Isaiah 37:30

This year … the second year … the third year: Due to the Assyrian siege and its impact on farming, the people of Judah could not plant and harvest as usual. The promise that life would return to normal after the siege reassured them that God was with them and would provide for their daily needs. They needed to build their trust in God over three years, believing that God's word would come true (see Isaiah 30:15, 18).

The idea was that after escaping the Assyrians, it would be too late to plant in the current year. They would have to wait until the fall of the second year to plant again and would harvest their first crop in the spring and summer of the third year.

In this prophecy of salvation, Isaiah assured Hezekiah that Jerusalem would be spared and that the remnant was under God’s protection.

The names of Isaiah and his sons anticipated God's rescue (see Isaiah 7:1–11:16). The book’s record of God’s presence and rescue provided assurance that the Lord would always have a remnant that he will protect and rescue.

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.