Keraia
Isaiah 37

Isaiah 37:26

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

Translations

Modern
Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it; in days of old I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, that you should crush fortified cities into piles of rubble.
Traditional
Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps.
Literal
Have you not heard? Long ago I made it, from days of old I formed it? Now I am bringing it to pass, that you should crash into heaps of ruins fortified cities.
Latin
Numquid non audisti quæ olim fecerim ei? Ex diebus antiquis ego plasmavi illud; et nunc adduxi, et factum est in eradicationem collium compugnantium, et civitatum munitarum.

Original

Hebrew
English
Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it; in days of old I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, that you should crush fortified cities into piles of rubble.

Notes

Isaiah 37:26

I planned … that you should crush … into piles of rubble: Assyria was God's agent of destruction, but the Assyrians did not understand they were just a tool in God's hand (see Isaiah 10), carrying out what God had planned long ago (Isaiah 14:24–27).

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

Glossary

Assyria, Assyrians 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