Isaiah 37:17
Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Hezekiah's prayer isn't just a plea for help; it’s a strategic unfolding of how God's glory is at stake. By asking God to "open your eyes and see," Hezekiah is essentially saying, "God, this isn't just about me or Jerusalem; this is about how the nations perceive you." He’s highlighting that Sennacherib’s insults are directed at the Living God Himself, making it a cosmic battle for divine reputation.
The Assyrian king Sennacherib has sent a defiant message to King Hezekiah, boasting of his conquests and threatening Jerusalem. Hezekiah, faced with this overwhelming challenge and the taunts against God, responds by tearing his clothes, covering himself in sackcloth, and then taking the Assyrian king's letter directly to the Temple. There, he spreads the letter before the LORD, not as if God didn't know, but as a profound act of prayer and presenting the blasphemy to Him.
Hezekiah asks God to 'incline your ear' and 'open your eyes.' Why would the all-powerful Creator need these human senses?
When we read passages like this, it’s easy to think of God as distant and unfeeling. But Hezekiah's prayer shows us something profound about God’s nature.
A God Who Notices
Hezekiah's prayer uses language we associate with people. 'Incline your ear' means to listen attentively, and 'open your eyes' means to see clearly. This isn't because God needs these senses to perceive—He is omniscient!
Instead, this anthropomorphic language—describing God in human terms—is a way of showing His willingness to engage with His people's struggles. It emphasizes that God chooses to pay attention, to see the injustice, and to hear the taunts directed at Him.
Invitation to Relate
This isn't just descriptive; it's an invitation. God invites us to bring our deepest concerns to Him, even when we feel our prayers are inadequate. He meets us where we are, using language we can understand to communicate His deep care and involvement.
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Sennacherib's words weren't just political threats; they were an attack on God Himself. What does it mean to 'mock the living God'?
Sennacherib’s message, delivered by Rabshakeh, was more than a military threat; it was a theological challenge. He wasn't just boasting about his own power; he was actively demeaning the God of Israel.
What Mockery Looks Like
The Assyrian king implied that the gods of other nations had failed their people, and therefore the God of Israel would surely fail too. He questioned God's power, His ability to protect Jerusalem, and ultimately, His very existence as a functional deity. This is the essence of 'mocking the living God'—to deny His sovereignty, His power, and His faithfulness.
God's Undignified State
Hezekiah spreads the letter before the Lord, not because God is unaware, but to highlight the audacity of the insult. The taunts were not just against Hezekiah or Jerusalem, but directly against God's honor. The prayer shifts the focus from Hezekiah’s fear to God’s vindication.
Understand the original words
natah ozn-eka · Hebrew Verb
A respectful, anthropomorphic plea for God to pay close attention to the prayers of His people and to actively intervene in human history.
el chai · Hebrew Adjective
A theological descriptor emphasizing that the God of Israel is not a lifeless idol, but possesses life, consciousness, and the ability to act within time and space.
chareph · Hebrew Verb
To treat with scorn, disdain, or blasphemous arrogance, specifically by challenging the power or legitimacy of God.
This verse captures King Hezekiah's desperate prayer, directly quoting the blasphemous words of the Assyrian king Sennacherib. The historical context of this invasion, the taunting messages, and the miraculous deliverance underscores the immense pressure and the profound faith required to pray such a prayer.
705–681 BC
Sennacherib's Reign
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, waged numerous campaigns to consolidate and expand his empire, including a significant invasion of Judah.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
Sennacherib invaded Judah, capturing many fortified cities and threatening Jerusalem. Hezekiah, the king of Judah, was faced with overwhelming military might.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's Message of Defiance
After capturing Lachish, Sennacherib sent messengers and his commander, the Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem with taunting messages, demanding surrender and mocking Hezekiah's trust in the LORD.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Prayer and Isaiah's Prophecy
Hezekiah responded to the dire threat by praying fervently to the LORD in the temple, and the prophet Isaiah delivered God's message of defiance and promised deliverance.
c. 701 BC
Divine Intervention and Assyrian Retreat
According to the biblical account, an angel of the LORD struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in their camp overnight, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw his army and return to Nineveh.
c. 681 BC
Assassination of Sennacherib
Sennacherib was assassinated by his own sons in Nineveh. His reign ended violently, a stark contrast to his earlier boasts of power.
This passage is cited as a direct connection, highlighting that Hezekiah's plea to God to 'incline your ear' and 'open your eyes' echoes the promises made to Solomon, showing a pattern of God's attentiveness to His people's prayers.
Psalm 86:1This Psalm features a similar plea, 'Bow down your ear, O LORD, and answer me,' underscoring the ancient and repeated human experience of calling out to God in times of distress and seeking His attention.
Isaiah 36:18-20This passage provides the immediate context for Sennacherib's taunts. By referencing these verses, we see the very words Hezekiah is asking God to 'hear' and address, as they were spoken 'to mock the living God.'
Daniel 9:18Daniel's prayer, 'Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and look,' mirrors Hezekiah's prayer, demonstrating a consistent biblical pattern of approaching God with pleas for attention and intervention in desperate situations.
cambridgeIsaiah 37:17: "Incline 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."
17 . open thine eyes … and see ] The Hebr. has “thine eye,” which is probably a better reading than “thine eyes” in 2 Kings 19:16 . So “who hath sent” is more correct than “who hath sent him” (the messenger). to reproach the living God ] as in Isaiah 37:4 .
barnesIsaiah 37:17: "Incline 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."
Incline thine ear - This is evidently language taken from what occurs among people. When they are desirous of hearing distinctly, they incline the ear or apply it close to the speaker. Similar language is not unfrequently used in the Scriptures as applicable to God 2 Kings 19:16 ; Psalm 86:1 ; Psalm 31:2 ; Psalm 88:2 ; Daniel 9…
Hezekiah's prayer isn't just a plea for help; it’s a strategic unfolding of how God's glory is at stake. By asking God to "open your eyes and see," Hezekiah is essentially saying, "God, this isn't just about me or Jerusalem; this is about how the nations perceive you." He’s highlighting that Sennacherib’s insults are directed at the Living God Himself, making it a cosmic battle for divine reputation.
The Assyrian king Sennacherib has sent a defiant message to King Hezekiah, boasting of his conquests and threatening Jerusalem. Hezekiah, faced with this overwhelming challenge and the taunts against God, responds by tearing his clothes, covering himself in sackcloth, and then taking the Assyrian king's letter directly to the Temple. There, he spreads the letter before the LORD, not as if God didn't know, but as a profound act of prayer and presenting the blasphemy to Him.
The Assyrian king Sennacherib has sent a defiant message to King Hezekiah, boasting of his conquests and threatening Jerusalem. Hezekiah, faced with this overwhelming challenge and the taunts against God, responds by tearing his clothes, covering himself in sackcloth, and then taking the Assyrian king's letter directly to the Temple. There, he spreads the letter before the LORD, not as if God didn't know, but as a profound act of prayer and presenting the blasphemy to Him.
"Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God." — Hezekiah's prayer isn't just a plea for help; it’s a strategic unfolding of how God's glory is at stake. By asking God to "open your eyes and see," Hezekiah is essentially saying, "God, this isn't ju…
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