Isaiah 37:14

And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.

And Hezekiah {H2396} received {H3947} the letter {H5612} from the hand {H3027} of the messengers {H4397}, and read {H7121} it: and Hezekiah {H2396} went up {H5927} unto the house {H1004} of the LORD {H3068}, and spread {H6566} it before {H6440} the LORD {H3068}.

Hizkiyahu took the letter from the messengers' hands and read it. Then Hizkiyahu went up to the house of ADONAI and spread it out before ADONAI.

So Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, read it, and went up to the house of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.

And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up unto the house of Jehovah, and spread it before Jehovah.

Isaiah 37:14 describes a pivotal moment in King Hezekiah's reign, illustrating his profound faith and reliance on God amidst an existential threat to Judah.

Context

This verse is set during the invasion of Judah by the powerful Assyrian King Sennacherib, approximately 701 BC. Sennacherib had already conquered many fortified cities of Judah and was now threatening Jerusalem, demanding its surrender. He sent a blasphemous and intimidating letter to Hezekiah, filled with taunts against the Lord and boasts of Assyria's military might, designed to break Hezekiah's will and the resolve of the people of Jerusalem. Instead of panicking or seeking human alliances, Hezekiah's immediate response upon receiving this dire message was to go directly to the house of the LORD.

Key Themes

  • Prayer in Crisis: Hezekiah's action demonstrates that in moments of extreme distress, the first and most crucial step for a believer is to turn to God. He did not immediately consult his generals or politicians but sought divine counsel.
  • Humility and Trust: By spreading the letter before the Lord, Hezekiah was not simply reading it to God; he was presenting the entire problem, laying out the enemy's challenge and his own helplessness before the Almighty. This act signifies deep humility and complete trust in God's ability to intervene, even when human solutions seemed impossible. It echoes the sentiment of "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you."
  • God as the Ultimate Authority: Hezekiah's action implicitly acknowledged God's sovereignty over all earthly powers, including the mighty Assyrian empire. He recognized that the taunts against Jerusalem were ultimately taunts against the Lord Himself, making it God's battle to fight.

Linguistic Insight

The phrase "spread it before the LORD" (Hebrew: וַיִּפְרְשֵׂהוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה - vayyipreśēhū lifnê Yahweh) is highly evocative. It suggests an act of laying out a petition or a grievance, much like one would lay out evidence or a written complaint before a judge. It implies a direct, unmediated appeal to God, presenting the very source of his distress for divine consideration and intervention. This was not a casual glance but a deliberate, ceremonial act of presenting the problem to the one who could truly resolve it.

Practical Application

Hezekiah's response in Isaiah 37:14 offers a timeless model for believers facing overwhelming challenges today. When confronted with threats, anxieties, or seemingly insurmountable problems, our first impulse should be to take them directly to God in prayer. Just as Hezekiah laid out the Assyrian letter, we are invited to lay out our burdens, fears, and petitions before the Lord, trusting in His power and faithfulness. This act of "spreading it before the Lord" is an act of surrendering control and acknowledging God's supreme authority, reminding us that no problem is too great for Him to handle. It encourages us to approach God with our specific troubles, believing that He hears and will respond according to His perfect will, just as He did for Hezekiah, leading to the miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 123:1

    ¶ A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

  • Psalms 123:4

    Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, [and] with the contempt of the proud.

  • 2 Kings 19:14

    And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.

  • 1 Kings 8:38

    What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:

  • 2 Chronicles 6:20

    That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.

  • 2 Chronicles 6:42

    O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.

  • Psalms 74:10

    O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

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