2 Kings 19:16 - Exposition

Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear. "Bow down thine ear" is a Hebrew idiom for "give ear," "attend "(see Psalms 31:2 ; Psalms 71:2 ; Psalms 86:1 ; Proverbs 22:17 , etc.). It is based upon the fact that, when men wish to catch exactly what another says to them, they bend themselves towards him, and bring one ear as near to him as they can. Open, Lord, thine eyes, and see. Take cognizance both with eye and ear; i.e. take full cognizance—let nothing escape thee. And hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God ; rather, which he has sent to reproach . The suffix translated "him" in our version really means "it"— i.e. the speech or letter of Sennacherib, which Hezekiah has "spread before the Lord."