Isaiah 37:14-20

14-20. The insulting message above noted was in the form of a letter, which Hezekiah piously spread before the Lord in the temple an act of prayer passing at length into vocal utterance, (Isaiah 37:16-20,) recognising the unity, majesty, and supreme glory of the Infinite One, and asking help for the chosen nation. The argument of his prayer is this: “The Assyrians have certainly destroyed nations and their gods, because these gods were nothing but the work of men’s hands. But do Thou help, and show that Thou art the only Lord in the universe.”

What a prayer! and what an answer through Isaiah, Jehovah’s true prophet! The prayer had been offered at the most holy place perhaps in it unto Him who representatively dwelt between the cherubim by the fact of his glory, or Shechinah, hovering over the mercy seat. The answer was a revelation to Isaiah at his school residence in the city, and brought by one of his disciples to the king. The prayer and the answer have a sublimely official air.*

[* Because thou hast prayed concerning Sennacherib’s daring outrage upon Jehovah’s sacred name, this is the answer which he hath returned to thee.

The virgin, the daughter of Zion This is Jerusalem, looked at by the prophet, in her always intended and now actually, sacred and pure character as the seat of the true worship of God.

Hath despised thee It is absolutely safe from Sennacherib’s attacks, and is prepared to defy his ineffectual attempts, also to exult over his own prospective overthrow. “Shaking the head” is possibly a gesture of negation, in effect saying, “He has no power to hurt me.”]