Isaiah 37:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands,

NIV: "It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.

NASB: Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the countries and their lands,

CSB: Lord, it is true that the kings of Assyria have devastated all these countries and their lands.

NLT: It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations.

KJV: Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries,

NKJV: Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands,

Hezekiah, king of Judah, is presenting a solemn request to the Lord God of Israel at the temple in Jerusalem (Isaiah 37:14). He has spread out before the Lord a letter from Sennacherib, king of Assyria (Isaiah 37:8–13). In that letter, Sennacherib has counseled Hezekiah not to trust the Lord to save Judah. Sennacherib points to the vast number of peoples and places the Assyrians have conquered despite the gods those people trusted to save them.

However, Hezekiah acknowledges that Sennacherib is not wrong. The kings of Assyria, stretching back several generations, have in fact conquered a wide territory. With their well-ordered and ruthless war machine, they have defeated every nation they have challenged. Even those who have dared to rebel and challenge Assyria's rule have been beaten down. None of the deities claimed by the conquered people had ever stopped the Assyrian war machine. Sennacherib was not lying about that.

But Sennacherib fails to see the distinction between the idols of conquered nations and the One True God of Israel (Isaiah 37:19–20).

Isaiah 37:14–20 records Hezekiah's perfect response to recent Assyrian threats (Isaiah 37:10). With no other options, Judah's King Hezekiah falls entirely on God's mercy in prayer and humility. He asks the Lord to respond to King Sennacherib's blasphemy. Hezekiah begs the Lord to save Judah from the Assyrians so that the entire world will see that Israel's God is the only true Lord.

Hezekiah is overcome with grief at news that Sennacherib has mocked the Lord and is coming to destroy Jerusalem. God reassures Hezekiah that the Asyrian king will return home to be killed there. Hezekiah prays in the temple, asking the Lord to defend His name and save Judah. Through Isaiah, the Lord reveals to Hezekiah that Jerusalem will not be touched. Assyria's army won't even have the chance to attack. Responding to their aggression and blasphemy, the "angel of the Lord" virtually wipes out the gigantic Assyrian army overnight. Sennacherib returns home and is later killed by his sons.

Isaiah 37 continues the narrative started in Isaiah 36. Assyrian messengers threaten to bring their enormous, nearby army to take Jerusalem. Hezekiah seeks God in response and is reassured that Jerusalem will not see so much as a single Assyrian arrow. The Lord promises to save the city and make the survivors prosper. The angel of the Lord kills an overwhelming number of Assyrian soldiers overnight. Sennacherib returns home and is eventually killed by his own sons. Hezekiah will then face a serious illness and be granted a brief reprieve by God (Isaiah 38).

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 5/30/2026 2:34:12 PM