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Selected Verse: Isaiah 37:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 37:1	Strong Concordance	And it came to pass, when king [04428] Hezekiah [02396] heard [08085] it, that he rent [07167] his clothes [0899], and covered [03680] himself with sackcloth [08242], and went [0935] into the house [01004] of the LORD [03068].
	King James	And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
CONTINUATION OF THE NARRATIVE IN THE THIRTY-SIXTH CHAPTER. (Isa. 37:1-38) sackcloth--(See on Isa 20:2). house of the Lord--the sure resort of God's people in distress (Psa 73:16-17; Psa 77:13).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

CONTINUATION OF THE NARRATIVE IN THE THIRTY-SIXTH CHAPTER. (Isa. 37:1-38)

sackcloth--(See on Isa 20:2).

house of the Lord--the sure resort of God's people in distress (Psa 73:16-17; Psa 77:13).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
When king Hezekiah heard it - Heard the account of the words of Rabshakeh Isa 36:22. That he rent his clothes - (See the note at Isa 36:22). He covered himself with sackcloth - (See the note at Isa 3:24). And went into the house of the Lord - Went up to the temple to spread out the case before Yahweh Isa 37:14. This was in accordance with the usual habit of Hezekiah; and it teaches us that when we are environed with difficulties or danger and when the name of our God is blasphemed, we should go and spread out our feelings before God, and seek his aid.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The king and the deputation apply to Isaiah. "And it came to pass, when king Hizkiyahu had heard, he rent his clothes, and wrapped himself in mourning linen, and went into the house of Jehovah. And sent Eliakim the house-minister, and Shebna (K. omits את) the chancellor, and the eldest of the priests, wrapped in mourning linen, to Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet (K. has what is inadmissible: the prophet son of Amoz). And they said to him, Thus saith Hizkiyahu, A day of affliction, and punishment, and blasphemy is this day; for children are come to the matrix, and there is no strength to bring them forth. Perhaps Jehovah thy God will hear the words (K. all the words) of Rabshakeh, with which the king of Asshur his lord has sent him to revile the living God; and Jehovah thy God will punish for the words which He hath heard, and thou wilt make intercession for the remnant that still exists." The distinguished embassy is a proof of the distinction of the prophet himself (Knobel). The character of the deputation accorded with its object, which was to obtain a consolatory word for the king and people. In the form of the instructions we recognise again the flowing style of Isaiah. תּוכחה, as a synonym of מוּסר, נקם, is used as in Hos 5:9; נאצה (from the kal נאץ) according to Isa 1:4; Isa 5:24; Isa 52:5, like נאצה (from the piel נאץ), Neh 9:18, Neh 9:26 (reviling, i.e., reviling of God, or blasphemy). The figure of there not being sufficient strength to bring forth the child, is the same as in Isa 66:9. משׁבּר (from שׁבר, syn. פּרץ, Gen 38:29) does not signify the actual birth (Luzzatto, punto di dover nascere), nor the delivering-stool (Targum), like mashbēr shel-chayyâh, the delivering-stool of the midwife (Kelim xxiii. 4); but as the subject is the children, and not the mother, the matrix or mouth of the womb, as in Hos 13:13, "He (Ephraim) is an unwise child; when it is time does he not stop in the children's passage" (mashbēr bânı̄m), i.e., the point which a child must pass, not only with its head, but also with its shoulders and its whole body, for which the force of the pains is often not sufficient? The existing condition of the state resembled such unpromising birth-pains, which threatened both the mother and the fruit of the womb with death, because the matrix would not open to give birth to the child. לדה like דּעה in Isa 11:9. The timid inquiry, which hardly dared to hope, commences with 'ūlai. The following future is continued in perfects, the force of which is determined by it: "and He (namely Jehovah, the Targum and Syriac) will punish for the words," or, as we point it, "there will punish for the words which He hath heard, Jehovah thy God (hōkhı̄ach, referring to a judicial decision, as in a general sense in Isa 2:4 and Isa 11:4); and thou wilt lift up prayer" (i.e., begin to offer it, Isa 14:4). "He will hear," namely as judge and deliverer; "He hath heard," namely as the omnipresent One. The expression, "to revile the living God" (lechârēph 'Elōhı̄m chai), sounds like a comparison of Rabshakeh to Goliath (Sa1 17:26, Sa1 17:36). The "existing remnant" was Jerusalem, which was not yet in the enemy's hand (compare Isa 1:8-9). The deliverance of the remnant is a key-note of Isaiah's prophecies. But the prophecy would not be fulfilled, until the grace which fulfilled it had been met by repentance and faith. Hence Hezekiah's weak faith sues for the intercession of the prophet, whose personal relation to God is here set forth as a closer one than that of the king and priests.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The king and the deputation apply to Isaiah. "And it came to pass, when king Hizkiyahu had heard, he rent his clothes, and wrapped himself in mourning linen, and went into the house of Jehovah. And sent Eliakim the house-minister, and Shebna (K. omits את) the chancellor, and the eldest of the priests, wrapped in mourning linen, to Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet (K. has what is inadmissible: the prophet son of Amoz). And they said to him, Thus saith Hizkiyahu, A day of affliction, and punishment, and blasphemy is this day; for children are come to the matrix, and there is no strength to bring them forth. Perhaps Jehovah thy God will hear the words (K. all the words) of Rabshakeh, with which the king of Asshur his lord has sent him to revile the living God; and Jehovah thy God will punish for the words which He hath heard, and thou wilt make intercession for the remnant that still exists." The distinguished embassy is a proof of the distinction of the prophet himself (Knobel). The character of the deputation accorded with its object, which was to obtain a consolatory word for the king and people. In the form of the instructions we recognise again the flowing style of Isaiah. תּוכחה, as a synonym of מוּסר, נקם, is used as in Hos 5:9; נאצה (from the kal נאץ) according to Isa 1:4; Isa 5:24; Isa 52:5, like נאצה (from the piel נאץ), Neh 9:18, Neh 9:26 (reviling, i.e., reviling of God, or blasphemy). The figure of there not being sufficient strength to bring forth the child, is the same as in Isa 66:9. משׁבּר (from שׁבר, syn. פּרץ, Gen 38:29) does not signify the actual birth (Luzzatto, punto di dover nascere), nor the delivering-stool (Targum), like mashbēr shel-chayyâh, the delivering-stool of the midwife (Kelim xxiii. 4); but as the subject is the children, and not the mother, the matrix or mouth of the womb, as in Hos 13:13, "He (Ephraim) is an unwise child; when it is time does he not stop in the children's passage" (mashbēr bânı̄m), i.e., the point which a child must pass, not only with its head, but also with its shoulders and its whole body, for which the force of the pains is often not sufficient? The existing condition of the state resembled such unpromising birth-pains, which threatened both the mother and the fruit of the womb with death, because the matrix would not open to give birth to the child. לדה like דּעה in Isa 11:9. The timid inquiry, which hardly dared to hope, commences with 'ūlai. The following future is continued in perfects, the force of which is determined by it: "and He (namely Jehovah, the Targum and Syriac) will punish for the words," or, as we point it, "there will punish for the words which He hath heard, Jehovah thy God (hōkhı̄ach, referring to a judicial decision, as in a general sense in Isa 2:4 and Isa 11:4); and thou wilt lift up prayer" (i.e., begin to offer it, Isa 14:4). "He will hear," namely as judge and deliverer; "He hath heard," namely as the omnipresent One. The expression, "to revile the living God" (lechârēph 'Elōhı̄m chai), sounds like a comparison of Rabshakeh to Goliath (Sa1 17:26, Sa1 17:36). The "existing remnant" was Jerusalem, which was not yet in the enemy's hand (compare Isa 1:8-9). The deliverance of the remnant is a key-note of Isaiah's prophecies. But the prophecy would not be fulfilled, until the grace which fulfilled it had been met by repentance and faith. Hence Hezekiah's weak faith sues for the intercession of the prophet, whose personal relation to God is here set forth as a closer one than that of the king and priests.

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¹³ Thy way [01870], O God [0430], is in the sanctuary [06944]: who is so great [01419] a God [0410] as our God [0430]?

¹⁶ When I thought [02803] to know [03045] this, it was too painful [05999] for me [05869];
¹⁷ Until I went [0935] into the sanctuary [04720] of God [0410]; then understood [0995] I their end [0319].

² At the same time [06256] spake [01696] the LORD [03068] by [03027] Isaiah [03470] the son [01121] of Amoz [0531], saying [0559], Go [03212] and loose [06605] the sackcloth [08242] from off thy loins [04975], and put off [02502] thy shoe [05275] from thy foot [07272]. And he did so [06213], walking [01980] naked [06174] and barefoot [03182].

¹⁴ And Hezekiah [02396] received [03947] the letter [05612] from the hand [03027] of the messengers [04397], and read [07121] it: and Hezekiah [02396] went up [05927] unto the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], and spread [06566] it before [06440] the LORD [03068].

²⁴ And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell [01314] there shall be stink [04716]; and instead of a girdle [02290] a rent [05364]; and instead of well set [04639] hair [04748] baldness [07144]; and instead of a stomacher [06614] a girding [04228] of sackcloth [08242]; and burning [03587] instead of beauty [03308].

²² Then came [0935] Eliakim [0471], the son [01121] of Hilkiah [02518], that was over the household [01004], and Shebna [07644] the scribe [05608], and Joah [03098], the son [01121] of Asaph [0623], the recorder [02142], to Hezekiah [02396] with their clothes [0899] rent [07167], and told [05046] him the words [01697] of Rabshakeh [07262].

⁸ And the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726] is left [03498] as a cottage [05521] in a vineyard [03754], as a lodge [04412] in a garden of cucumbers [04750], as a besieged [05341] city [05892].
⁹ Except [03884] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] had left [03498] unto us a very small [04592] remnant [08300], we should have been [01961] as Sodom [05467], and we should have been like [01819] unto Gomorrah [06017].

³⁶ Thy servant [05650] slew [05221] both the lion [0738] and the bear [01677]: and this uncircumcised [06189] Philistine [06430] shall be as one [0259] of them, seeing he hath defied [02778] the armies [04634] of the living [02416] God [0430].

²⁶ And David [01732] spake [0559] to the men [0582] that stood [05975] by him, saying [0559], What shall be done [06213] to the man [0376] that killeth [05221] this [01975] Philistine [06430], and taketh away [05493] the reproach [02781] from Israel [03478]? for who is this uncircumcised [06189] Philistine [06430], that he should defy [02778] the armies [04634] of the living [02416] God [0430]?

⁴ That thou shalt take up [05375] this proverb [04912] against the king [04428] of Babylon [0894], and say [0559], How hath the oppressor [05065] ceased [07673] ! the golden city [04062] ceased [07673] !

⁴ But with righteousness [06664] shall he judge [08199] the poor [01800], and reprove [03198] with equity [04334] for the meek [06035] of the earth [0776]: and he shall smite [05221] the earth [0776] with the rod [07626] of his mouth [06310], and with the breath [07307] of his lips [08193] shall he slay [04191] the wicked [07563].

⁴ And he shall judge [08199] among the nations [01471], and shall rebuke [03198] many [07227] people [05971]: and they shall beat [03807] their swords [02719] into plowshares [0855], and their spears [02595] into pruninghooks [04211]: nation [01471] shall not lift up [05375] sword [02719] against nation [01471], neither shall they learn [03925] war [04421] any more.

⁹ They shall not hurt [07489] nor destroy [07843] in all my holy [06944] mountain [02022]: for the earth [0776] shall be full [04390] of the knowledge [01844] of the LORD [03068], as the waters [04325] cover [03680] the sea [03220].

¹³ The sorrows [02256] of a travailing woman [03205] shall come [0935] upon him: he is an unwise [02450] son [01121]; for he should not stay [05975] long [06256] in the place of the breaking forth [04866] of children [01121].

²⁹ And it came to pass, as he drew back [07725] his hand [03027], that, behold, his brother [0251] came out [03318]: and she said [0559], How hast thou broken forth [06555]? this breach [06556] be upon thee: therefore his name [08034] was called [07121] Pharez [06557].

⁹ Shall I bring to the birth [07665], and not cause to bring forth [03205]? saith [0559] the LORD [03068]: shall I [0589] cause to bring forth [03205], and shut [06113] the womb? saith [0559] thy God [0430].

²⁶ Nevertheless they were disobedient [04784], and rebelled [04775] against thee, and cast [07993] thy law [08451] behind [0310] their backs [01458], and slew [02026] thy prophets [05030] which testified [05749] against them to turn [07725] them to thee, and they wrought [06213] great [01419] provocations [05007].

¹⁸ Yea, when they had made [06213] them a molten [04541] calf [05695], and said [0559], This is thy God [0430] that brought thee up [05927] out of Egypt [04714], and had wrought [06213] great [01419] provocations [05007];

⁵ Now therefore, what have I here, saith [05002] the LORD [03068], that my people [05971] is taken away [03947] for nought [02600]? they that rule [04910] over them make them to howl [03213], saith [05002] the LORD [03068]; and my name [08034] continually [08548] every day [03117] is blasphemed [05006].

²⁴ Therefore as the fire [0784] devoureth [0398] the stubble [07179], and the flame [03956] [03852] consumeth [07503] the chaff [02842], so their root [08328] shall be as rottenness [04716], and their blossom [06525] shall go up [05927] as dust [080]: because they have cast away [03988] the law [08451] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], and despised [05006] the word [0565] of the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478].

⁴ Ah [01945] sinful [02398] nation [01471], a people [05971] laden [03515] with iniquity [05771], a seed [02233] of evildoers [07489], children [01121] that are corrupters [07843]: they have forsaken [05800] [0853] the LORD [03068], they have provoked [05006] [0853] the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478] unto anger [05006], they are gone away [02114] backward [0268].

⁹ Ephraim [0669] shall be desolate [08047] in the day [03117] of rebuke [08433]: among the tribes [07626] of Israel [03478] have I made known [03045] that which shall surely be [0539].