Isaiah 37:4
ESV
It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’"
NIV
It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives."
NASB
Perhaps the Lord your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to taunt the living God, and will avenge the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that is left.’?'
CSB
Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all the words of the royal spokesman, whom his master the king of Assyria sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke him for the words that the Lord your God has heard. Therefore offer a prayer for the surviving remnant.’"
NLT
But perhaps the Lord your God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff, sent by the king to defy the living God, and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!'
KJV
It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.
NKJV
It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’ ”
What does Isaiah 37:4 mean?
Hezekiah has sent a delegation to make a humble request of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 37:1–3). He is responding to open mockery of Hezekiah and the Lord by the messenger of Sennacherib (Isaiah 36:12–13). Hezekiah has described this as a day of fear and humiliation.The heart of Hezekiah's message to Isaiah is that the king of Assyria has openly mocked the living God of Israel. Perhaps God will take offense at those rebuking, disgraceful words from the king's messenger and take action to defend Himself. The king has already admitted that he and Judah are powerless to take any action to defend the honor of their God.
In saying this, the king reveals that the tearing of his clothes and the wearing of sackcloth was not just a sign of mourning for Jerusalem's near-certain destruction. It was also a sign of grief at the offense to Israel's great God. Hezekiah seems to find some genuine hope in this. Maybe the Lord will act now to defend His own honor in a display of His power.
Hezekiah asks Isaiah to pray to the Lord for the remnant of Israel that remains within the walls of Jerusalem.
