2 Kings 19:10 - Exposition

Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah King of Judah, saying. The messengers brought a "letter" ( סְפָדִים ), as we see from 2 Kings 19:14 ; but still they were to "speak to Hezekiah"— i.e. they were first to read the contents to him, and then to hand him the copy. Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the King of Assyria. Sennacherib drops the fiction that he himself is sent by Jehovah to attack Judaea and destroy it ( 2 Kings 18:25 ), and contents himself with suggesting that any announcements which Hezekiah may have received from his God are untrustworthy. Probably he spoke his convictions. He did not think it possible that Jerusalem could resist or escape him (comp. Isaiah 10:8-11 and Isaiah 10:13 , Isaiah 10:14 ).