2 Kings 19:16

LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.

LORD {H3068}, bow down {H5186} thine ear {H241}, and hear {H8085}: open {H6491}, LORD {H3068}, thine eyes {H5869}, and see {H7200}: and hear {H8085} the words {H1697} of Sennacherib {H5576}, which hath sent {H7971} him to reproach {H2778} the living {H2416} God {H430}.

Turn your ear, ADONAI, and hear! Open your eyes, ADONAI, and see! Hear the words that Sancheriv sent to taunt the living God.

Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.

Incline thine ear, O Jehovah, and hear; open thine eyes, O Jehovah, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, wherewith he hath sent him to defy the living God.

Commentary

Commentary on 2 Kings 19:16 (KJV)

2 Kings 19:16: "LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God."

Context

This powerful verse is part of King Hezekiah's desperate prayer during a dire national crisis. Jerusalem was under siege by the formidable Assyrian army, led by King Sennacherib. Sennacherib had sent a threatening message, full of boasts about his conquests and, crucially, blasphemous insults against the God of Judah, suggesting that Hezekiah's trust in the LORD was futile. Overwhelmed by the Assyrian threat, Hezekiah took the letter into the temple and spread it out before the LORD, appealing directly to God for intervention. This prayer, spanning 2 Kings 19:14-19, is a profound example of faith in the face of overwhelming odds.

Key Themes

  • Desperate Appeal to God: Hezekiah's prayer is an urgent plea for divine attention. He uses anthropomorphic language ("bow down thine ear," "open thine eyes") to implore God to actively perceive and respond to the immediate threat. This highlights a profound trust in God's active involvement in human affairs.
  • God's Omniscience and Omnipotence: The king's request for God to "hear" and "see" acknowledges God's complete awareness of every detail, even the arrogant words of an enemy far away. It is an appeal to God's power to intervene based on His knowledge.
  • Defense of God's Honor: The core of Hezekiah's plea is not just for Judah's survival, but for God's reputation. Sennacherib's words were a direct "reproach" against "the living God." Hezekiah understood that this was an attack on God's very nature and sovereignty, making it God's battle to fight.
  • The "Living God": This phrase is central to Hezekiah's appeal. It contrasts the LORD with the lifeless, impotent idols of the nations Sennacherib had conquered. Unlike pagan deities, the God of Israel is active, powerful, and capable of hearing, seeing, and acting on behalf of His people. This concept is foundational in the Old Testament, emphasizing God's unique power over all creation (see Jeremiah 10:10).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase for "living God" (ืึฑืœึนื”ึดื™ื ื—ึทื™ึผึดื™ื, Elohim Chayyim) is significant. It emphasizes God's active, dynamic existence in contrast to the inert idols worshipped by other nations. This wasn't merely a theological statement but a declaration of His power to intervene decisively in history. Hezekiah's prayer hinges on the truth that he serves a God who is not distant or powerless, but intimately involved and supremely capable.

Practical Application

Hezekiah's prayer in 2 Kings 19:16 offers timeless lessons for believers today:

  • Prayer in Crisis: When faced with overwhelming challenges, whether personal or collective, our first response should be to turn to God in earnest prayer. Like Hezekiah, we can lay our burdens before Him, trusting in His ability to see and hear.
  • God's Honor Matters: This verse reminds us that attacks against believers or the church can often be seen as a reproach against God Himself. When we pray, we can appeal to God's glory and reputation, asking Him to act to vindicate His name.
  • Trusting the "Living God": In a world filled with uncertainties, we serve a God who is active and powerful, not a passive deity. We can have confidence that He is fully aware of our circumstances and capable of miraculous intervention, just as He delivered Hezekiah and Jerusalem from the Assyrian threat (see 2 Kings 19:35).
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 6:40 (5 votes)

    Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and [let] thine ears [be] attent unto the prayer [that is made] in this place.

  • 2 Kings 19:4 (5 votes)

    It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up [thy] prayer for the remnant that are left.

  • Psalms 31:2 (5 votes)

    Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

  • Isaiah 37:17 (5 votes)

    Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.

  • 1 Kings 8:29 (4 votes)

    That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, [even] toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

  • Daniel 9:18 (4 votes)

    O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

  • Hebrews 11:26 (2 votes)

    Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.