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2 Kings 19

37 verses

TL;DR

Hezekiah, facing the Assyrian threat, turns to Isaiah and to God in deep prayer, and Isaiah’s prophecies assure God’s deliverance, which is fulfilled when an angel annihilates Sennacherib’s army.

Summary

When Hezekiah learns of the Assyrian siege, he mourns in sackcloth and sends his officials to Isaiah, asking for guidance. Isaiah rebukes the Assyrian envoy Rabshakeh and assures the king that God will strike back against the Assyrians. Hezekiah reads the letter, prays in the temple, and declares his trust in the one true God. Isaiah answers with a vivid prophetic message: the Assyrians will be turned back, the city will be preserved, and a remnant will flourish. An angel of the LORD then slaughters 75,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night, causing Sennacherib to flee. The chapter ends with the Assyrian king’s death in Nineveh and the rise of a new king.

Outline
  1. Hezekiah’s distress and appeal to Isaiah
  2. Isaiah’s prophetic assurance against Assyrian threat
  3. Hezekiah’s prayer and declaration of faith
  4. Isaiah’s prophetic vision of deliverance and a remnant
  5. Assyrian army’s destruction by the angel of the LORD
  6. Sennacherib’s flight and death
  7. Succession of Assyrian rulers
Themes
Faith amid political crisisProphetic witness and divine sovereigntyDeliverance and the vindication of IsraelThe power of prayer and intercession
Keywords
HezekiahIsaiahSennacheribAssyriaJerusalemdeliveranceprayerangel of the LORDsackclothprophecy
People
HezekiahIsaiahEliakimShebnaRabshakehSennacheribTirhakahAdrammelechSharezerEsarhaddonAngel of the LORD
Places
JerusalemAssyriaNinevehNisrochArmeniaLachishLibnahSennacherib’s camp
Things
sackclothprayerletter from Rabshakehangel of the LORDAssyrian army
Key Verses
  • 2 Kings 19:35: Illustrates the miraculous defeat of the Assyrian army.
  • 2 Kings 19:30: Prophetic promise of a flourishing remnant.
  • 2 Kings 19:36: Marks the death of Sennacherib and the transition of power.
Questions
  • How does Hezekiah’s reaction to the Assyrian threat demonstrate faith?
  • What role does Isaiah play as mediator between God and the king?
  • In what ways does the chapter portray divine sovereignty over nations?
  • How can the imagery of the angel’s slaughter of 75,000 be understood theologically?
  • What lessons about prayer and intercession can be drawn from Hezekiah’s lament?
  • How does the narrative address the tension between political alliances and divine trust?
Sentiment

mixed
Chapter shifts from despair to hopeful deliverance, reflecting both fear and confidence.