But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
God knows Sennacherib's dwelling place and every movement in his going out and coming in against Judah and Jerusalem, and his rage against God Himself. That rage was open defiance and blasphemy against the Holy One of Israel, boasting of superior power and that no god could deliver from Assyria's hand, speaking of the God of Jerusalem as the gods of the nations made by men's hands, and seeking by insulting letters and loud threats to frighten Jerusalem into surrender. It was spoken as God's message to Hezekiah through the prophet when the Assyrian king threatened the land and sent his insulting letter, after Hezekiah's humility and prayer and before the Lord's deliverance by His angel. Though God had allowed Assyria to conquer nations, He promised to restrain and turn Sennacherib back and to defend the city for His own sake and for David's sake, so that he would not enter it nor shoot an arrow there but would return by the way he came. Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed and cried to heaven for God to vindicate His name and cause, and God answered by sending an angel who in a single night cut off the mighty men and leaders and slew 185,000, so Sennacherib returned with shame to his own land to be slain by his own offspring in the house of his god while Hezekiah and Jerusalem were saved and exalted before the nations.
Setting and Parallel Accounts
The verse belongs to God's message sent through the prophet to Hezekiah when the king of Assyria came up with a powerful army and threatened the land. It was spoken after Hezekiah humbled himself and spread the Assyrian king's insulting, taunting letter before God in prayer. Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed and cried to heaven for deliverance after the enemy had insulted God's honor and denied His power, trusting God rather than human might to vindicate His power, promises, name and cause. God knew the Assyrian king's movements and his rage against God Himself, and answered by a wonderful deliverance by His angel. That deliverance showed that human might cannot prevail against God and that His power and providence defend those who trust in Him, for the Assyrian army was struck down while besieging the city, with 185,000 dying in a single night, in twelve hours.
The chapter in which the verse stands is alike to the account in 2 Kings 19, forming a parallel to that history. The two accounts differ considerably in wording. The campaign recorded here was led by Sennacherib against Judah and came from the southwest. It is distinct from the campaign described in Isaiah 10, which came from the northeast and is attributed to Sargon.
The destruction of the Assyrian army recorded in this history did not fulfill Isaiah 30:33. The army was not near Jerusalem when the angel killed the 185,000 men, but was with the king of Assyria at Libnah. After that stroke the king returned to his own land and died there.
Divine Knowledge and Deliverance
God knew Sennacherib's dwelling place and every movement in his going out and coming in against the fortified cities of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as his rage against Himself. That rage was open defiance and blasphemy against the Holy One of Israel, boasting of superior power and claiming that no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver out of Assyria's hand. It spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth which are the work of men's hands, railed on the God of Israel in insulting letters, spoke against Him and against His servant Hezekiah, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language to affright and trouble Jerusalem into surrender by famine and thirst.
God had allowed the Assyrian king to conquer nations, yet He promised to restrain and turn him back and to defend the city to save it for His own sake and for David's sake, so that Sennacherib would not come into the city nor shoot an arrow there but would return by the way he came. Because of this continued blasphemy against God's honor, power, name and cause, Hezekiah spread the taunting insulting letter out before the Lord, and he and Isaiah prayed and cried to heaven for God to vindicate His power and promises, trusting in Him rather than human might. Though taunted with his helpless condition, Hezekiah was not alone, because God was with him and God is a majority, and God's power and providence defend those who trust in Him.
God answered by sending an angel who cut off all the mighty men of valor and the leaders and captains in the camp of Assyria while they were besieging the city, slaying 185,000 men in a single night, in twelve hours, showing the power of prayer. Sennacherib returned with shame of face to his own land and was slain with the sword by those who came forth from his own bowels in the house of his god, while Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were saved, guided on every side, and exalted in the sight of all nations. This was God's witness to Assyria when it had grown corrupt and gone far from God that He is God above all, proof that human might cannot prevail against God, written for learning, and a lesson on God's rule over kings and nations that Nebuchadnezzar knew but did not heed.
God knows Sennacherib's dwelling place and every movement in his going out and coming in against Judah and Jerusalem, and his rage against God Himself. That rage was open defiance and blasphemy against the Holy One of Israel, boasting of superior power and that no god could deliver from Assyria's hand, speaking of the God of Jerusalem as the gods of the nations made by men's hands, and seeking by insulting letters and loud threats to frighten Jerusalem into surrender. It was spoken as God's message to Hezekiah through the prophet when the Assyrian king threatened the land and sent his insulting letter, after Hezekiah's humility and prayer and before the Lord's deliverance by His angel. Though God had allowed Assyria to conquer nations, He promised to restrain and turn Sennacherib back and to defend the city for His own sake and for David's sake, so that he would not enter it nor shoot an arrow there but would return by the way he came. Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed and cried to heaven for God to vindicate His name and cause, and God answered by sending an angel who in a single night cut off the mighty men and leaders and slew 185,000, so Sennacherib returned with shame to his own land to be slain by his own offspring in the house of his god while Hezekiah and Jerusalem were saved and exalted before the nations.
Setting and Parallel Accounts
The verse belongs to God's message sent through the prophet to Hezekiah when the king of Assyria came up with a powerful army and threatened the land. It was spoken after Hezekiah humbled himself and spread the Assyrian king's insulting, taunting letter before God in prayer. Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed and cried to heaven for deliverance after the enemy had insulted God's honor and denied His power, trusting God rather than human might to vindicate His power, promises, name and cause. God knew the Assyrian king's movements and his rage against God Himself, and answered by a wonderful deliverance by His angel. That deliverance showed that human might cannot prevail against God and that His power and providence defend those who trust in Him, for the Assyrian army was struck down while besieging the city, with 185,000 dying in a single night, in twelve hours.
The chapter in which the verse stands is alike to the account in 2 Kings 19, forming a parallel to that history. The two accounts differ considerably in wording. The campaign recorded here was led by Sennacherib against Judah and came from the southwest. It is distinct from the campaign described in Isaiah 10, which came from the northeast and is attributed to Sargon.
The destruction of the Assyrian army recorded in this history did not fulfill Isaiah 30:33. The army was not near Jerusalem when the angel killed the 185,000 men, but was with the king of Assyria at Libnah. After that stroke the king returned to his own land and died there.
Divine Knowledge and Deliverance
God knew Sennacherib's dwelling place and every movement in his going out and coming in against the fortified cities of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as his rage against Himself. That rage was open defiance and blasphemy against the Holy One of Israel, boasting of superior power and claiming that no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver out of Assyria's hand. It spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth which are the work of men's hands, railed on the God of Israel in insulting letters, spoke against Him and against His servant Hezekiah, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language to affright and trouble Jerusalem into surrender by famine and thirst.
God had allowed the Assyrian king to conquer nations, yet He promised to restrain and turn him back and to defend the city to save it for His own sake and for David's sake, so that Sennacherib would not come into the city nor shoot an arrow there but would return by the way he came. Because of this continued blasphemy against God's honor, power, name and cause, Hezekiah spread the taunting insulting letter out before the Lord, and he and Isaiah prayed and cried to heaven for God to vindicate His power and promises, trusting in Him rather than human might. Though taunted with his helpless condition, Hezekiah was not alone, because God was with him and God is a majority, and God's power and providence defend those who trust in Him.
God answered by sending an angel who cut off all the mighty men of valor and the leaders and captains in the camp of Assyria while they were besieging the city, slaying 185,000 men in a single night, in twelve hours, showing the power of prayer. Sennacherib returned with shame of face to his own land and was slain with the sword by those who came forth from his own bowels in the house of his god, while Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were saved, guided on every side, and exalted in the sight of all nations. This was God's witness to Assyria when it had grown corrupt and gone far from God that He is God above all, proof that human might cannot prevail against God, written for learning, and a lesson on God's rule over kings and nations that Nebuchadnezzar knew but did not heed.