When Hezekiah heard the blasphemous threats of the Assyrian king, his immediate, instinctual reaction was not anger or fear for himself, but a profound sense of grief and reverence for God, demonstrated by his tearing of clothes and donning of sackcloth. He then, without delay, went directly into the house of the Lord, indicating that his ultimate refuge and source of hope in the face of overwhelming opposition was God Himself.
As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After his officials report the Assyrian commander's blasphemous taunts, King Hezekiah reacts with deep sorrow and humility, tearing his clothes, donning sackcloth, and immediately going to the Temple to present the crisis before the Lord. This sets the stage for Hezekiah's prayer and Isaiah's prophecy of deliverance, as the Assyrian army poses an existential threat to Jerusalem.
The enemy is at the gates, delivering a terrifying message. What does the king do first?
When Hezekiah hears the blasphemies and threats of the Assyrian commander, his immediate reaction is not to strategize or rally troops. Instead, he performs ancient signs of deep distress and turns to the Lord.
His actions highlight that in the face of overwhelming external threats, the first and most crucial step is an internal, spiritual one: acknowledging dependence on God.
Why go to the Temple? What did it represent to people like Hezekiah in ancient times?
The 'house of the Lord' in Isaiah's day was far more than just an architectural structure. It was understood as God’s dwelling place on earth, the specific location where His presence was powerfully felt and where His people could most directly approach Him.
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Understand the original words
saq · Hebrew Noun
A garment, typically made of coarse goat hair, worn as a sign of extreme mourning, repentance, or deep distress before God. It symbolized the stripping away of dignity and comfort in the presence of divine judgment or national calamity.
bayit / YHWH · Hebrew Noun/Noun
The place where God’s presence dwelt among His people in the Old Testament, representing the center of Israel’s religious, covenantal, and national life. Entering it signified seeking God’s intervention, counsel, or mercy in times of crisis.
Hezekiah's tearing of clothes and donning sackcloth is a deeply human reaction to the existential threat posed by the Assyrian army. His immediate move to the Temple reveals a faith that sought solace and intervention directly from God in the face of overwhelming political and military crisis.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian King Sargon II's invasion
Sargon II, Sennacherib's father, may have invaded Judah and captured towns, leading to events possibly referenced in earlier Isaiah chapters.
701 BC
Sennacherib's first invasion of Judah
Sennacherib captures many fortified cities in Judah. Hezekiah pays a hefty tribute to avoid Jerusalem's destruction, and a pro-Assyrian ruler is restored in Ekron.
701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's second invasion of Judah
Sennacherib, finding Hezekiah's tribute insufficient and angered by alliances, sends a large army to besiege Jerusalem, led by his commander, Rabshakeh.
701 BC
Assyrian army's sudden destruction
A catastrophic event, described as the 'angel of the LORD' striking down 185,000 soldiers overnight, forces Sennacherib to withdraw his army from Jerusalem.
701 BC
Sennacherib's return to Nineveh
Sennacherib abandons his campaign against Jerusalem and Egypt, returning to his capital, Nineveh, due to the disaster that befell his army.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's assassination
Years later, Sennacherib is assassinated by his own sons in Nineveh, fulfilling a prophecy from Isaiah.
This passage presents the identical account of Hezekiah's reaction to the Assyrian threat, emphasizing the king's immediate resort to prayer and humility before God.
Joel 1:13This verse describes priests, ministers of the Lord, wearing sackcloth as a sign of mourning and distress, mirroring Hezekiah's outward display of grief and reliance on the sanctuary.
Psalm 50:15This verse is a divine invitation to call upon God in times of trouble, directly aligning with Hezekiah's action of going into the house of the Lord to spread his distress before Him.
1 Kings 8:33Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple includes a petition for the people to pray towards the house of the Lord when they face defeat, reflecting the principle Hezekiah follows in seeking God's intervention within His dwelling.
Esther 4:3When Mordecai heard of Haman's plot, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the midst of the city to cry to God, showing a similar pattern of public display of grief and turning to prayer in the face of national disaster.
barnesIsaiah 37:1: "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."
When king Hezekiah heard it - Heard the account of the words of Rabshakeh Isaiah 36:22 . That he rent his clothes - (See the note at Isaiah 36:22). He covered himself with sackcloth - (See the note at Isaiah 3:24). And went into the house of the Lord - Went up to the temple to spread out the case before Yahweh Isaiah 37:14. This was…
cambridgeIsaiah 37:1: "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."
1 . went into the house of the Lord ] See Isaiah 37:14-15 . Cf. 1 Kings 8:33-34 .
When Hezekiah heard the blasphemous threats of the Assyrian king, his immediate, instinctual reaction was not anger or fear for himself, but a profound sense of grief and reverence for God, demonstrated by his tearing of clothes and donning of sackcloth. He then, without delay, went directly into the house of the Lord, indicating that his ultimate refuge and source of hope in the face of overwhelming opposition was God Himself.
After his officials report the Assyrian commander's blasphemous taunts, King Hezekiah reacts with deep sorrow and humility, tearing his clothes, donning sackcloth, and immediately going to the Temple to present the crisis before the Lord. This sets the stage for Hezekiah's prayer and Isaiah's prophecy of deliverance, as the Assyrian army poses an existential threat to Jerusalem.
After his officials report the Assyrian commander's blasphemous taunts, King Hezekiah reacts with deep sorrow and humility, tearing his clothes, donning sackcloth, and immediately going to the Temple to present the crisis before the Lord. This sets the stage for Hezekiah's prayer and Isaiah's prophecy of deliverance, as the Assyrian army poses an existential threat to Jerusalem.
"As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with…" — When Hezekiah heard the blasphemous threats of the Assyrian king, his immediate, instinctual reaction was not anger or fear for himself, but a profound sense of grief and reverence for God, demonstra…
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Last reviewed October 2026
