Isaiah 37:32, commentary and pictures

The promise was given when the Assyrian king threatened Jerusalem in Hezekiah's reign, answering his humility with a message through the prophet and a wonderful deliverance by God's angel. When Hezekiah spread the insulting letter before the Lord and joined Isaiah in prayer for God to vindicate His name, God pledged to defend the city for His own and David's sake so that Assyria would not enter it or shoot an arrow there but would return by the way he came. That pledge was kept when one angel destroyed 185,000 mighty men and leaders in the Assyrian camp in a single night, so the besiegers perished, a remnant went forth from Jerusalem with escapees from Mount Zion, Sennacherib returned in shame to be slain in his god's house, and Hezekiah and Jerusalem were saved and guided on every side by the Lord's zeal. The deliverance shows that apparent strength of numbers cannot prevail against God, who is with those who stand alone for right and is Himself a majority for His people in the minority. It was done by plain miracle to leave no room for boasting in human power and to teach all nations that the God of heaven is mightier than idols, a reminder of the nothingness of man and the greatness of God that was meant to exalt His mercy but which human pride could pervert into a curse.

Historical Setting and Fulfillment

Isaiah 37:32 belongs to the history of Hezekiah's reign when the king of Assyria came up and threatened the land, displaying Hezekiah's humility, God's message to him through the prophet, and the Lord's wonderful deliverance from Assyrian power by His angel. The 37th chapter of Isaiah is alike to the 19th chapter of 2 Kings, yet it differs from it in considerable verbal detail.

When taunted with his helpless condition, Hezekiah spread the taunting, insulting letter out before the Lord, and united with Isaiah in prayer sought help that Jehovah would vindicate His own name against Assyrian blasphemy. Through Isaiah God promised to defend the city for His own sake and for David's sake, so that Assyria would not come into the city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a mound against it, but would return by the way he came. The promise was fulfilled after Isaiah and Hezekiah prayed, when Jehovah sent an angel — one messenger being enough — who cut off all the mighty men of valor and leaders and captains in the Assyrian camp and destroyed 185,000 men in a single night. Thus the besieging army perished, a remnant went forth from Jerusalem and escapees from Mount Zion, Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were saved and guided on every side, Sennacherib returned with shame to his own land and was slain in the house of his god, and the Lord's zeal accomplished it.

At the time the angel killed the 185,000, the Assyrian army with its king was at Libnah rather than near Jerusalem, which rules out that slaughter as the fulfillment of Isaiah 30:33.

Lessons for Faith Today

Out of Jerusalem would go a remnant and escapees out of Mount Zion because the zeal of the Lord of hosts would accomplish the deliverance of Hezekiah and his people when they were outnumbered by the Assyrian army, illustrating that a majority's apparent strength cannot prevail against God who can vindicate His cause and deliver His people. When Hezekiah was taunted with his helpless condition he was not alone, for he spread the taunting, insulting letter out before the Lord, and the zeal of the Lord of hosts destroyed 185,000 men of the invading army in a single night. God is with those who stand alone in opposition to wrong, God is a majority, and the same assurance applies to God's people when they are in the minority.

God Himself would save the remnant in Jerusalem from Sennacherib, promising through Isaiah when Hezekiah sought help to defend the city for His own sake and for David's sake, so that Assyria would not come into the city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a mound against it, but would return by the way he came. To leave no room for glorying in human power and to make clear to Judah and to all nations that the God of heaven is mightier than the gods of the peoples of the earth which are the work of men's hands, the deliverance was wrought by evident miracle when Jehovah sent an angel who cut off all the mighty men of valor and leaders and captains in the Assyrian camp, so that Sennacherib returned with shame to his own land and was slain in the house of his god, while Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were saved and guided on every side. The victory was meant as a constant reminder of the nothingness of man and the greatness of God, which is the very essence of righteousness by faith.

The slaughter of Sennacherib's host was God's witness by revelation and living testimony to Assyria that He is God above all, given after Assyria had grown corrupt and gone far from God, with that slaughter as the most notable instance of that witness. Isaiah and Hezekiah subdued their enemies through God's deliverance, for a remnant escaped from Jerusalem and Mount Zion and the Lord's zeal accomplished it, showing how Christians who retained faith and the spiritual gifts could overcome their enemies without relying on weapons. Hezekiah's prayer was heard and one messenger of the Lord was enough to bring deliverance when the Lord acted to save the city and His people, teaching confidence in God's power and providence rather than human strength or wisdom.

The exaltation of Hezekiah in the sight of all nations, with gifts brought to Jerusalem, was meant to furnish opportunity for exalting the power and mercy of the King of heaven. Human pride perverted the reminders of salvation into evidence of human power and turned the blessing into a curse.