Isaiah 37:14 kjv
And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
Isaiah 37:14 nkjv
And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
Isaiah 37:14 niv
Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.
Isaiah 37:14 esv
Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
Isaiah 37:14 nlt
After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the LORD's Temple and spread it out before the LORD.
Isaiah 37 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 37:15-20 | Hezekiah prays to the LORD... | Isa 37:15-20 |
| 2 Kings 19:14-19 | Similar prayer of Hezekiah to God concerning Sennacherib's blasphemy. | 2 Ki 19:14-19 |
| Psalm 50:15 | God promises deliverance to those who call upon Him in trouble. | Psa 50:15 |
| Psalm 69:13 | David prays for God's timely deliverance. | Psa 69:13 |
| Psalm 86:1 | David pleads for God's attention and deliverance. | Psa 86:1 |
| Psalm 118:25 | A plea for God to grant salvation and prosperity. | Psa 118:25 |
| Jeremiah 33:3 | God promises to show great and hidden things to those who call on Him. | Jer 33:3 |
| John 14:13-14 | Jesus promises to answer prayers offered in His name for His glory. | John 14:13-14 |
| Acts 4:24 | The apostles pray, acknowledging God as the maker of all things. | Acts 4:24 |
| 1 Samuel 17:45-47 | David's confrontation with Goliath, highlighting God's power against nations. | 1 Sam 17:45-47 |
| Deuteronomy 4:39 | The people of Israel are reminded that the LORD is God in heaven and on earth. | Deut 4:39 |
| Psalm 95:3-5 | Declares the LORD is a great God, above all gods. | Psa 95:3-5 |
| Psalm 135:5-6 | Confirms the LORD does whatever He pleases, greater than all gods. | Psa 135:5-6 |
| Isaiah 40:12-14 | Describes God's incomparable wisdom and power compared to creation and nations. | Isa 40:12-14 |
| Isaiah 40:25-26 | God's power in creation, implying His ability to control earthly powers. | Isa 40:25-26 |
| Isaiah 43:10-11 | God is the only Savior, no other god existed before or will exist after Him. | Isa 43:10-11 |
| Isaiah 44:6-8 | God is the first and the last, the Redeemer, and there is no other god. | Isa 44:6-8 |
| Isaiah 45:5-7 | Reinforces that the LORD alone is God and the creator of all. | Isa 45:5-7 |
| Isaiah 46:9-10 | God's eternal purpose and His unique role as savior, without rivals. | Isa 46:9-10 |
| 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 | Acknowledges that though there are many gods, to Christians there is only one God. | 1 Cor 8:5-6 |
| Philippians 2:9-11 | Christ is exalted to the highest place, above every name. | Phil 2:9-11 |
Isaiah 37 verses
Isaiah 37 14 Meaning
This verse describes Hezekiah's prayer after receiving the threatening message from Sennacherib's messenger. It focuses on God's unique ability to hear and deliver. The essence is acknowledging God's sovereignty and appealing to His distinct power above all other gods.
Isaiah 37 14 Context
This verse occurs in chapter 37 of Isaiah, which narrates Sennacherib, the king of Assyria's, invasion of Judah and his failed attempt to conquer Jerusalem. After conquering many fortified cities, Sennacherib sent his messenger, the Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem with a threatening message for King Hezekiah. The Rabshakeh belittled Judah's strength and blasphemed God, encouraging Hezekiah's people to surrender. Hezekiah, deeply distressed, tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth. He then sent priests and royal officials to the prophet Isaiah for counsel. Isaiah responded with a message of assurance from the LORD: Jerusalem would not be given to the king of Assyria. Following this, Sennacherib heard that Tirhakah, the king of Cush, was coming to fight him, and he sent messengers to Hezekiah again with letters reinforcing the Rabshakeh's threats. It is in response to receiving these letters that Hezekiah goes up to the house of the LORD and spreads them before the LORD, leading to the prayer recorded in this verse. The immediate context is Hezekiah's deep distress and his faith in turning to God amidst extreme political and military pressure.
Isaiah 37 14 Word Analysis
- "Then": Introduces the action that follows previous events. Indicates a sequential development of the narrative.
- "Hezekiah": The pious king of Judah during the reign of Sennacherib. His response highlights faith in God.
- "took": Implies Hezekiah's direct action of receiving the communication.
- "the letters": Refers to the communication from Sennacherib, containing threats and blasphemies against God. These were not merely political letters but a direct challenge to the LORD.
- "read": The act of comprehending the contents of the threatening messages. This brought deep distress.
- "them": Refers specifically to the letters received from Sennacherib.
- "and went up": Signifies an ascent, in this case, to the house of the LORD (the Temple in Jerusalem). This is a spiritual movement and a physical one, indicating a seeking of divine counsel.
- "into": Indicates movement within a designated place.
- "the house": Refers to the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, the place of worship and communion with God.
- "of the LORD": Attributes ownership and presence of God to the Temple. It's God's dwelling place.
- "and": A conjunction linking actions.
- "spread": A significant verb suggesting displaying the letters openly before God, symbolizing presenting the problem and the offense to Him. It is an act of faith, bringing the accusations before the ultimate authority.
- "them": Again refers to the letters containing the blasphemous challenges.
- "before": Indicates the presence of God as the audience.
- "the LORD": The personal covenant name of God (Yahweh), emphasizing His relationship with Israel and His sovereign power.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "went up into the house of the LORD": This phrase is crucial. It shows Hezekiah’s immediate resort to the sanctuary when faced with overwhelming pressure. It signifies his recognition that God's presence and power are found in His appointed place, the Temple. It reflects a posture of worship and supplication in the face of adversity, rather than solely relying on military or political means. This mirrors the importance of corporate worship and prayer in the life of faith.
- "spread them before the LORD": This action encapsulates Hezekiah's faith and strategy. He doesn't hide the threatening words but brings them directly to God. It signifies presenting the enemy's boasts and blasphemies directly to the One who alone can counter them. It’s an act of entrusting the entire situation, including the slander against God, into His hands, acknowledging God's supreme authority and ability to vindicate Himself and His people.
Isaiah 37 14 Bonus Section
The act of "spreading before the LORD" is paralleled in scripture by various instances where people lay their petitions and the burdens of their circumstances directly before God in prayer, often in sacred spaces. This symbolizes not just a presentation of the problem, but a commitment of the problem into God's hands for His intervention. It’s a visual representation of bringing the entire situation under God's sovereign gaze and authority, trusting that He alone has the power to resolve it. It underscores the efficacy of prayer as a weapon of spiritual warfare and a direct line of communication with the divine.
Isaiah 37 14 Commentary
Hezekiah's action in spreading the letters before the LORD is a profound act of faith and worship. Faced with the unbridled arrogance and blasphemy of the Assyrian king, Hezekiah's response is not fear or defiance in his own strength, but a deliberate movement to the sanctuary. He presents the full weight of the threat, and importantly, the blasphemies spoken against God, directly to God Himself. This demonstrates a deep understanding that God is sovereign over all earthly powers and that the ultimate battle is spiritual. Hezekiah’s prayer that follows is an appeal to God’s unique identity as the one true God, who alone can hear and deliver, contrasting Him with the impotent gods of the nations. This highlights that true security and deliverance come from reliance on the Almighty, who hears the prayers of His people and acts on behalf of His own name.