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21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Yahweh, the God of Israel says, ‘Because you have prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, 22 this is the word which Yahweh has spoken concerning him. The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you. 23 Whom have you defied and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel. 24 By your servants, you have defied the Lord, and have said, “With the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon. I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees. I will enter into its farthest height, the forest of its fruitful field. 25 I have dug and drunk water, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt.”

26 “‘Have you not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it in ancient times? Now I have brought it to pass, that it should be yours to destroy fortified cities, turning them into ruinous heaps. 27 Therefore their inhabitants had little power. They were dismayed and confounded. They were like the grass of the field, and like the green herb, like the grass on the housetops, and like a field before its crop has grown. 28 But I know your sitting down, your going out, your coming in, and your raging against me. 29 Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance has come up into my ears, therefore I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way by which you came.

30 “‘This shall be the sign to you. You will eat this year that which grows of itself, and in the second year that which springs from it; and in the third year sow and reap and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. 31 The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah will again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. 32 For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go out, and survivors will escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.’

33 “Therefore Yahweh says concerning the king of Assyria, ‘He will not come to this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither will he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it. 34 He will return the way that he came, and he won’t come to this city,’ says Yahweh. 35 ‘For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.’”

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God Answers through Isaiah

21 Then (A)Isaiah the son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah, saying, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, 22 this is the word that the Lord has spoken against him:

“She has shown contempt for you and derided you,
The (B)virgin (C)daughter of Zion;
The daughter of Jerusalem has (D)shaken her head behind you!
23 Whom have you (E)taunted and blasphemed?
And against whom have you raised your voice
And [a]haughtily (F)raised your eyes?
Against the (G)Holy One of Israel!
24 Through your servants you have taunted the Lord,
And you have said, ‘With my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains,
To the remotest parts of (H)Lebanon;
And I cut down its tall (I)cedars and its choice junipers.
And I will come to its [b]highest peak, its thickest (J)forest.
25 I dug wells and drank waters,
And (K)with the sole of my feet I dried up
All the canals of [c]Egypt.’
26 (L)Have you not heard?
Long ago I did it,
From ancient times I (M)planned it.
Now (N)I have brought it about
That (O)you would turn fortified cities into (P)ruined heaps.
27 Therefore their inhabitants were [d]powerless,
They were shattered and put to shame;
They were like the (Q)vegetation of the field and the green grass,
Like (R)grass on the housetops [e]that is scorched before it has grown.
28 But I (S)know your sitting down,
Your going out, your coming in,
And your raging against Me.
29 Because of your raging against Me
And because your (T)complacency has come up to My ears,
I will put My (U)hook in your nose
And My (V)bridle in your lips,
And I will turn you back (W)by the way that you came.

30 “Then this shall be the sign for you: [f]you will eat this year what (X)grows of itself, in the second year what grows from the same, and in the third year sow, harvest, plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. 31 The (Y)survivors that are (Z)left of the house of Judah will again (AA)take root downward and bear fruit upward. 32 For out of Jerusalem a (AB)remnant will go, and out of Mount Zion survivors. The (AC)zeal of the Lord of armies will perform this.”’

33 “Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: ‘He will not come to this city nor shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield, nor heap up an (AD)assault ramp against it. 34 (AE)By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he will not come to this city,’ declares the Lord. 35 ‘For I will (AF)protect this city to save it (AG)for My own sake, and for My servant David’s sake.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 37:23 Lit on high
  2. Isaiah 37:24 Lit farthest height
  3. Isaiah 37:25 Or the besieged place
  4. Isaiah 37:27 Lit short of hand
  5. Isaiah 37:27 As in DSS and 2 Kin 19:26; MT and as a terraced field
  6. Isaiah 37:30 Lit eating