Isaiah 37:22 kjv
This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
Isaiah 37:22 nkjv
this is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him: "The virgin, the daughter of Zion, Has despised you, laughed you to scorn; The daughter of Jerusalem Has shaken her head behind your back!
Isaiah 37:22 niv
this is the word the LORD has spoken against him: "Virgin Daughter Zion despises and mocks you. Daughter Jerusalem tosses her head as you flee.
Isaiah 37:22 esv
this is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him: "'She despises you, she scorns you ? the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you ? the daughter of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 37:22 nlt
the LORD has spoken this word against him: "The virgin daughter of Zion
despises you and laughs at you.
The daughter of Jerusalem
shakes her head in derision as you flee.
Isaiah 37 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 31:5 | As birds hovering, so will the LORD of hosts protect Jerusalem... | God protects Jerusalem. |
| 2 Ki 19:21 | This is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him... identical. | Parallel account and immediate context. |
| Ps 2:4 | He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. | God scorns arrogant rulers. |
| Ps 37:13 | The Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. | God laughs at doomed enemies. |
| Ps 59:8 | But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision. | Divine derision of nations. |
| Ps 46:5 | God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved... | Divine presence secures Zion. |
| Zech 12:8 | On that day the LORD will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem... | God's future protection of Jerusalem. |
| Prov 1:26 | I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you. | Wisdom (divine) mocks fools. |
| Job 22:19 | The righteous see and are glad; the innocent laugh them to scorn. | The righteous rejoice over oppressors' fall. |
| Isa 10:15 | Shall the ax boast over him who chops with it?... | Assyria is merely God's tool. |
| Isa 37:29 | I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth... | God's absolute control over Sennacherib. |
| Isa 14:24-27 | The LORD of hosts has sworn: "As I have planned, so shall it be..." | God's unwavering sovereign plan. |
| Eze 25:6 | Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced... | Nations showing contempt (here reversed). |
| Jam 4:6 | God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. | God's opposition to pride. |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | The consequence of arrogance. |
| Dan 4:37 | Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol... all whose ways are just, and who are able to humble those who walk in pride. | God humbles the proud (Nebuchadnezzar's testimony). |
| Ps 139:2 | You know when I sit down and when I rise; you discern my thoughts from afar. | God's comprehensive knowledge of His enemies. |
| Ps 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name... | Trust in God, not human might. |
| Jer 17:5-8 | Cursed is the man who trusts in man... Blessed is the man who trusts... | Warning against relying on human strength. |
| Rev 18:20 | Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets... | Divine vindication over spiritual enemies. |
| Zep 3:14 | Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult... | Calls for Zion's rejoicing in God's presence. |
| Matt 23:37 | O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... How often would I have gathered your children... | Jesus' lament, showing God's deep care for Zion. |
| Heb 12:22 | But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God... | The heavenly Jerusalem as true Zion. |
Isaiah 37 verses
Isaiah 37 22 Meaning
Isaiah 37:22 is a prophetic declaration from the Lord through the prophet Isaiah to Sennacherib, the powerful king of Assyria, concerning his threats against Jerusalem. The verse conveys God's utter disdain for Sennacherib's arrogance and boasts, projecting this scorn through the symbolic voice of "the virgin daughter of Zion." It asserts that Jerusalem, under divine protection, not only defies but also actively despises, scorns, and dismisses Sennacherib's immense power and empty threats, signifying a divine reversal of expected fortunes.
Isaiah 37 22 Context
Isaiah chapter 37 details the grave threat posed by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, to Jerusalem in the late 8th century BC (c. 701 BC). Assyria was the dominant world power, having already devastated numerous cities in Judah. Sennacherib sent a menacing letter to King Hezekiah, boasting of his conquests and claiming that Yahweh, like the gods of other conquered nations, would be powerless against him. This letter and the ongoing siege filled Jerusalem with despair. In response, a humbled Hezekiah spread the letter before the Lord in the Temple and fervently prayed for divine intervention (vv. 14-20). The Lord, through Isaiah, immediately responds with a direct prophecy against Sennacherib, assuring Hezekiah and Jerusalem of divine deliverance. Verse 22 is the initial powerful statement of this divine rebuttal, articulating God's perspective on Sennacherib's hubris and His promise to defend His city.
Isaiah 37 22 Word analysis
- This is the word (דָּבָר, dāḇār): Signifies a weighty, authoritative divine decree or message, not a mere statement, emphasizing its certainty and origin from God Himself.
- that the Lord (יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant God of Israel, affirming His personal, active involvement and faithfulness to His people and promises, in stark contrast to the pagan gods Sennacherib invoked.
- has spoken (דִּבֶּר, diḇḇer): A perfect verb, indicating a completed and decisive action; God's pronouncement is final and irreversible.
- concerning him (עָלָיו, ‘ālāyw): Directly targeted at Sennacherib, making the prophecy personal and unmistakable.
- The virgin daughter of Zion (בְּתוּלַת בַּת־צִיּוֹן, bĕṯūlaṯ baṯ-ṣiyyōn):
- virgin (בְּתוּלַת, bĕṯūlaṯ): A key metaphorical term. It signifies undefiled, unplundered, unconquered, and inviolable. Jerusalem has not (yet) been defiled by Assyria and implies divine protection against its despoilers.
- daughter of Zion (בַּת־צִיּוֹן, baṯ-ṣiyyōn): A poetic personification of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, representing them collectively as a beloved daughter, intimate and precious to God. It highlights God's protective and tender care.
- has despised you (בָּזָה, bāzāh): A perfect verb. To hold in contempt, to treat as insignificant or worthless, showing profound disdain. It reverses the expected dynamic; the seemingly weak entity despises the mighty aggressor.
- scorned you (לָעַג, lā‘aḡ): A perfect verb. To mock, deride, scoff, ridicule openly. This implies active, outward contempt and derision.
- and shaken her head at you (הֵנִיעַ רֹאשׁ, hēnî‘a rō’š): An idiom signifying dismissive contempt, dismissal, or triumph over an enemy. It is a gesture of utter rejection and triumph.
- Words-group analysis: "despised you, scorned you, and shaken her head at you": This threefold, emphatic expression forms a climactic statement of utter defiance and contempt. It demonstrates a complete dismissal of Sennacherib's threats, turning his intended intimidation back on him. This is not human bravado, but God's perspective of Sennacherib's boasts, enacted through Zion.
Isaiah 37 22 Bonus section
This verse contains powerful theological concepts through literary devices. The personification of Jerusalem as "the virgin daughter of Zion" imbues the city with moral integrity and spiritual purity, untouchable by the profane power of Assyria without God's explicit permission. This prophetic response functions as an 'oracle of salvation,' delivering comfort and assurance to God's people amidst dire circumstances. It is a direct refutation of Sennacherib's attempts to undermine Jerusalem's trust in Yahweh, validating the unique position of Jerusalem as the place where God had chosen to make His dwelling known. The active contempt displayed by Zion is an expression of God's own sentiment toward all who would defiantly challenge His supreme authority.
Isaiah 37 22 Commentary
Isaiah 37:22 presents a profound instance of divine irony and sovereignty. Sennacherib, representing the pinnacle of earthly military might and arrogant pride, expected nothing but submission from Jerusalem. However, God, through His prophet, dramatically reverses the power dynamic. He declares that Jerusalem, here poetically personified as "the virgin daughter of Zion"—a symbol of its unique, undefiled, and protected status—will not yield. Instead, it is Zion, empowered by God's decree, that despises, scorns, and dismisses Sennacherib's boasts. This prophetic statement serves as both an assurance to a trembling Hezekiah and a powerful polemic against the pagan Assyrian worldview, unequivocally affirming Yahweh's unparalleled power to defend His chosen city against any human empire, thus ensuring His people's ultimate vindication.