Keraia
Isaiah 36

Isaiah 36:1

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem · Isaiah 36:1–22
Read Isaiah 36

Translations

Modern
In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked and captured all the fortified cities of Judah.
Traditional
Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.
Literal
And it came to pass in the fourteenth … year of king Hezekiah that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and he captured them.
Latin
Et factum est in quartodecimo anno regis Ezechiæ, ascendit Sennacherib, rex Assyriorum, super omnes civitates Juda munitas, et cepit eas.

Original

Hebrew
English
In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked and captured all the fortified cities of Judah.

Notes

Isaiah 36:1

King Sennacherib of Assyria ruled from 705 to 681 BC. Hezekiah, like many other kings under Assyrian control, declared his independence when Sennacherib became king during a difficult time. By 701 BC, Sennacherib was ready to punish Hezekiah. Sennacherib claimed he conquered 46 fortified cities and many villages, taking 200,146 captives. Hezekiah tried to appease Sennacherib (see 2 Kings 18:14–16), but it was too late.

Isaiah 36:1–39:8

Jerusalem’s rescue from King Sennacherib of Assyria is a main event in Isaiah 1–39. The Lord promised to save his people. He would remain present with Jerusalem (see 7:14). He would also keep a remnant, a small group who would survive (see study note on Isaiah 10:20).

Much of the land became empty and the population greatly reduced. This happened because Judah made a foolish alliance with Assyria (chapters 7–8). Even so, the Lord did not allow total defeat. He preserved his people through Hezekiah, a faithful king.

Hezekiah faced the same kind of test that King Ahaz had faced. It was a test of trust in the Lord. In chapter 36, the Assyrian officer repeats the word trust as he challenges the people. But Hezekiah had learned from the earlier warnings in chapters 13–35. At least at first, he trusted God and passed the test.

This story also appears in 2 Kings 18:13–20:19.

Events

Parallels

2 Kings 18:13–37 2 Chronicles 32:1–8

People

Hezekiah: A righteous king of Judah Judah: Israelite tribe, kingdom, and province Sennacherib: Assyrian Emperor who invaded Judah

Places

Assyria: A powerful ancient empire, often in conflict with Israel

Glossary

Assyria, Assyrians Chronology of the Bible (Old Testament) Hezekiah History of Israel Inscriptions Isaiah, Book of Kings, Books of First and Second Lachish Micah (Person)

Topics

Assyria: Sennacherib Cities: Different Kinds of Fenced Hezekiah: King of Judah: Military Operations of Isaiah: Prophesies in the Days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah Rab-Shakeh : Sent by Sennacherib Against Jerusalem Sennacherib: Invades Judah Time: Eras from Which, Computed: Accession of Kings