Isaiah 37 37

Isaiah 37:37 kjv

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.

Isaiah 37:37 nkjv

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.

Isaiah 37:37 niv

So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.

Isaiah 37:37 esv

Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh.

Isaiah 37:37 nlt

Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there.

Isaiah 37 verses

Isaiah 37 37 Meaning

This verse declares the immediate consequence of God's decisive intervention against Sennacherib: the mighty Assyrian king withdrew from Judah, returned to his capital Nineveh, and remained there. It signifies the end of his menacing campaign against Jerusalem and Hezekiah, an undeniable victory for God's power over formidable human might.

Isaiah 37 37 Context

Isaiah chapter 37 details the grave threat Jerusalem faced from the Assyrian Empire under King Sennacherib around 701 BC. Sennacherib, having already conquered many Judean cities, besieged Jerusalem and demanded its surrender through his envoy, the Rabshakeh. The Rabshakeh issued a series of taunts, not only against Hezekiah and the people of Judah but, more critically, against the God of Israel, claiming Yahweh was no more powerful than the gods of the nations Assyria had already defeated. King Hezekiah responded with humble prayer, spreading Sennacherib's blasphemous letter before the Lord. God, through the prophet Isaiah, then sent a message promising divine intervention and delivering Jerusalem from the Assyrians. He declared that Sennacherib would hear a rumor, return to his own land, and there perish by the sword. The immediate fulfillment came as the Angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in their camp (Isa 37:36). Verse 37 directly follows this devastating blow, confirming the withdrawal of Sennacherib and thus the complete and miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem, underscoring Yahweh's supreme power against the dominant superpower of the ancient Near East.

Isaiah 37 37 Word analysis

• So (וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ - way-yê-leḵ): The conjunctive waw signifies a direct and immediate consequence of the preceding event, linking God's intervention (verse 36) with Sennacherib's departure.

• Sennacherib (סַנְחֵרִ֛יב - san-ḥê-rîḇ): The name of the Assyrian king, a formidable historical figure, symbolizing human arrogance and military might. His return home implies a strategic failure rather than a successful conquest of Jerusalem.

• king of Assyria (מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר - me-leḵ-’aš-šūr): Emphasizes his high status as the ruler of the then-dominant world power, highlighting the magnitude of God's victory over seemingly insurmountable earthly authority.

• departed (וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ - way-yê-leḵ, from הָלַךְ halak 'to go, walk'): Denotes the physical movement away from Jerusalem, not merely ending the siege but actively retreating.

• and went back (וַיָּ֫שׇׁב֙ - way-yā-šāḇ, from שׁוּב shuv 'to return, turn back'): Reinforces the idea of retreat, reversing his aggressive campaign. He was not merely leaving but turning around and heading back to where he came from, confirming his defeat.

• and stayed (וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב - way-yê-šeḇ, from יָשַׁב yashav 'to sit, dwell, remain'): Indicates his re-establishment in his capital, signifying the campaign's definite end and his failure to achieve his objective in Judah. He would not resume the siege.

• at Nineveh (בְּנִֽינְוֵֽה - bə-nî-nə-wêh): The capital city of the Assyrian Empire, a stronghold of power and idolatry. His return to Nineveh implies the failure to incorporate Jerusalem into his empire and marked the place where he was ultimately assassinated, fulfilling more of God's prophecy (Isa 37:7, 38).

• "So Sennacherib king of Assyria": This opening phrase highlights the identity and imperial authority of the central human antagonist, setting the stage for the dramatic display of divine sovereignty over human power. Despite his status, he is now acted upon by God's will.

• "departed and went back": The double verb construction emphasizes a complete and decisive withdrawal, a forceful retreat compelled by divine power, rather than a tactical withdrawal or a temporary pause in his campaign.

• "and stayed at Nineveh": This signifies the absolute end of the immediate threat to Judah. He did not go to attack other nations first; he settled back into his capital, defeated and no longer a direct threat to Jerusalem. This detail paves the way for the prophetic judgment on him in his own land.

Isaiah 37 37 Bonus section

The almost identical wording in the parallel account of 2 Kings 19:36 confirms the reliability and consistent presentation of this historical event within the biblical narrative. Interestingly, contemporary Assyrian records, such as Sennacherib's Prism, meticulously detail his extensive conquests in Judah but notably avoid claiming the capture of Jerusalem, instead stating he "imprisoned" Hezekiah "like a bird in a cage" in Jerusalem. This omission strongly corroborates the biblical account of Jerusalem's miraculous deliverance and Sennacherib's failed objective. The swift end to Sennacherib’s siege also foreshadows the future fulfillment of prophecies against Nineveh itself, revealing a pattern of God judging proud empires (as seen in the later books of Nahum and Zephaniah). The Lord's intervention established Jerusalem as truly inviolable under divine protection during this critical period.

Isaiah 37 37 Commentary

Isaiah 37:37 serves as the resolute conclusion to the Assyrian siege narrative, profoundly underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty. Following the divine slaughter of his vast army, Sennacherib, the arrogant and formidable king, was compelled to execute precisely what God had prophesied: retreat. His return to Nineveh, his seat of power, was not a triumphal march but a return born of divine judgment and utter defeat at Jerusalem. This verse validates the preceding prophecies (Isa 37:7, 29, 34), confirming Yahweh's power to both restrain and utterly dismantle human pride and military might when directed against His chosen people and city. It's a stark demonstration that God’s word is perfectly fulfilled, showcasing His protective fidelity to His covenant and His immediate, decisive answer to Hezekiah's prayer. No earthly force can ultimately stand against the will of the Almighty.