Isaiah 37:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena, or the king of Ivvah?’"

NIV: Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?"

NASB: Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and of Hena and Ivvah?’?'

CSB: Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, or Ivvah?’"

NLT: What happened to the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?'

KJV: Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?

NKJV: Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?’ ”

The tone of Sennacherib's letter to Hezekiah has been more respectful than the message (Isaiah 36:11–15) delivered in person by Sennacherib's representative (Isaiah 36:1–3). The letter has been posed almost as if Sennacherib is offering some sage advice from one king to another: Don't let your God deceive you into thinking He can protect you and your city and your people from me.

From a human perspective, Sennacherib's case is compelling and presented with generations of evidence. All peoples in all nations have gods they worship. All hoped their gods would save them from the kings of Assyria who had come before Sennacherib. All those nations had been conquered, defeated, destroyed, and exiled.

The only way Sennacherib's argument could be flawed was if Judah's God were different from all those others. If Judah's God was truly limitless in power and willing to use that power to save His people, then Sennacherib could be wrong. Otherwise, he urged Hezekiah to understand that the evidence pointed to Hezekiah just becoming the next example of a failed king who trusted in a weak or worthless God.

Sennacherib ends the letter by making it personal for Hezekiah. He refers to the defeat of other local kings, such as Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? The message is clear: You're next.

Hamath was in modern-day Syria, far north of Damascus, and Sennacherib's father Sargon II had re-conquered the city after the king and his people dared to rebel against Assyria. Arpad was located further north of Hamath, but the location of Sepharvaim is unknown to current scholars, as are those of Hena and Ivvah. Hezekiah, though, undoubtedly knew their tragic stories and caught the full meaning of Sennacherib's warning.

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).