Isaiah 37

1 It happened, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the LORD's house.NHEB — Isaiah 37:1

2 He sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz.NHEB — Isaiah 37:2

3 They said to him, "Thus says Hezekiah, 'This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children have come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring forth.NHEB — Isaiah 37:3

4 It may be the LORD your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.'"NHEB — Isaiah 37:4

5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.NHEB — Isaiah 37:5

6 Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master, 'Thus says the LORD, "Do not be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.NHEB — Isaiah 37:6

7 Look, I will put a spirit in him and he will hear news, and will return to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."'"NHEB — Isaiah 37:7

8 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.NHEB — Isaiah 37:8

9 He heard news concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, "He has come out to fight against you." When he heard it, he returned and sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,NHEB — Isaiah 37:9

10 "Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, "Jerusalem won't be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."NHEB — Isaiah 37:10

11 Look, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly. Shall you be delivered?NHEB — Isaiah 37:11

12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them, which my fathers have destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?NHEB — Isaiah 37:12

13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?'"NHEB — Isaiah 37:13

14 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the LORD's house, and spread it before the LORD.NHEB — Isaiah 37:14

15 Hezekiah prayed to the LORD, saying,NHEB — Isaiah 37:15

16 "LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, who is enthroned among the cherubim, you are the God, even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.NHEB — Isaiah 37:16

17 Turn your ear, LORD, and hear. Open your eyes, LORD, and look. Hear all of the words of Sennacherib, who has sent to defy the living God.NHEB — Isaiah 37:17

18 Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the countries and their land,NHEB — Isaiah 37:18

19 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them.NHEB — Isaiah 37:19

20 Now therefore, LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are the LORD, even you only."NHEB — Isaiah 37:20

21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Because you have prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria,NHEB — Isaiah 37:21

22 this is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him. The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you.NHEB — Isaiah 37:22

23 Whom have you defied and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel.NHEB — Isaiah 37:23

24 By your messengers you have taunted the LORD, and have said, "With the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon. I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice fir trees. I will enter into its farthest height, the forest of its fruitful field.NHEB — Isaiah 37:24

25 I have dug and drunk water, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt."NHEB — Isaiah 37:25

26 Have you not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it in ancient times? Now I have brought it to pass, that it should be yours to destroy fortified cities, turning them into ruinous heaps.NHEB — Isaiah 37:26

27 Therefore their inhabitants had little power. They were dismayed and confounded. They were like the grass of the field, and like the green herb, like the grass on the rooftops when it is scorched by the east wind.NHEB — Isaiah 37:27

28 But I know your sitting down, your going out, your coming in, and your raging against me.NHEB — Isaiah 37:28

29 Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance has come up into my ears, therefore I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way by which you came.NHEB — Isaiah 37:29

30 This shall be the sign to you. You will eat this year that which grows of itself, and in the second year that which springs from the same; and in the third year sow and reap and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit.NHEB — Isaiah 37:30

31 The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah will again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.NHEB — Isaiah 37:31

32 For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go forth, and survivors will escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.'NHEB — Isaiah 37:32

33 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, 'He will not come to this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither will he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.NHEB — Isaiah 37:33

34 By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come to this city,' says the LORD.NHEB — Isaiah 37:34

35 'For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David's sake.'"NHEB — Isaiah 37:35

36 The angel of the LORD went out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the camp of the Assyrians. When men arose early in the morning, look, these were all dead bodies.NHEB — Isaiah 37:36

37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, went away, returned to Nineveh, and stayed there.NHEB — Isaiah 37:37

38 It happened, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons struck him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.NHEB — Isaiah 37:38