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Commentary on 2 Kings 19 verses 1–7
The contents of Rabshakeh's speech being brought to Hezekiah, one would have expected (and it is likely Rabshakeh did expect) that he would call a council of war and it would be debated whether it was best to capitulate or no. Before the siege, he had taken counsel with his princes and his mighty men, Ch2 32:3. But that would not do now; his greatest relief is that he has a God to go to, and what passed between him and his God on this occasion we have here an account of.
I. Hezekiah discovered a deep concern at the dishonour done to God by Rabshakeh's blasphemy. When he heard it, though at second hand, he rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth, Kg2 19:1. Good men were wont to do so when they heard of any reproach cast on God's name; and great men must not think it any disparagement to them to sympathize with the injured honour of the great God. Royal robes are not too good to be rent, nor royal flesh too good to be clothed with sackcloth, in humiliation for indignities done to God and for the perils and terrors of his Jerusalem. To this God now called, and was displeased with those who were not thus affected. Isa 22:12-14, Behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, though it was a day of trouble and perplexity in the valley of vision (Kg2 19:5), which refers to this very event. The king was in sackcloth, but many of his subjects were in soft clothing.
II. He went up to the house of the Lord, according to the example of the psalmist, who, when he was grieved at the pride and prosperity of the wicked, went into the sanctuary of God and there understood their end, Psa 73:17. He went to the house of God, to meditate and pray, and get his spirit into a sedate composed frame, after this agitation. He was not considering what answer to return to Rabshakeh, but refers the matter to God. "Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me." - Herbert. In the house of the Lord he found a place both of rest and refuge, a treasury, a magazine, a council-chamber, and all he needed, all in God. Note, When the church's enemies are very daring and threatening it is the wisdom and duty of the church's friends to apply to God, appeal to him, and leave their cause with him.
III. He sent to the prophet Isaiah, by honourable messengers, in token of the great respect he had for him, to desire his prayers, Kg2 19:2-4. Eliakim and Shebna were two of those that had heard the words of Rabshakeh and were the better able both to acquaint and to affect Isaiah with the case. The elders of the priests were themselves to pray for the people in time of trouble (Joe 2:17); but they must go to engage Isaiah's prayers, because he could pray better and had a better interest in heaven. The messengers were to go in sackcloth, because they were to represent the king, who was so clothed.
1.Their errand to Isaiah was, "Lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left, that is, for Judah, which is but a remnant now that the ten tribes are gone - for Jerusalem, which is but a remnant now that the defenced cities of Judah are taken." Note, (1.) It is very desirable, and what we should be desirous of when we are in trouble, to have the prayers of our friends for us. In begging to have them we honour God, we honour prayer, and we honour our brethren. (2.) When we desire the prayers of others for us we must not think we are excused from praying for ourselves. When Hezekiah sent to Isaiah to pray for him he himself went into the house of the Lord to offer up his own prayers. (3.) Those who speak from God to us we should in a particular manner desire to speak to God for us. He is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, Gen 20:7. The great prophet is the great intercessor. (4.) Those are likely to prevail with God that lift up their prayers, that is, that lift up their hearts in prayer. (5.) When the interests of God's church are brought very low, so that there is but a remnant left, few friends, and those weak and at a loss, then it is time to lift up our prayer for that remnant.
2.Two things are urged to Isaiah, to engage his prayers for them: - (1.) Their fears of the enemy (Kg2 19:3): "He is insolent and haughty; it is a day of rebuke and blasphemy. We are despised. God is dishonoured. Upon this account it is a day of trouble. Never were such a king and kingdom so trampled on and abused as we are: our soul is exceedingly filled with the contempt of the proud, and it is a sword in our bones to hear them reproach our confidence in God, and say, Where is now your God? and, which is worst of all, we see not which way we can help ourselves and get clear of the reproach. Our cause is good, our people are faithful; but we are quite overpowered with numbers. The children are brought to the birth; now is the time, the critical moment, when, if ever, we must be relieved. One successful blow given to the enemy would accomplish our wishes. But, alas! we are not able to give it: There is not strength to bring forth. Our case is as deplorable, and calls for as speedy help, as that of a woman in travail, that is quite spent with her throes, so that she has not strength to bear the child. Compare with this Hos 13:13. We are ready to perish; if thou canst do any thing, have compassion upon us and help us." (2.) Their hopes in God. To him they look, on him they depend, to appear for them. One word from him will turn the scale, and save the sinking remnant. If he but reprove the words of Rabshakeh (that is, disprove them, Kg2 19:4) - if he undertake to convince and confound the blasphemer - all will be well. And this they trust he will do, not for their merit's sake, but for his own honour's sake, because he has reproached the living God, by levelling him with deaf and dumb idols. They have reason to think the issue will be good, for they can interest God in the quarrel. Psa 74:22, Arise O God! plead thy own cause. "He is the Lord thy God," say they to Isaiah - "thine, whose glory thou art concerned for, and whose favour thou art interested in. He has heard and known the blasphemous words of Rabshakeh, and therefore, it may be, he will hear and rebuke them. We hope he will. Help us with thy prayers to bring the cause before him, and then we are content to leave it with him."
IV. God, by Isaiah, sent to Hezekiah, to assure him that he would glorify himself in the ruin of the Assyrians. Hezekiah sent to Isaiah, not to enquire concerning the event, as many did that sent to the prophets (Shall I recover? or the like), but to desire his assistance in his duty. It was this that he was solicitous about; and therefore God let him know what the event should be, in recompence of his care to do his duty, Kg2 19:6, Kg2 19:7. 1. God interested himself in the cause: They have blasphemed me. 2. He encouraged Hezekiah, who was much dismayed: Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard; they are but words (though swelling and fiery words), and words are but wind. 3. He promised to frighten the king of Assyria worse than Rabshakeh had frightened him: "I will send a blast upon him (that pestilential breath which killed his army), upon which terrors shall seize him and drive him into his own country, where death shall meet him." This short threatening from the mouth of God would do execution, when all the impotent menaces that came from Rabshakeh's mouth would vanish into air.
Faith unguarded is armed by God. Hezekiah, through the power of faith, proved stronger with his puny force than Sennacherib, king of Babylon and rich Nineveh, with his thousands. Sennacherib had enlisted the forces of Assyria and the realm of the Medes. Laying waste with his huge legions all the neighbouring kingdoms, he proceeded towards the city sacred to the Lord and against it alone concentrated his whole massive war machine. But as he made preparations for this, God hindered him, for warfare delayed his unholy designs. He sent to Jerusalem a letter brusque in its arrogant threats. Hezekiah received it with grief and bore it to the Lord before the altar. There in prostrate prayer accompanied by his people in mourning black, he read out those harsh words and bedewed the letter with abundant tears, and so he prevailed on God. By prayer alone, though absent from the scene, he won a shattering victory over the Assyrians, who suffered a grievous death when God warred on them. This favour he won was so considerable that he did not even clap eyes on the enemy he conquered. Once his tears of complaint had passed above the constellations, once his lament from a humble heart had risen beyond the stars and his devoted words had assailed the ears of highest Father, the lofty doors of heaven swung open and a winged angel glided down, breathing the fragrant air on his smooth descent. Armed with the sword of the Word, he smote that wicked army, and glorying in the silent slaughter of the sleeping foe, he brought simultaneous death to one hundred and eighty thousand men. A single night was the accomplice engagement on that scale. Next morning the king arose still threatening but then took flight with his depleted column, wretched because his army was thus stripped of its slaughtered soldiers. He fled from Hezekiah, though the prophet was far removed in another district, and though he had only recently in his presence threatened to clap his fetters on him. At that time Isaias was mediator for Hezekiah.
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SUMMARY
This pivotal verse details the dispatch of King Hezekiah's high-ranking officials to the prophet Isaiah, marking a critical juncture in Judah's confrontation with the Assyrian Empire. It encapsulates Hezekiah's immediate and profound spiritual response to Sennacherib's blasphemous threats, demonstrating his unwavering reliance on divine intervention rather than human military or political strategies. This act of seeking God's word through His prophet sets the stage for God's miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Though brief, 2 Kings 19:5 employs several subtle yet powerful literary techniques. The immediate shift from the Rabshakeh's taunts and Hezekiah's initial distress (as seen in 2 Kings 19:1-4) to the king dispatching his officials to Isaiah creates a strong sense of Foreshadowing. It subtly hints that the resolution to this dire national crisis will not come through conventional military or political means but through divine intervention, mediated by the prophet. The act of sending "servants" (high officials) to a prophet, rather than a military general to a diplomat, is a form of Contrast, highlighting Hezekiah's spiritual and faith-driven approach over a purely secular or humanistic one. Furthermore, the king's humility in seeking a prophet, despite his royal authority and the immense pressure he faced, serves as a form of Didacticism, teaching the audience about the proper, God-honoring response to overwhelming trials: turning to God through His appointed channels and trusting in His word.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse serves as a powerful theological statement about the proper response to overwhelming adversity and blasphemy against God. Hezekiah's immediate turning to Isaiah, God's prophet, demonstrates a profound understanding of divine sovereignty and the absolute necessity of seeking God's word in times of crisis. It underscores the biblical principle that human wisdom, strength, and resources are ultimately insufficient in the face of truly insurmountable challenges, and that true deliverance and guidance come solely from the Lord. This act of seeking divine counsel through a prophet prefigures the New Covenant emphasis on seeking God's will through His inspired Word and through fervent prayer, recognizing that God is the ultimate source of wisdom, strength, and salvation for His people.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of King Hezekiah sending his servants to Isaiah in 2 Kings 19:5 offers a timeless and profound lesson for believers facing overwhelming challenges today. In moments of personal, national, or spiritual crisis, our natural inclination might be to panic, strategize endlessly, or seek purely human solutions. However, Hezekiah's exemplary response calls us to a different, more faithful path: to humble ourselves, acknowledge our profound limitations, and immediately turn to God. While we no longer have prophets in the same manner as ancient Israel, God still speaks powerfully and authoritatively through His inspired Word, the Bible, and through the direct access we have to Him in prayer. This verse profoundly encourages us to prioritize seeking God's wisdom, guidance, and intervention above all else, trusting that He is our ultimate refuge and deliverer, even when circumstances seem utterly bleak and human solutions are exhausted. Our earnest appeal to Him, like Hezekiah's, can unlock divine solutions and miraculous outcomes beyond human comprehension.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Hezekiah send his servants to Isaiah instead of going himself?
Answer: Hezekiah's decision to send his high-ranking servants—Eliakim, the palace administrator; Shebna, the scribe; and the senior priests (as detailed in 2 Kings 19:2)—to Isaiah was a common and culturally appropriate practice for kings in the ancient Near East. It was a formal and respectful way to consult a prophet, signifying both the gravity of the situation and the king's earnestness in seeking a divine word. While Hezekiah had already gone into the temple himself to pray and humble himself (as seen in 2 Kings 19:1), sending a delegation demonstrated the official nature of his plea for divine intervention. This allowed the king to continue his personal supplication and leadership within the palace, while simultaneously underscoring Isaiah's recognized authority as God's mouthpiece, worthy of a royal delegation for such a critical national crisis.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The desperate plea of King Hezekiah to God through His prophet Isaiah, as powerfully depicted in 2 Kings 19:5, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Hezekiah's turning to a prophet for a word of temporary deliverance from an earthly enemy foreshadows humanity's far greater and more desperate need for a divine mediator and a definitive, eternal word from God. Jesus is not merely a prophet like Isaiah, but the very Word of God incarnate (John 1:14), who perfectly reveals the Father's will, embodies divine truth, and brings ultimate salvation. Where Hezekiah sought a temporary reprieve from a physical threat, Christ offers eternal deliverance from the spiritual enemies of sin, death, and the devil, definitively conquering the ultimate adversary through His resurrection (Hebrews 2:14-15). Our access to God is no longer through an earthly prophet but directly through Christ, our great High Priest, who continuously intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 4:14-16), and whose finished work on the cross provides the definitive answer to all our crises, offering a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Thus, Hezekiah's act of faith, in its essence, points forward to the complete, perfect, and everlasting provision found in Christ, the one who truly takes away the sin of the world and delivers us from all spiritual bondage.