Isaiah 37:29
ESV
Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.’
NIV
Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.
NASB
Because of your raging against Me And because your complacency has come up to My ears, I will put My hook in your nose And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back by the way that you came.
CSB
Because your raging against me and your arrogance have reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth; I will make you go back the way you came.
NLT
And because of your raging against me and your arrogance, which I have heard for myself, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. I will make you return by the same road on which you came.'
KJV
Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
NKJV
Because your rage against Me and your tumult Have come up to My ears, Therefore I will put My hook in your nose And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back By the way which you came.” ’
What does Isaiah 37:29 mean?
This poem and prophecy (Isaiah 37:21–22) has been delivered from the Lord through Isaiah. God encourages Hezekiah and the remnant of survivors in Jerusalem. The oracle itself, though, is directed at Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrian Empire who plans to lay siege to Jerusalem and destroy it (Isaiah 36:11–15). So far, the Lord has told Sennacherib one of the most painful things an arrogant man can hear: you have accomplished nothing. Assyria's reign of destruction has all been enabled by God's own (Isaiah 37:26–28). He used Assyria's war machine to judge nations, and He can stop Sennacherib whenever He wants to. Now, He will do exactly that.The time has come for this judgment because Sennacherib has raged against the Lord. Those insolent words have not gone unnoticed (Matthew 12:36). The Lord was fine with Sennacherib sneering at false gods and idols of the nations he defeated. But when Sennacherib began to insult the God of Judah, his days were numbered.
To prove Sennacherib is truly under His control, the Lord will take him away from Jerusalem like a common animal being led by the nose. God will steer the king like a beast, directing him back the way he had come. He will reduce the glory of Assyria (Isaiah 8:7) to that of livestock doing what it's told. Sennacherib will soon experience drastic defeat (Isaiah 37:36–38) before returning home to Nineveh where he will be killed by his own sons.
