Keraia
Isaiah 37

Isaiah 37:22

Sennacherib’s Fall Prophesied · Isaiah 37:21–35
Read Isaiah 37

Translations

Modern
…this is the word that the LORD has spoken against him: ‘The Virgin Daughter of Zion despises you and mocks you; the Daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head behind you.
Traditional
This is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
Literal
…this is the word that YHWH has spoken concerning him: ‘She despises you, and mocks you—the virgin the daughter of Zion. The daughter of Jerusalem shakes the head behind you.
Latin
…hoc est verbum quod locutus est Dominus super eum: Despexit te et subsannavit te, virgo filia Sion; post te caput movit, filia Jerusalem.

Original

Hebrew
English
…this is the word that the LORD has spoken against him: ‘The Virgin Daughter of Zion despises you and mocks you; the Daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head behind you.

Notes

Isaiah 37:22

The Virgin Daughter of Zion: Jerusalem is described as a young woman who taunts the Assyrian king (see also Isaiah 3:26).

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 19:20–34

Places

Jerusalem: The capital of Israel, a holy city for three religions

Glossary

Assyria, Assyrians Daughter of Zion Hezekiah History of Israel Inscriptions Isaiah, Book of Kings, Books of First and Second Micah (Person) Shebna

Topics

Assyria: Prophecies Concerning Assyria: Sennacherib King of Reproved for Pride and Blasphemy Blasphemy: Rabshakeh, in the Siege of Jerusalem Libnah: A City of the Tribe of Judah, Captured by Joshua: Sennacherib Besieged