Isaiah 37 20

Isaiah 37:20 kjv

Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.

Isaiah 37:20 nkjv

Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD, You alone."

Isaiah 37:20 niv

Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, LORD, are the only God."

Isaiah 37:20 esv

So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD."

Isaiah 37:20 nlt

Now, O LORD our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O LORD, are God. "

Isaiah 37 verses

Isaiah 37 20 Meaning

Isaiah 37:20 captures King Hezekiah's fervent prayer during the dire Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. In this petition, Hezekiah pleads for divine intervention, urging YHWH to rescue His people from the overwhelming power of the Assyrian king, Sennacherib. Crucially, the motivation for this salvation transcends mere national preservation; it is fundamentally about the universal recognition of YHWH's unique sovereignty. Hezekiah asks YHWH to act so that all nations and kingdoms across the earth may acknowledge and understand that YHWH alone is the one true God, distinct from the impotent deities worshipped by other peoples.

Isaiah 37 20 Context

Isaiah 37:20 is situated within a high-stakes drama surrounding Jerusalem's siege by the Assyrian king Sennacherib around 701 BC. Having conquered many other nations, Assyria, through its chief spokesman Rabshakeh, issues demands for Jerusalem's surrender, scornfully questioning YHWH's ability to deliver Judah, comparing Him to the impotent gods of the defeated nations. King Hezekiah, facing imminent destruction, initially responds by rending his clothes and praying, then sends to the prophet Isaiah for a word from the Lord. Though Isaiah promises deliverance, Sennacherib sends a direct, blasphemous letter to Hezekiah, further challenging YHWH. Hezekiah takes this letter to the Temple, spreads it out before YHWH, and offers a profound prayer, which culminates in verse 20. This is not merely a political or military crisis but a theological battle for YHWH's reputation in a world saturated with polytheism, where national gods were pitted against each other.

Isaiah 37 20 Word analysis

• Now therefore, O Lord our God:

  • וְעַתָּה (wə‘attâ - "Now therefore"): This conjunction signals a critical transition from recounting the dire situation (the Assyrians' taunts against YHWH and the defeat of other nations' gods) to an urgent petition. It establishes the immediate basis for the following appeal.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH - "Lord"): Hezekiah appeals to the self-existent, covenant God of Israel by His sacred, personal name. This signifies an appeal based on an established, intimate relationship, invoking the very character of the God who has committed Himself to His people.
  • אֱלֹהֵינוּ (’ĕlōhê.nû - "our God"): The possessive pronoun highlights the exclusive relationship and dependence of Hezekiah and Judah on this particular God. It's a reminder of covenant loyalty and the unique bond between God and His chosen people.

• save us from his hand,

  • הֹשִׁיעֵנוּ (hôšî‘ē.nû - "save us"): From the root yasha (ישׁע), meaning "to deliver" or "rescue." This is an urgent, imperative plea for immediate, concrete action and physical deliverance from the imminent military threat and total annihilation.
  • מִיָּדוֹ (mîyāḏōw - "from his hand"): The "hand" (יָד, yad) idiomatically represents power, control, authority, and destructive capability. "His hand" refers directly to Sennacherib and the formidable Assyrian military, symbolizing their overwhelming might and capacity to utterly destroy Judah. The request is for deliverance from this dominant power.

• that all the kingdoms of the earth may know

  • וְיֵדְעוּ (wəyêḏə‘ū - "and may know" or "that they may know"): From the root yada (ידע), signifying a profound, experiential understanding and recognition, not just intellectual assent. Hezekiah desires a demonstration of divine power that compels an unassailable truth.
  • כָּל־מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ (kāl-mamləḵōṯ hā’āreṣ - "all the kingdoms of the earth"): This phrase explicitly broadens the scope of God's desired vindication beyond Jerusalem to a universal, global audience. It underscores the international implications of YHWH's actions, aiming to reshape the understanding of deity across the entire world.

• that you alone are the Lord.

  • כִּי־אַתָּה לְבַדְּךָ (kî-’atâ lə.vaḏ·də·ḵā - "that you alone"): The emphatic "alone" (lĕvaddəkā) is a forceful declaration of YHWH's absolute and exclusive uniqueness. It's a direct polemic, countering the polytheistic worldview and the claims that Assyrian gods held sway, affirming YHWH's singular deity.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH - "the Lord"): The repetition of God's covenant name at the culmination of the prayer solidifies His supreme, unrivalled sovereignty. It serves as the ultimate declaration that YHWH is not merely Judah's God, but the only true, living, and universally reigning God over all creation.

Isaiah 37 20 Bonus section

Hezekiah's theological astuteness in this prayer showcases a deep understanding of God's overarching purpose in history: to make Himself known to all creation. The plea for universal knowledge of YHWH is a miniature reflection of the grand prophetic vision often articulated in Isaiah, envisioning a future where all nations will stream to Jerusalem to learn of the true God. The divine response to Hezekiah’s prayer, involving the miraculous defeat of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers (Isa 37:36), was a tangible and undeniable answer to this very request, serving as a historical witness that indeed, YHWH alone is God. This powerful display solidified God's covenant faithfulness and vindicated His honor against all earthly boasting, forming a precedent for later understanding God's actions as always serving to magnify His glory universally.

Isaiah 37 20 Commentary

Hezekiah's prayer in Isaiah 37:20 transcends a cry for national survival, elevating the crisis to a cosmic test of YHWH's exclusive deity. Faced with an invincible Assyrian army whose king blasphemously boasted of his gods' superiority, Hezekiah rightly understands that Jerusalem's fate directly impacts YHWH's reputation among the nations. The petition "save us from his hand" is intensely practical, seeking concrete rescue, yet its ultimate motivation—"that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord"—reveals a profound theological understanding. This prayer argues that divine intervention is necessary not just for the sake of Judah, but for the vindication of YHWH's identity and power before a world saturated with false gods. God's subsequent, miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem confirmed His unique sovereignty, powerfully demonstrating His truth to His people and a watching world.