Isaiah 37 26

Isaiah 37:26 kjv

Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps.

Isaiah 37:26 nkjv

"Did you not hear long ago How I made it, From ancient times that I formed it? Now I have brought it to pass, That you should be For crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins.

Isaiah 37:26 niv

"Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone.

Isaiah 37:26 esv

"'Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass, that you should make fortified cities crash into heaps of ruins,

Isaiah 37:26 nlt

"But have you not heard?
I decided this long ago.
Long ago I planned it,
and now I am making it happen.
I planned for you to crush fortified cities
into heaps of rubble.

Isaiah 37 verses

Isaiah 37 26 Meaning

This verse declares God's sovereign power over all nations, demonstrating that He orchestrates historical events. He establishes and deposes kings and nations according to His will, fulfilling His ultimate purposes. The verse highlights God's awareness and control even over distant actions and rulers, underscoring His omnipotence and divine providence.

Isaiah 37 26 Context

This verse is part of Isaiah's prophecy delivered to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem during the Assyrian invasion under Sennacherib. Sennacherib had boasted about his military might and the destruction of other nations. Isaiah’s message, revealed in chapter 37, is a direct response to this threat and Hezekiah’s prayer. God, through Isaiah, assures Hezekiah that the Assyrian king’s pride and power are ultimately under His control. The Assyrian king acted without realizing he was an instrument of God’s judgment, but God had determined the outcome beforehand and would bring Sennacherib's campaign to an abrupt end.

Isaiah 37 26 Word Analysis

• הֲל֗וֹא (halō) - "Have you not..." An interrogative particle used to draw attention to a commonly known or obvious fact, often with a rhetorical or emphatic purpose. It suggests that the information that follows should already be known or easily understood by the audience.
• שָׁמַ֙עְתָּ֙ (sham'ta) - "heard." The second person singular perfect form of the verb שָׁמַע (shama'), meaning to hear, listen, or obey. Here, it emphasizes awareness of God's past declarations and actions.
• מִ֣יָּמִ֔ים (miyyāmīm) - "from of old" or "from days." A prepositional phrase indicating a past time, signifying ancient events or pronouncements from God.
• קֶ֔דֶם (qedem) - "east" or "beginning" or "of old." It signifies the distant past, pointing to God's ancient plans and prophecies.
• וַֽ֭יּוֹצֶר (vayyōtser) - "and formed." The third person masculine singular perfect form of the verb יָצַר (yatsar), meaning to form, fashion, shape, or create. This connects to God as the potter, shaping creation and human history.
• תּוֹלָֽד֛וֹת (tōlāḏōt) - "generations" or "beginnings" or "deliverances." It refers to offspring or the beginning/origin of something. In this context, it signifies the succession of generations and historical events as God ordained them.
• וּבַדּוֹר (ūḇaddōr) - "and in a generation" or "and by generations." A conjunctive particle "and" combined with the preposition "in" and the noun דּוֹר (dōr), meaning generation, age, or period. It underscores God’s activity across all human eras.
• וּבְיָד (ūḇəyāḏ) - "and by hand." "And" + preposition "in/by" + noun יָד (yad), meaning hand. This indicates God's active intervention and execution of His plans.
• עוֹלָ֖ם (ʿōlām) - "world" or "eternity" or "ancient times." Signifies long duration or perpetuity, here referring to the entirety of human history and the world itself.
• יִצְּרֵֽנִי (yitstrēni) - "formed me" or "fashioned me." First person singular object suffix attached to the verb יָצַר (yatsar). While the Masoretic text has "formed me," the Septuagint and Syriac versions suggest a verb related to the strength or might of God. In this specific context, referring to the Assyrian king, it implies God's act of establishing him in his position.
• וְהֵיטִ֣יב (wəhēṭiḇ) - "and to do good." Conjunction "and" + Hiphil infinitive of יָטַב (yatab), meaning to make good, to do well. This implies God's purpose in setting up kings to act according to His will, often for benevolent purposes, though kings could also be used for judgment.
• נַפְשִׁי (nafsḥi) - "my soul" or "my being." First person singular possessive pronoun with נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh), soul or life. Here, it refers to the inner life or existence of the king.
• לָמָּה (lāmā) - "why." Interrogative particle asking the reason for something. It implies that the Assyrian king's pride is based on a faulty understanding of God's purposes.

Word Group Analysis

• "Long ago God foretold this and planned it." (מִ֣יָּמִ֔ים קֶ֔דֶם... וַֽ֭יּוֹצֶר תּוֹלָֽד֛וֹת): This phrase emphasizes the foreknowledge and deliberate planning of God in history, asserting that current events, including the rise and fall of empires, were not accidental but part of an ancient divine blueprint.
• "I have brought it to pass." (וַאֲנִי־בֵ֥אתִי): This signifies God's active accomplishment of His plans. He is not just a planner but the executor of those plans throughout generations.
• "That cities should be ruined and desolate." (לְהֱיוֹת)): This describes the consequence of disobedience and rebellion against God, which can lead to destruction and desolation.
• "To make kings tremble, to cast down kings" (לְהַצְדִּיחַ וּבְיַד): These actions demonstrate God’s power to humble and depose earthly rulers who oppose Him or exalt themselves above Him. It illustrates the futility of human might against divine authority.

Isaiah 37 26 Bonus Section

This verse powerfully asserts the concept of divine determinism, but crucially, within the framework of God's revealed purposes and His relationship with His people. While God’s plans encompass all nations, their ultimate expression is tied to His covenant with Israel and His redemptive work. The understanding here is that God foreknew, foreordained, and then executed these plans, allowing for the rise and fall of empires like Assyria. The use of the verb "formed" (יצר - yatsar) draws parallels with God as the potter who forms the clay, signifying a shaping and designing process over time, extending to nations and their destinies. This is echoed in the New Testament when Paul questions the authority of a person to argue with God, the Creator who has absolute dominion over His creation. The purpose of Sennacherib's actions and imminent downfall is not random but divinely appointed, meant to demonstrate God's unmatched power and to teach Judah about His providence.

Isaiah 37 26 Commentary

Isaiah 37:26 directly counters Sennacherib's arrogance by revealing that God is the ultimate architect and enforcer of all historical movements, including the Assyrian king's successful conquests. The Assyrian ruler saw his victories as purely the result of his own power and strategy, unaware that he was merely a tool in God's hands. God, the eternal One who existed before all generations, formulated these plans from the very beginning. He formed nations and kings, raising them up and setting them down as He decreed. This was not a haphazard process; it was a deliberate "forming" of outcomes, allowing specific actions to unfold, leading to such consequences as ruined cities. Furthermore, God uses these grand movements to achieve specific objectives, such as causing rulers to tremble, implying that even powerful kings are accountable to God and will eventually face His judgment or act according to His design. Sennacherib’s impending defeat, prophesied in the following verses, serves as a dramatic illustration of this principle. The verse reminds believers that God’s sovereignty extends over all earthly powers, providing comfort and assurance in times of crisis.