Isaiah 37:28-29
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God's knowledge of Sennacherib isn't just about knowing his location; it encompasses the entirety of his life's actions, from his quiet moments ("sitting down") to his public movements. This thorough awareness isn't just observational; it's a prelude to divine judgment, highlighting that every aspect of the Assyrian's life, including his defiance, is fully known and accounted for by the Almighty.
“‘I know your sitting down and your going out and coming in, and your raging against me. Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, has besieged Jerusalem and sent his messenger, Rabshakeh, to taunt King Hezekiah and the people, boasting of Assyria's power and urging surrender. After Hezekiah's prayer and Isaiah's prophecy of deliverance, the Assyrian king, now hearing of an imminent threat from Ethiopia, turns his attention back to Jerusalem, issuing a final, arrogant letter to Hezekiah. This verse, spoken by God, serves as a direct response to Sennacherib's defiant threats, asserting divine knowledge and control over the Assyrian king's actions and his animosity towards God.
The proud king of Assyria thought he was master of his own destiny, a force of nature. But God's perspective is vastly different.
The verse uses a common Hebrew idiom: 'your sitting down and your going out and coming in.' This wasn't just about Sennacherib's daily schedule. It encompassed his entire life, every decision, every movement, every private thought and public action. God declares, 'I know all about you.' This isn't just a passive observation; it's an assertion of divine sovereignty. Even the most powerful human endeavors are fully known and understood by the Almighty.
Sennacherib's rage wasn't just against Judah; it was a direct assault on the Living God. God notices every act of rebellion.
God doesn't just observe actions; He discerns the heart and intention behind them. Sennacherib's 'rage against me' (Isaiah 37:28) is not an overreaction on God's part. The entire narrative in Isaiah 36-37 shows the Assyrian king's arrogant blasphemies and his intent to destroy Judah and mock its God. God's knowledge extends to this deep-seated rebellion. He sees the insolence, the defiance, and the pride that seeks to usurp His authority. This knowledge is not for His confusion but for His ultimate justice.
Understand the original words
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ragaz · Hebrew Verb
Refers to an arrogant, tumultuous pride or insolent fury against the Lord. It captures the defiant posture of a creature attempting to exalt itself against the Creator.
sha'anan · Hebrew Noun
Represents the haughty, secure, and careless attitude of those who are self-reliant and indifferent to God’s holiness. It is an expression of sinful pride that ignores divine sovereignty.
chach / resen · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for divine control and subjugation. It illustrates that even the most powerful and arrogant rulers are ultimately managed, restrained, and directed by the Lord.
This verse is spoken by God directly to Sennacherib, highlighting that no human action, from the mundane to the malicious, is hidden from divine knowledge and judgment, all within the context of a specific historical invasion and divine intervention.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem.
c. 701 BC
Rabshakeh's Blasphemous Speech
Sennacherib's envoy, Rabshakeh, taunts Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem, mocking their faith in God.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Prayer and Isaiah's Prophecy
Hezekiah prays in the Temple, and the prophet Isaiah delivers God's message of deliverance and judgment against Assyria.
c. 701 BC
Angel of the Lord's Intervention
A divine intervention strikes down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in their camp overnight, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw.
c. 681-669 BC
Sennacherib's Death
Sennacherib is assassinated by his own sons in Nineveh, fulfilling a prophecy of his downfall.
This Psalm beautifully echoes God's intimate knowledge of every aspect of a person's life, from their thoughts and words to their actions, mirroring God's statement to Sennacherib about knowing his 'sitting down and going out and coming in'.
Deuteronomy 6:7This passage speaks of teaching God's commands diligently and repeating them to children when sitting down and when walking, illustrating how 'going out and coming in' represents the entirety of life's activities under God's awareness.
1 Samuel 29:6Here, David is forbidden from going out to battle with the Philistines, showing how God's knowledge extends to a person's movements and their place in His plans, even in situations of political intrigue.
Jeremiah 12:3This verse directly contrasts God's knowledge of wicked individuals with their own perception, similar to how God knows Sennacherib's 'rage against me' while the king likely felt his actions were justified or unobserved by divine power.
cambridgeIsaiah 37:28: "But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me."
28, 29 . All the acts of the Assyrian are under the strict surveillance of Jehovah, who will shew His power over him by dragging him back, like a wild beast, to his place. If the emendation of Wellhausen (see on Isaiah 37:27 ) be accepted, Isaiah 37:28 would read: Before me is thy rising up and thy sitting down (cf. Psalm 139:2 ), and thy going out and thy coming in I know, and thy raging agains…
jfbIsaiah 37:28: "But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me."
- abode—rather, "sitting down" (Ps 139:2). The expressions here describe a man's whole course of life (De 6:7; 28:6; 1Ki 3:7; Ps 121:8). There is also a special reference to Sennacherib's first being at home, then going forth against Judah and Egypt, and raging against Jehovah (Isa 37:4).
God's knowledge of Sennacherib isn't just about knowing his location; it encompasses the entirety of his life's actions, from his quiet moments ("sitting down") to his public movements. This thorough awareness isn't just observational; it's a prelude to divine judgment, highlighting that every aspect of the Assyrian's life, including his defiance, is fully known and accounted for by the Almighty.
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, has besieged Jerusalem and sent his messenger, Rabshakeh, to taunt King Hezekiah and the people, boasting of Assyria's power and urging surrender. After Hezekiah's prayer and Isaiah's prophecy of deliverance, the Assyrian king, now hearing of an imminent threat from Ethiopia, turns his attention back to Jerusalem, issuing a final, arrogant letter to Hezekiah. This verse, spoken by God, serves as a direct response to Sennacherib's defiant threats, asserting divine knowledge and control over the Assyrian king's actions and his animosity towards God.
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, has besieged Jerusalem and sent his messenger, Rabshakeh, to taunt King Hezekiah and the people, boasting of Assyria's power and urging surrender. After Hezekiah's prayer and Isaiah's prophecy of deliverance, the Assyrian king, now hearing of an imminent threat from Ethiopia, turns his attention back to Jerusalem, issuing a final, arrogant letter to Hezekiah. This verse, spoken by God, serves as a direct response to Sennacherib's defiant threats, asserting divine knowledge and control over the Assyrian king's actions and his animosity towards God.
"“‘I know your sitting down and your going out and coming in, and your raging against me. Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my…" — God's knowledge of Sennacherib isn't just about knowing his location; it encompasses the entirety of his life's actions, from his quiet moments ("sitting down") to his public movements. This thorough…
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Last reviewed October 2026
