Isaiah 37:15-20 · Bible study
Isaiah 37:15-20 Commentary: Hezekiah's Prayer
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Hezekiah's prayer in Isaiah 37:15-20 shows how to face blasphemy by appealing to God's sovereignty, creation, and covenant honor.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Hezekiah’s appeal to God as the only true God and Creator in response to blasphemy is a model of faithful prayer.
- Key words: “enthroned on the cherubim” (v.16), God’s presence in the temple; “living God” (v.17), contrast with idols; “that all kingdoms may know” (v.20), missional purpose.
- Main debate: Whether the variant in v.18 (“lands” vs. “nations”) significantly changes the sense; most agree it does not affect the theology.
- Theological theme: God’s exclusive sovereignty as Creator and the vindication of his name through answering prayer.
- Best use: As a biblical template for intercessory prayer when facing threats that challenge God’s honor.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
15And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD:
16“O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.
17Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to all the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.
18Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all these countries and their lands.
19They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.
20And now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
15Hezekiah prayed to Yahweh, saying,
16“Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, who is enthroned among the cherubim, you are the God, even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.
17Turn your ear, Yahweh, and hear. Open your eyes, Yahweh, and behold. Hear all of the words of Sennacherib, who has sent to defy the living God.
18Truly, Yahweh, the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the countries and their land,
19and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them.
20Now therefore, Yahweh our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are Yahweh, even you only.”
KJV King James Version 1769
15And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying,
16O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
17Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.
18Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries,
19And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
20Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
15And Hezekiah prayed unto Jehovah, saying,
16O Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, that sittest above the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
17Incline thine ear, O Jehovah, and hear; open thine eyes, O Jehovah, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, who hath sent to defy the living God.
18Of a truth, Jehovah, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the countries, and their land,
19and have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them.
20Now therefore, O Jehovah our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art Jehovah, even thou only.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
15And Hezekiah prayeth unto Jehovah, saying,
16`Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, inhabiting the cherubs, Thou art God Himself--Thyself alone--to all kingdoms of the earth, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth.
17Incline, O Jehovah, Thine ear, and hear; open, O Jehovah, Thine eyes and see; and hear Thou all the words of Sennacherib that he hath sent to reproach the living God.
18`Truly, O Jehovah, kings of Asshur have laid waste all the lands and their land,
19so as to put their gods into fire--for they are no gods, but work of the hands of man, wood and stone--and they destroy them.
20And now, Jehovah our God, save us from his hand, and all kingdoms of the earth do know that Thou art Jehovah, Thyself alone.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
15And Hezekiah prayed to Jehovah, saying,
16Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, who sittest [between] the cherubim, thou, the Same, thou alone art the God of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made the heavens and the earth.
17Incline thine ear, O Jehovah, and hear; open, Jehovah, thine eyes, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, who hath sent to reproach the living God.
18Of a truth, Jehovah, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the lands, and their countries,
19and have cast theirgods into the fire; for they were nogods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; and they have destroyed them.
20And now, Jehovah our God, save us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art Jehovah, thou only.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
15And Ezechias prayed to the Lord, saying:
16Lord of hosts, God of Israel who sitteth upon the cherubims, thou alone art the God of all the kingdoms of the earth, thou hast made heaven and earth.
17Incline, O Lord, thy ear, and hear: open, O Lord, thy eyes, and see, and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he hath sent to blaspheme the living God.
18For of a truth, O Lord, the kings of the Assyrians have laid waste lands, and their countries.
19And they have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the works of men's hands, of wood and stone: and they broke them in pieces.
20And now, O Lord our God, save us out of his hand: and let all the kingdoms of the earth know, that thou only art the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 37:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Hezekiah’s prayer in this passage is the proper response to Sennacherib’s blasphemy. Gill notes that Hezekiah did not return insult for insult but committed his cause to the One who judges rightly. Calvin says he defends himself by the “rampart” of God’s infinite power, and that the prayer’s intense language shows the king’s struggle to escape temptation. Hezekiah invokes Yahweh as “enthroned on the cherubim”, the Shekinah symbol in the temple, and as the Creator of heaven and earth. He concedes Assyria’s military successes (v.18) but insists their idols are only wood and stone (v.19). The prayer’s climax is the desire that the world may know that Yahweh alone is God. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that this was not a routine prayer but an “act of prayer” begun when Hezekiah spread the letter before Yahweh. Together the commentators see this as a model of faith: Hezekiah turns to God not as a last resort but as the first and only real appeal.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Covenantal vindication: Hezekiah expects God to defend Jerusalem because of his promise to David (2 Samuel 7) and because the blasphemy directly attacks God’s name.
- General model of prayer: The passage is often lifted as a pattern for any crisis—appeal to God’s identity, confess the facts, and ask for his glory to be shown.
- Textual priority of 2 Kings: Some (Clarke, Lange) argue the 2 Kings parallel has the original reading; this affects the precision but not the purpose of the prayer.
What is clear: Hezekiah’s turning to God in prayer when faced with blasphemy is the central point, and this is not in dispute across traditions.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Prayer as response to blasphemy | Hezekiah's prayer is the right response, he goes to God rather than fighting or despairing. | Some traditions see this as a pattern for all crises; others note the specific covenant context (God promised to defend Jerusalem) that may not apply directly today. |
| Meaning of 'enthroned on the cherubim' | It refers to the ark of the covenant in the temple, where God's presence dwelled. | Evangelical and Reformed traditions emphasize the Shekinah; Orthodox and Catholic readings connect it to the heavenly liturgy and the continual intercession of Christ. |
| Textual variant in v.18 | The verse concedes the truth of Assyrian conquests. | The Hebrew reads 'all the lands' (ארצות); 2 Kings 19:17 reads 'all the nations' (גוים). Clarke and Lange argue the Kings reading is more original, but the overall meaning is unchanged. |
| Motivation for deliverance | Hezekiah desires God's reputation to be known among the nations. | Calvin and Barnes say the primary motive is the honor of God; Matthew Henry adds that personal deliverance is a legitimate secondary concern when it serves God's glory. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The scene is Jerusalem under siege, 701 BC. Sennacherib king of Assyria has conquered every fortified city of Judah and now demands Jerusalem’s surrender. His envoy, Rabshakeh, taunts Hezekiah and the people in their own language, mocking trust in Yahweh (Isaiah 36). Hezekiah receives a threatening letter and “went up to Yahweh’s house, and spread it before Yahweh” (v.14). This action, as Keil and Delitzsch note, is a prayer without words, a physical act of laying the threat before God.
The prayer’s opening title, “Yahweh of Hosts, enthroned on the cherubim,” recalls the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place. The cherubim were golden figures on the mercy seat, where God’s presence dwelt (Exodus 25:22). Hezekiah goes to the temple because that is where God promised to meet his people. He also calls Yahweh “the living God” (v.17), contrasting him with the dead idols of the nations.
Barnes explains that Assyria’s policy was to destroy the gods of conquered peoples, rooting out their national identity. But Hezekiah knows that Yahweh is not a local deity like those idols; he is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. The prayer thus moves from the immediate threat to the universal kingship of God. The Cambridge Bible notes a striking parallel in an Egyptian account of Sennacherib’s campaign, where King Sethos also prays in the temple before the goddess Isis. The shared pattern shows how ancient peoples turned to the divine when human resources failed.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note two minor variants. First, in v.18 the Hebrew of Isaiah reads “all the lands” (הָאֲרָצוֹת), while the parallel text in 2 Kings 19:17 reads “all the nations” (הַגּוֹיִם). Clarke and Lange favor the Kings reading as more logical, since Assyria destroyed lands and their people, not lands and their own land. Second, in v.20 some Hebrew manuscripts (including those cited by Kennicott and de Rossi) add the particle נָא (“pray” or “please”), which appears in 2 Kings 19:19. Neither variant changes the theology of the passage. The essential meaning remains clear in all versions.
Reception History
This prayer has been read through the ages as a model of faithful intercession. The early church saw in Hezekiah’s laying of the letter before God a type of bringing our needs to Christ, our High Priest. Jewish tradition treasures it as a classic example of hitpallelut, prayer that involves the whole self. During the Reformation, Calvin and others used the passage to illustrate that true prayer is grounded in God’s character and promises, not in human desperation. In modern times, it has been a source of hope for believers facing persecution, reminding them that the living God still rules over the kingdoms of the earth. Commentators across denominational lines, Wesleyan, Anglican, Reformed, Baptist, have each found in Hezekiah’s words a pattern for prayer that honors God first and trusts him for the outcome.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Right Setting, Hezekiah goes to the temple, not to the war room. He spreads the letter before God, acknowledging that the real battle is spiritual.
- The Right Arguments, He appeals to God’s identity: Creator (v.16), covenant God (v.16), and “living God” (v.17). He contrasts him with idols made by human hands (v.19). These are not flattery but grounds for confidence.
- The Right Goal, He prays for deliverance so that “all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are Yahweh, even you only” (v.20). His final concern is God’s glory, not his own safety.
Five-point outline
- Prayer as first response, not last resort (v.15).
- Invoking God’s presence: the One enthroned on the cherubim (v.16).
- Laying the accusation before God (v.17, “Open your eyes and see”).
- Honest concession: Assyria has destroyed many nations (v.18-19).
- Pleading for covenant honor: “that all kingdoms may know” (v.20).
Illustration hooks
- A student who has failed a class receives the letter from the professor and, instead of hiding it, takes it to the teacher’s office and says, “Here’s what’s true; I need you to act.”
- A parent receives a letter from a bully directed at their child, and they take the letter to the principal, not to fight the bully themselves.
- An employee gets an accusation from a hostile coworker; rather than reply in kind, they lay the matter before their supervisor, trusting the supervisor to judge fairly.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What do I do when God’s reputation is being mocked in public?
- How can I pray when I feel completely helpless and the enemy seems stronger?
- If God already knows the situation, why do I still need to spread the “letter” before him?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us what genuine prayer looks like when we face an overwhelming threat. Hezekiah does not whine or bargain; he simply lays the whole situation before God and appeals to who God is. As you discuss, notice how the prayer moves from God’s identity to the specific crisis to a missional goal. Ask yourselves: where do we tend to go first when attacked, to strategy, to worry, or to prayer?
Discussion questions
- What does Hezekiah do with Sennacherib’s letter? Why is that act significant? (v.14, context)
- Which titles for God does Hezekiah use, and why is each important? (v.16)
- Hezekiah asks God to “incline your ear” and “open your eyes.” Is he suggesting God was not paying attention? What is he really asking for?
- Why does Hezekiah admit that Assyria destroyed other nations (v.18)? How does that admission help his prayer?
- What is the difference between the gods of the nations and Yahweh, according to verses 19-20?
- How does the prayer’s final goal, that all kingdoms know Yahweh, change how you think about your own urgent requests?
- In what situation do you need to “spread the letter” before God this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 7:8 | The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.” |
| I Samuel 7:9 | Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him. |
| II Samuel 7:18 | Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh; and he said, “Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far? |
| II Samuel 7:29 | Now therefore, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing.” |
| II Kings 19:15 | Hezekiah prayed before Yahweh, and said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. |
| II Kings 19:19 | Now therefore, Yahweh our God, save us, I beg you, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Yahweh, are God alone.” |
| II Chronicles 14:11 | Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.” |
| II Chronicles 20:6 | and he said, “Yahweh, the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven? Aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, so that no one is able to withstand you. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that Hezekiah's main concern in prayer was not his own safety but vindicating God's honor. The Assyrians had destroyed all other nations and their powerless idols. Hezekiah saw this as the moment for Yahweh to prove He alone is the true God by defeating Sennacherib, making His power known to every kingdom.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights that Hezekiah grounds his prayer not in general trust but in a precise claim: God alone holds absolute authority over every kingdom. This deliberate assertion of God’s exclusive sovereignty, over against all false gods, is what steadies the king’s faith and forms the core of his plea.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary notes that Hezekiah's prayer opens by addressing Jehovah as God of Israel and then as the only true God and Creator. It observes that the sole divinity of Jehovah is presented here as a theological consequence of creation, an idea that becomes central in later chapters. This grounds God's uniqueness in his role as Maker of
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Hezekiah does not answer Sennacherib's blasphemous letter himself. Instead, he spreads the letter before God in prayer, appealing to God as Lord of hosts, God of Israel, and dweller between the cherubim. Hezekiah argues that Assyria could destroy powerless idols, but only the living God can save his people.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB traces the cherubim through three dispensations, seeing them not as angels but as symbols of those who study and proclaim God's wisdom. He connects God's dwelling between the cherubim to the Shekinah, the fiery symbol of His presence, emphasizing that Jehovah alone is God over all kingdoms, unlike the powerless idols Sennacherib destroyed.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch defend Hezekiah's act of spreading Sennacherib's letter before the Lord as genuine prayer, not a naive ritual. They call it wordless prayer, a meaningful act that then moved into spoken words. This counters critics who dismissed it as a superstitious gesture.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that Hezekiah’s prayer directly counters the pagan view that each land has its own god. By asserting that Jehovah alone is God over all nations because he made heaven and earth, Hezekiah argues that Assyria’s victories over false gods provide no reason to think they can defeat the living God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Hezekiah's quiet faith in God's promise gave him strength to endure Sennacherib's taunts without answering back. When God grants inward assurance based on His word, a believer can bear reproaches silently, trusting the Lord to handle the defense.