Isaiah 37 17

Isaiah 37:17 kjv

Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.

Isaiah 37:17 nkjv

Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

Isaiah 37:17 niv

Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

Isaiah 37:17 esv

Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.

Isaiah 37:17 nlt

Bend down, O LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see! Listen to Sennacherib's words of defiance against the living God.

Isaiah 37 verses

Isaiah 37 17 Meaning

Hezekiah, the king of Judah, poured out his heart in prayer to God after receiving a blasphemous threat from the Assyrian king, Sennacherib. This verse records his plea to the Lord of hosts for divine intervention. It is a desperate but faithful cry to the God who sits enthroned between the cherubim, seeking His direct action and vindication against His enemies. The essence is a reliance on God's supreme power and authority to save His people and preserve His honor.

Isaiah 37 17 Context

This verse is found within Isaiah chapter 37, which recounts a pivotal moment in King Hezekiah's reign. The Assyrian king Sennacherib had sent envoys with a haughty and blasphemous message, boasting of his conquests and demanding Jerusalem's surrender. Hezekiah, faced with imminent destruction, tore his clothes and went into the house of the LORD. This prayer, recorded in Isaiah 37:15-20, is his direct response to Sennacherib's blasphemies and his appeal to God. Historically, this event occurred around 701 BC during Sennacherib's campaign against Judah. Culturally, the presence of God in the temple, symbolized by the cherubim, was central to Israelite faith. The prayer addresses God as the unique, supreme Deity and acknowledges His sovereign rule over all nations. There's a clear polemic against the Assyrian gods, who were powerless to save Sennacherib's own empire from destruction (as depicted in verse 19), and against Sennacherib's pride and arrogance.

Isaiah 37 17 Word Analysis

• "and": Conjunction connecting this verse to the previous one, indicating the continuation of Hezekiah's prayer.
• "Hezekiah": King of Judah, a descendant of David, known for his religious reforms and faith.
• "prayed": Hebrew: hitpallel (הִתְפַּלֵּל). Reflexive or intensive form of "to judge" or "to entreat," emphasizing a deep, personal appeal. It signifies praying for oneself or on behalf of others.
• "before": Hebrew: lephanai (לִפְנֵי). Indicates proximity or presence before someone or something, highlighting the intimacy of prayer and the reverence due to God.
• "the LORD": Hebrew: YHWH (יהוה). The personal covenantal name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and faithfulness to His promises.
• "of hosts": Hebrew: Tsabaoth (צְבָאוֹת). Lord of Armies (both heavenly angelic hosts and earthly armies). It signifies His supreme authority, power, and command over all forces, both visible and invisible. This title underscores His capability to deliver.
• "God of Israel": Affirms God's covenantal relationship with His chosen people. He is not a distant deity but the God specifically involved with Israel's history and destiny.
• "who sits": Hebrew: ha-yosheb (הַיּוֹשֵׁב). Present participle, signifying continuous dwelling or reigning.
• "enthroned": Hebrew: hamkhasē'āl (הַמְכַסֶּה). Literally "who covers" or "who overshadows." It relates to the cherubim whose wings overshadowed the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant. It implies divine presence, protection, and sovereign rule from above.
• "between": Hebrew: ben (בֵּין). Indicates the location of the cherubim, framing the dwelling place of God's presence over the Ark of the Covenant.
• "the cherubim": Hebrew: ha-kserubim (הַכְּרוּבִים). A specific type of angelic being described as guardians of holy places. Their position here highlights the ark's role as a symbol of God's throne on earth.
• "you are the God": Hebrew: attah hu-'Elohim (אַתָּה־הוּא אֱלֹהִים). A strong affirmation of God's singular deity and supreme being.
• "you alone": Hebrew: lebadeka (לְבַדֶּךָ). Emphasizes God's uniqueness and exclusivity. There is no other god capable of intervening.
• "of all": Hebrew: lakol (לְכָל). Refers to all the kingdoms of the earth, underscoring God's universal dominion.
• "the kingdoms": Hebrew: mamlakoth (מַמְלְכוֹת). The various nations and empires of the world.
• "of the earth": Hebrew: ha-'arets (הָאָרֶץ). The earthly realm.
• "to establish": Hebrew: lehachqin (לְהָקִין). To set up, establish, or make firm. Refers to God's power to bring kingdoms into being or to bring them down.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "to overthrow": Hebrew: lehephōk (לְהָפֹךְ). To overturn, destroy, or subvert. Highlights God's absolute power over earthly powers.
• "you": Hebrew: atta (אַתָּה). Second person pronoun, directly addressing God.

Words Group Analysis:

• "LORD of hosts, God of Israel, who sits enthroned between the cherubim": This entire phrase encapsulates God's attributes: His supreme sovereignty ("LORD of hosts"), His covenant faithfulness ("God of Israel"), and His dwelling presence among His people ("who sits enthroned between the cherubim"). It sets the stage for understanding God's unique ability to act.
• "you are the God, you alone": This powerfully affirms monotheism and God's singular divine status, contrasting Him with the impotent gods of the nations.
• "to establish and to overthrow": This highlights God's absolute control over the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms, asserting His ultimate authority in history.

Isaiah 37 17 Bonus Section

This prayer reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of appealing to one's supreme deity in warfare, but with a crucial difference: the God of Israel is presented as universally supreme, not limited to a local pantheon. The imagery of God enthroned on the cherubim is rooted in the descriptions of the Ark's mercy seat in Exodus 25. Scholars suggest that the Assyrian king's messages often mimicked religious pronouncements, aiming to psychologically demoralize the enemy by claiming their gods were subordinate or powerless. Hezekiah's prayer thus acts as a theological counter-argument, reclaiming divine authority and placing ultimate reliance on YHWH's power and faithfulness, not on human military might. This moment exemplifies a profound act of faith amidst overwhelming circumstances, trusting in God's covenantal character even when faced with apparent defeat. The historical outcome, where Sennacherib’s army was miraculously struck down, validates Hezekiah’s plea and demonstrates the effectiveness of praying to the sovereign LORD of all the earth.

Isaiah 37 17 Commentary

Hezekiah's prayer is a model of turning to God in crisis. He doesn't shy away from acknowledging Sennacherib's power but immediately places it in the context of God's supreme power. By calling God "LORD of hosts," Hezekiah invokes His military might, acknowledging Him as the commander of all heavenly armies. The reference to God "sitting enthroned between the cherubim" is significant; it evokes the Ark of the Covenant, the visible symbol of God's presence and rule in Israel, implying that God's throne is real and active, not merely symbolic. Hezekiah’s bold declaration, "you are the God, you alone," confronts the blasphemy directly, asserting God’s unique divinity against the boasts of pagan kings and their idols. The prayer culminates by attributing absolute sovereignty over all earthly kingdoms to God, affirming His power to establish or destroy any nation as He wills. This underscores that Sennacherib's campaign is ultimately subject to God's ultimate purposes, not his own might.