those who defy Him, even mighty Assyrian kings. The imagery chosen directly insults Assyrian royal self-perception and their triumphal processions that often displayed such subjugated enemies.
• Echoes in Literature: The idea of divine providence directing human leaders, often without their full knowledge, is a recurring theme in biblical thought. Proverbs 21:1 states, "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will." This verse in 2 Kings provides a stark and dramatic illustration of that principle.
• Dramatic Fulfillment: The subsequent verses in 2 Kings 19 narrate the fulfillment of this prophecy: The Angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night, forcing Sennacherib to break camp and return to Nineveh (2 Ki 19:35-36). This literal fulfillment underscores the truth of God's Word and His absolute control over kings and nations. Furthermore, Sennacherib was later assassinated by his own sons (2 Ki 19:37), adding to his ignominious end as prophesied earlier in Isaiah 37:7, completing the cycle of divine judgment.

2 Kings 19 28 Commentary

This verse is the theological linchpin of Isaiah's prophecy to Sennacherib, proclaiming God's unwavering sovereignty over all human endeavors, especially arrogant ones. It directly confronts Sennacherib's worldview, where human might and pagan gods determined outcomes, by asserting YHWH's exclusive control over destiny. The powerful imagery of the "hook in the nose" and "bit in the mouth" vividly illustrates divine omnipotence turning the mightiest king into a powerless animal. This was not mere hyperbole; it mirrored a cruel but familiar act of subjugation in the ancient Near East, driving home the completeness of the humiliation. The prophecy asserts that God actively controls events, turning the oppressor back without a decisive battle, showcasing His power not through raw destruction of the army here (which comes later in the chapter) but through psychological defeat and engineered reversal of direction. It promises Sennacherib’s campaign against Jerusalem will not only fail but will lead to his undignified retreat. This divine reversal of fortune for Sennacherib reinforces the message that no human power can stand against the will of the Almighty God when His honor and His people are at stake. It's a potent reminder that pride always precedes a fall, and that God gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud.