Isaiah 37:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

NIV: "Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’

NASB: This is what you shall say to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by saying, 'Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.'

CSB: "Say this to King Hezekiah of Judah: ‘Don’t let your God, on whom you rely, deceive you by promising that Jerusalem won’t be handed over to the king of Assyria.

NLT: 'This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria.

KJV: Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

NKJV: “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”

Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, took propaganda very seriously. This was a favorite tactic of Assyria. The nation deliberately promoted their own reputation for cruelty, viciousness, bloodthirst, and warmongering. Sennacherib knew that demoralizing an enemy was a significant step towards defeating them. He worked to remove every shred of hope that might give courage to Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem (Isaiah 36:11–15).

But now the attack on Jerusalem has been delayed by the apparent arrival of an army from Egypt (Isaiah 37:8–9). Sennacherib sends Hezekiah a letter repeating the same basic message the Rabshakeh (Isaiah 36:1–3) had delivered. However, there are some important differences.

First, Sennacherib addresses Hezekiah as the king of Judah, something his messenger had refused to do while there in person. This marginal increase in respect for Hezekiah was likely strategic, as well. It may have been intended to imply that he was reasoning with Hezekiah, one king to another, hoping they could come to an agreement about something.

But what Sennacherib wants Hezekiah to agree to is that Israel's God could not be trusted. Rather than attacking the existence of Israel's God, Sennacherib says not to be fooled into thinking Jerusalem will be spared. Some scholars suggest Sennacherib had heard about Isaiah's recent revelation that Sennacherib would be redirected and then killed (Isaiah 37:5–7). If so, he is telling Hezekiah to ignore that prophecy. He is directly assaulting Hezekiah's faith in God.

Similar attacks on faith continue to this day. They may begin with a suggestion of agreement: "Maybe God is real, but not good. Perhaps He's lying to you. Just because you believe in Him doesn't mean you have to take Him at His word. What if God is keeping you from something better?" This is the heart of the lie spoken to Eve by the serpent in the garden (Genesis 3:1–5). The consequences of believing this falsehood are always devastating. To his credit, Hezekiah doesn't take the bait.

Isaiah 37:1–13 continues the story of Assyria's threats against Jerusalem (Isaiah 36:1–3, 20). Hezekiah sends officials to ask Isaiah to pray for them. The Lord tells Hezekiah not to be afraid; He will repel Sennacherib to return home and be killed there. Distracted by rumors, Sennacherib sends a letter to Hezekiah indicating he will soon make good on his threats. After all, none of the gods of other nations saved them from the Assyrian war machine.

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).