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Commentary on Isaiah 37 verses 1–7
We may observe here, 1. That the best way to baffle the malicious designs of our enemies against us is to be driven by them to God and to our duty and so to fetch meat out of the eater. Rabshakeh intended to frighten Hezekiah from the Lord, but it proves that he frightens him to the Lord. The wind, instead of forcing the traveller's coat from him, makes him wrap it the closer about him. The more Rabshakeh reproaches God the more Hezekiah studies to honour him, by rending his clothes for the dishonour done to him and attending in his sanctuary to know his mind. 2. That it well becomes great men to desire the prayers of good men and good ministers. Hezekiah sent messengers, and honourable ones, those of the first rank, to Isaiah, to desire his prayers, remembering how much his prophecies of late had plainly looked towards the events of the present day, in dependence upon which, it is probable, he doubted not but that the issue would be comfortable, yet he would have it to be so in answer to prayer: This is a day of trouble, therefore let it be a day of prayer. 3. When we are most at a plunge we should be most earnest in prayer: Now that the children are brought to the birth, but there is not strength to bring forth, now let prayer come, and help at a dead lift. When pains are most strong let prayers be most lively; and, when we meet with the greatest difficulties, then is a time to stir up not ourselves only, but others also, to take hold on God. Prayer is the midwife of mercy, that helps to bring it forth. 4. It is an encouragement to pray though we have but some hopes of mercy (Isa 37:4): It may be the Lord thy God will hear; who knows but he will return and repent? The it may be of the prospect of the haven of blessings should quicken us with double diligence to ply the oar of prayer. 5. When there is a remnant left, and but a remnant, it concerns us to lift up a prayer for that remnant, Isa 37:4. The prayer that reaches heaven must be lifted up by a strong faith, earnest desires, and a direct intention to the glory of God, all which should be quickened when we come to the last stake. 6. Those that have made God their enemy we have no reason to be afraid of, for they are marked for ruin; and, though they may hiss, they cannot hurt. Rabshakeh has blasphemed God, and therefore let not Hezekiah be afraid of him, Isa 37:6. He has made God a party to the cause by his invectives, and therefore judgment will certainly be given against him. God will certainly plead his own cause. 7. Sinners' fears are but prefaces to their falls. He shall hear the rumour of the slaughter of his army, which shall oblige him to retire to his own land, and there he shall be slain, Isa 37:7. The terrors that pursue him shall bring him at last to the king of terrors, Job 18:11, Job 18:14. The curses that come upon sinners shall overtake them.
“When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah.” … Again he does not use the title of prophet, maintaining the humility with which he began. And Isaiah anticipated them, for he had heard of their departure from the king by the same Spirit from which he also learned of future events. Then he tells them what they ought to reply to their master, humbled in fidelity of conscience: “Say to your master, who is your master, that my Lord says this: ‘Do not be afraid of the words with which not you but I am blasphemed. I will not foretell everything that I am about to do to the king of Assyria, lest I appear to be throwing my weight around, but the spirit which will be given to them is that of the adversary, not of God.’ ”
(Chapter 37, Verse 1 and following) Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him what the field commander had said. When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord. He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. They told him, 'This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.' If you want to know how the Lord your God heard the words of Rabsaces, whom the king of the Assyrians, his lord, sent to blaspheme the living God and to reproach the words that the Lord your God heard, lift up a prayer for the remainder that have been found. Then the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, and Isaiah said to them: 'Thus you shall say to 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 blasphemed me.' Behold, I will give to him the spirit, and he will hear the message, and he will return to his land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his land. Leaving aside the clear things, let us discuss only those in which the hidden meaning is present. They tear their clothes because they hear Rabshekah blaspheming. The king himself tears his own clothes because he believed it to be his and the people's sins that Rabshekah has come all the way to the gate of Jerusalem and has spoken such things against the Lord. Whereupon, the high priest, because he believed that he had blasphemed the Savior, tore his garments (Matt. XXVI); and Paul and Barnabas, when the people of Lystra wanted to worship them as gods, tore their garments (Acts XIV). Therefore, he wrapped himself in sackcloth for the royal worship, and as he walked from the palace to the temple, he sent Eliakim the high priest, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests to Isaiah the son of Amos the prophet. In this, the humility and prudence of the king are worth considering. He himself proceeded to the Temple; the leaders of the people and the elders of the priests, not dressed in priestly garments but covered in sackcloth, sent to Isaiah son of Amos, the prophet. Concerning him, it is read in the Book of Kings: He himself was covered with a mantle, and entered the house of the Lord, Eliakim the steward of the house, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests sent covered in sacks to Isaiah the prophet, son of Amos (2 Kings 19:1-2). Here, because Isaiah himself was writing the history about himself, he did not call himself a Prophet, but the son of a Prophet; there, because another person was writing the history, he writes about him as a Prophet. Indeed, we read this also concerning the Evangelist Matthew, that Matthew himself said that he was a tax collector (Matt. IX); but the other Evangelists remained silent about the name tax collector, and only mentioned his apostolic dignity; and that in the ranks of the Apostles, he is second in his own account and first in the others'. And they said to him: Thus says Hezekiah, not a king, not swollen with the name of empire: The day of tribulation, and the day of corruption, and the day of blasphemy: the day of our tribulation, the day of God's correction, the day of the enemies' blasphemy. And the likeness of a woman in labor and in distress, that she has come to labor and cannot give birth, nor can she say: We have conceived, O Lord, from fear of you, and we have grieved and given birth to the spirit of salvation. It follows: As how should the Lord your God hear the words of Rabsaces (Isaiah XXVI, 18, according to the LXX). For we do not dare to say O Lord, Lord of all, when such great wrath is upon us; but we say, your Lord. And we have this confidence of vengeance: because the living God is blasphemed by the worshipper of dead idols. And they reproached with the words, which the Lord your God heard: Therefore, lift up our lying prayer: not for all the people who have already perished, but for the remnants that are besieged. And when the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, the name of the Prophet was silent again, so that he would preserve the humility that had been started. And Isaiah anticipated them: for with the same spirit with which he knew the future, he had also heard the absent king: and he said what they should respond to their Lord, humbled in this trust of conscience. He said, 'Say to your master, who is your Lord; for my Lord says these things: Do not fear the words by which not you, but I am blasphemed. Nor do I say that I am going to do all the things that the king of the Assyrians wishes, lest it seem that I am boasting of my power; but that a spirit, not of God, but an adversary, is to be given to him. And upon hearing the message, let him return to his own land, and let him fall by the sword in it, so that both things which Hezekiah desired equally, he would hear: that he would be freed from the siege and danger, and that the angry and hostile king would die in his own land.' If someone asks why the book of Prophecies, which is written in the volumes of Kings and Chronicles, seems mixed, let them consider that the prophecy of history is linked, both concerning the liberation of the city and the destruction of Assyria, and concerning the return of the sun with ten and fifteen years elapsed, which is both prophecy and history.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 37:5 captures a pivotal moment in Judah's history, depicting King Hezekiah's immediate and humble response to the overwhelming Assyrian threat. Faced with Sennacherib's blasphemous taunts and the imminent destruction of Jerusalem, Hezekiah dispatches his trusted royal officials to the prophet Isaiah. This act signifies the king's profound distress, his recognition of the spiritual nature of the crisis, and his desperate turning from human strategies to seek divine counsel and intervention through God's appointed messenger. It sets the stage for God's miraculous deliverance, highlighting the power of humble dependence on Yahweh in the face of insurmountable odds.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
This verse employs several literary devices to enhance its impact and convey deeper meaning. Synecdoche is present as "the servants of king Hezekiah" represent the king himself and his official capacity, acting as his direct extension and demonstrating his personal distress and humility (seen in Isaiah 37:1). This emphasizes that Hezekiah's internal state is translated into a formal, public act of seeking divine counsel. The verse also functions as a moment of Foreshadowing, building narrative tension and setting the stage for the divine oracle and miraculous deliverance that will follow through Isaiah's prophecy, creating anticipation for God's response. Furthermore, there is a subtle Contrast between the overwhelming human power of the Assyrian Empire and the humble, spiritual response of Hezekiah, highlighting the theme that God's power is made perfect in weakness and that true strength lies in dependence on Him. The act of sending messengers to a prophet, rather than a general or an ally, also serves as a Symbolic Act of dependence, demonstrating Hezekiah's profound faith in Yahweh as the ultimate Deliverer.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 37:5 serves as a powerful theological statement about the nature of true leadership and the source of ultimate deliverance. Hezekiah's immediate turning to the prophet Isaiah in a moment of existential crisis is a profound act of faith, demonstrating that genuine trust in God involves seeking His counsel and relying on His word above all human strategies or might. This action underscores the biblical principle that God's people are called to depend on Him, especially when circumstances are beyond human control. It highlights the importance of spiritual discernment and the crucial role of God's appointed messengers in guiding His people. Hezekiah's humility and reliance on God's prophet foreshadow the New Testament emphasis on seeking God's wisdom through prayer and His Word, and the guidance of spiritual leaders within the community of faith, affirming that God often works through human instruments.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In the face of overwhelming challenges, King Hezekiah's response in Isaiah 37:5 offers a profound model for believers today. Rather than succumbing to despair, engaging in futile human efforts, or compromising his faith, Hezekiah immediately turned to the Lord through His prophet. This teaches us the critical importance of making God our first and primary recourse in times of crisis, whether personal, familial, or communal. It calls us to cultivate a posture of humility and dependence, acknowledging that our strength, wisdom, and resources are finite, but God's power and counsel are limitless. Furthermore, Hezekiah's action underscores the value of seeking wise, godly counsel from those who are grounded in God's Word and Spirit, recognizing that God often speaks and acts through His chosen vessels. Our readiness to seek and heed such counsel is a testament to our trust in God's active involvement in our lives and our willingness to submit our plans to His divine wisdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why didn't King Hezekiah go to Isaiah himself?
Answer: While Hezekiah had just been to the temple (as described in Isaiah 37:1), sending his servants was a common and appropriate practice for a king in that era. It was a formal, official act of state, demonstrating the gravity of the situation and the king's earnestness in seeking a divine oracle. This protocol allowed the king to maintain his royal dignity and position while dispatching trusted representatives to convey his message and receive the prophetic word. It was a standard and respectful way for a monarch to engage with a prophet on matters of national importance, not a sign of Hezekiah's unwillingness to humble himself, but rather a demonstration of his profound respect for the prophetic office and the God who spoke through it.
What was the significance of sending servants specifically to Isaiah?
Answer: Sending servants to Isaiah was profoundly significant because Isaiah was God's recognized prophet, the divine messenger through whom Yahweh communicated His will to the nation and its leaders. Hezekiah understood that the Assyrian threat was not merely a military or political crisis but a spiritual one, a direct challenge to God's sovereignty and His covenant with Judah. Therefore, the solution had to come from God. By sending to Isaiah, Hezekiah was bypassing human strategies and directly appealing to the Lord for a word of deliverance and guidance, demonstrating his faith that God alone could save Judah from this seemingly insurmountable foe, as indeed God had promised through Isaiah in earlier prophecies (e.g., Isaiah 7:7). This act underscored the king's profound trust in God's active involvement in the affairs of His people.
How does this event relate to other biblical accounts of seeking divine counsel?
Answer: This event is a classic example of a king seeking divine counsel in a time of national crisis, a theme found throughout the Old Testament. It parallels other instances where leaders sought prophets or priests for God's word, such as King David inquiring of the Lord through the ephod (e.g., 1 Samuel 23:2) or King Jehoshaphat consulting the prophets before battle (e.g., 2 Chronicles 18:4). It highlights the consistent biblical pattern of God's people turning to Him for guidance, especially when human wisdom fails. The miraculous deliverance that follows Hezekiah's plea further reinforces the biblical narrative of God's faithfulness to those who trust in Him and seek His face, demonstrating that divine intervention often follows humble supplication.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 37:5, depicting King Hezekiah's turning to the prophet Isaiah for divine counsel in a moment of overwhelming crisis, beautifully foreshadows humanity's ultimate need to turn to Jesus Christ. Hezekiah, a good but fallible king, sought a word from God through a human prophet to deliver his people from a physical enemy. This points us to Christ, who is the ultimate Prophet, the very Word of God incarnate (as seen in John 1:1-14). He is the one through whom God has spoken His final and most complete revelation (as affirmed in Hebrews 1:1-3). Just as Hezekiah's people faced an existential threat from Assyria, humanity faces a far greater, spiritual enemy in sin and death. Our only hope for deliverance lies not in human strength or wisdom, but in turning to Christ, the King of Kings (as declared in Revelation 19:16) who has conquered sin and death through His atoning sacrifice (as explained in Colossians 2:13-15). Hezekiah's act of humble dependence on God's messenger finds its perfect fulfillment in our complete reliance on Jesus, our great High Priest and Savior, who ever lives to intercede for us and delivers us from eternal peril (as taught in Hebrews 7:25). He is the true and final source of all wisdom, counsel, and salvation.