2 Kings 19:33 kjv
By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
2 Kings 19:33 nkjv
By the way that he came, By the same shall he return; And he shall not come into this city,' Says the LORD.
2 Kings 19:33 niv
By the way that he came he will return; he will not enter this city, declares the LORD.
2 Kings 19:33 esv
By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the LORD.
2 Kings 19:33 nlt
The king will return to his own country
by the same road on which he came.
He will not enter this city,
says the LORD.
2 Kings 19 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 37:34 | "By the way that he came, by the same he shall return..." | Identical prophecy for Sennacherib's retreat. |
| Ps 46:1-3 | "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help..." | God as a protector and deliverer in distress. |
| Ps 48:1-8 | "Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city..." | God's powerful defense of Jerusalem. |
| Ps 125:1-2 | "Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion... the LORD surrounds his people..." | God's surrounding protection for His own. |
| Isa 31:5 | "Like birds hovering, so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem..." | God's active defense of Jerusalem. |
| Exod 14:14 | "The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." | God fighting directly for His people. |
| Deut 1:30 | "The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you..." | Assurance of God's combat for Israel. |
| Zech 2:5 | "'For I will be to her a wall of fire all around,' declares the LORD..." | Divine spiritual protection for Jerusalem. |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD..." | God's absolute control over rulers. |
| Dan 2:21 | "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings..." | God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms. |
| Isa 10:5-19 | "When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion... he will punish the arrogant boasts of the king of Assyria." | God uses Assyria, then judges its pride. |
| Ezek 28:1-10 | "Because your heart is proud, and you have said, 'I am a god'..." | Divine judgment on arrogant, self-proclaimed deities/rulers. |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Principle of divine judgment against arrogance. |
| James 4:6 | "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." | New Testament affirmation of divine resistance to pride. |
| Dan 4:30-37 | Nebuchadnezzar's pride led to his humiliation until he acknowledged God. | Humiliation of an arrogant king by God. |
| Isa 55:11 | "so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty..." | Assurance of the fulfillment of God's promises. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind." | God's unchangeable faithfulness to His word. |
| 2 Cor 1:20 | "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him." | Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises. |
| Josh 21:45 | "Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made... had failed..." | Historical example of God's faithfulness to promises. |
| Rev 19:11-21 | Christ defeats and judges the arrogant nations and kings at the end of time. | Ultimate defeat of God's enemies. |
| Col 2:15 | "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame..." | Christ's triumph over hostile spiritual powers. |
2 Kings 19 verses
2 Kings 19 33 Meaning
This verse conveys a definitive and absolute divine decree concerning the Assyrian King Sennacherib and his siege of Jerusalem. It prophesies that Sennacherib will not succeed in entering or conquering the city. Instead, he will be forced to retreat by the exact route he used to approach, signifying a humiliating and complete reversal of his intended conquest. It underscores God's sovereignty over earthly powers and His unwavering commitment to protect His chosen city and people.
2 Kings 19 33 Context
The verse is part of Isaiah's prophetic message to King Hezekiah in response to Sennacherib, King of Assyria, challenging Judah's God. Sennacherib had already conquered numerous fortified cities of Judah and sent a formidable army, led by his Rabshakeh, to demand Jerusalem's surrender, accompanied by blasphemous taunts against YHWH (2 Kgs 18:17-35). Hezekiah, in desperation, tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD to pray, seeking Isaiah's intercession. The historical context reveals the immense Assyrian power, which had overwhelmed nations like Israel (Samaria) decades earlier. Jerusalem stood isolated and vulnerable. Isaiah's prophecy, including verse 33, offers divine reassurance of immediate deliverance, directly contrasting the formidable threat with God's effortless power and protective decree.
2 Kings 19 33 Word analysis
- "By the way" (בַּדֶּרֶךְ - baderekh): "Way" (דֶּרֶךְ - derekh) means path, road, or journey. The prefix "by the" indicates the specific route taken. This emphasizes a precise and observed trajectory of his formidable military advance into Judah.
- "that he came" (בָּא - ba): Implies Sennacherib's arrival and the initial stage of his conquering mission. It highlights his confident advance and perceived momentum.
- "by the same shall he return" (בָּהּ יָשׁוּב - bah yashuv): "Same" (bah) refers back to "the way." "Return" (yashuv) signifies retreat or turning back. This phrase powerfully conveys a definitive reversal. He will not deviate or find a new route but be forced to retrace his steps, indicating a humiliating, unplanned, and swift departure, contrasting sharply with his earlier confident arrival. This isn't just a retreat but a precise undoing of his aggressive path.
- "and shall not come into this city" (וְאֶל הָעִיר הַזֹּאת לֹא יָבֹא - wə'el ha'ir hazzot lo yavo): "Not come" (lo yavo) is a strong, absolute negation. "This city" refers specifically to Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם - Yerushalayim), Zion, the city of God. This clause is the core promise of inviolability, demonstrating God's impenetrable protection over His chosen dwelling place and people, despite overwhelming military threat.
- "declares the LORD" (נְאֻם יְהוָה - ne'um YHWH): This is a powerful prophetic formula, characteristic of divine pronouncements in the Old Testament. "Declares" (ne'um) signifies a divine oracle, an utterance direct from God. "The LORD" (יְהוָה - YHWH) emphasizes the covenant name of Israel's God, the unchangeable, sovereign One. This phrase underpins the absolute certainty and divine authority of the prophecy, rendering it immutable and ensuring its fulfillment regardless of human effort or enemy strength.
- Word group analysis:
- "By the way that he came, by the same shall he return": This is a chiasmic (ABBA) structure emphasizing symmetry in reverse. It beautifully illustrates the total frustration of the enemy's plans and a divinely ordained, humiliating expulsion along his original route of invasion. It signifies that God controls the boundaries and paths of even the most powerful human forces.
- "and shall not come into this city": This phrase encapsulates the central promise of Jerusalem's miraculous deliverance. It directly refutes Sennacherib's boasts and plans, affirming God's protective shield over His sanctuary and chosen people. It reinforces the theological significance of Jerusalem as untouchable when under God's explicit protection.
2 Kings 19 33 Bonus section
The fulfillment of this prophecy (2 Kgs 19:35-36) where an angel of the LORD strikes down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night before Sennacherib's return journey, serves as one of the Bible's most dramatic demonstrations of divine intervention. It illustrates God's ability to act instantly and decisively, making the most formidable human army utterly powerless. This event reinforced the reputation of Jerusalem and YHWH among surrounding nations. It also stands as a potent polemic against the numerous gods worshipped by the Assyrians, especially their storm and warrior deities. This miraculous deliverance affirmed the unique power and truth of YHWH, highlighting His direct involvement in human history and His readiness to defend His covenant people against blasphemous arrogance.
2 Kings 19 33 Commentary
2 Kings 19:33 is a cornerstone verse in the narrative of Sennacherib's invasion, directly delivering God's unchallengeable promise through Isaiah. It showcases YHWH's absolute sovereignty, not just over Israel but over global powers and their kings. The specific terms of the prophecy – "by the same way shall he return" and "shall not come into this city" – eliminate all doubt regarding Jerusalem's fate and Sennacherib's humiliation. It's a divine declaration of defeat for the oppressor and divine triumph for the protected. The inclusion of "declares the LORD" emphasizes that this outcome is a direct, deliberate act of God's will, not chance or human strategy. This verse underscores the theme that true security for God's people rests solely on His character and faithfulness, especially when human strength fails and enemies appear insurmountable. It provided Hezekiah and the remnant in Jerusalem with a reason for unwavering trust amidst an existential threat.