2 Kings 19 · Verse 1

2 Kings 19:1

And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.
2 Kings 19:1, King James Version

2 Kings 19:1 in other translations

BSBOn hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.
WEBWhen King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the LORD’s house.
ASVAnd it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of Jehovah.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, at king Hezekiah's hearing, that he rendeth his garments, and covereth himself with sackcloth, and entereth the house of Jehovah,
DARBYAnd it came to pass when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his garments, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of Jehovah.
BBEAnd on hearing it, King Hezekiah took off his robe, and put on haircloth, and went into the house of the Lord.
WebsterAnd it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

What does 2 Kings 19:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 19:1-3
2Ki 19:1-5. Hezekiah in Deep Affliction. 1-3. when king Hezekiah heard it, he rent his clothes--The rending of his clothes was a mode of expressing horror at the daring blasphemy--the assumption of sackcloth a sign of his mental distress--his entrance into the temple to pray the refuge of a pious man in affliction--and the forwarding an account of the Assyrian's speech to Isaiah was to obtain the prophet's counsel and comfort. The expression in which the message was conveyed described, by a strong figure, the desperate condition of the kingdom, together with their own inability to help themselves; and it intimated also a hope, that the blasphemous defiance of Jehovah's power by the impious Assyrian might lead to some direct interposition for the vindication of His honor and supremacy to all heathen gods.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Hezekiah as greatly distressed, and sends to Isaiah to pray for him, 2Kgs 19:1-4. Isaiah returns a comfortable answer, and predicts the destruction of the king of Assyria and his army, 2Kgs 19:5-8. Sennacherib, hearing that his kingdom was invaded by the Ethiopians, sends a terrible letter to Hezekiah, to induce him to surrender, 2Kgs 19:9-13. Hezekiah goes to the temple, spreads the letter before the Lord, and makes a most affecting prayer, 2Kgs 19:14-19. Isaiah is sent to him to assure him that his prayer is heard; that Jerusalem shall be delivered; and that the Assyrians shall be destroyed, 2Kgs 19:20-34. That very night a messenger of God slays one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians, 2Kgs 19:35. Sennacherib returns to Nineveh, and is slain by his own sons, 2Kgs 19:36, 2Kgs 19:37.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 19:1-7
Hezekiah discovered deep concern at the dishonour done to God by Rabshakeh's blasphemy. Those who speak from God to us, we should in a particular manner desire to speak to God for us. The great Prophet is the great Intercessor. Those are likely to prevail with God, who lift up their hearts in prayer. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. While his servants can speak nothing but terror to the profane, the proud, and the hypocritical, they have comfortable words for the discouraged believer.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Kings 19:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֗יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙kish.Mo.a'when heardH8085
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּchiz.ki.Ya.huHezekiahH2396
וַיִּקְרַ֖עvai.yik.Ra'and he toreH7167
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בְּגָדָ֑יוbe.ga.Davclothes hisH899
וַיִּתְכַּ֣סvai.yit.Kasand he covered himselfH3680
בַּשָּׂ֔קba.Sakwith <the> sackclothH8242
וַיָּבֹ֖אvai.ya.Vo'and he wentH935
בֵּ֥יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 19:1

  • 2 Kings 18:37

    Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab–shakeh.

  • 1 Kings 21:27

    And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

  • 2 Chronicles 32:20-22

    And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.

  • Isaiah 37:1-7

    And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left. …

  • Genesis 37:34

    And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

  • Job 1:20-21

    Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

  • 1 Kings 21:29

    Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

  • Psalms 35:13

    But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

  • 2 Chronicles 7:15-16

    Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

  • Ezra 9:3

    And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

  • 2 Kings 6:30

    And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

  • Jeremiah 36:24

    Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Hezekiah mourning, sends to Isaiah to pray for them.
6 Isaiah comforts them.
8 Sennacherib, going to encounter Tirhakah, sends a blasphemous letter to Hezekiah.
14 Hezekiah's prayer.
20 Isaiah's prophecy of the pride and destruction of Sennacherib, and the good of Zion.
35 An angel slays the Assyrians.
36 Sennacherib is slain by his own sons.

when king.
Isa 37:1-7
he rent.
5:7; 18:37; 1Sa 4:12; Ezr 9:3; Job 1:20; Jer 36:24; Mt 26:65
covered.
6:30; Ge 37:34; 1Ki 21:27,29; Es 4:1-4; Ps 35:13; Jon 3:8; Mt 11:21
went into.
2Ch 7:15,16; Job 1:20,21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 19:1

    And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.

  • 2 Kings 19:2

    And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

Read all of 2 Kings 19

2 Kings 19:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y COMO el rey Ezechîas lo oyó, rasgó sus vestidos, y cubrióse de saco, y entróse en la casa de Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva, quand le roi Ézéchias eut entendu ces choses, qu’il déchira ses vêtements, et se couvrit d’un sac, et entra dans la maison de l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, als der König Hiskia es hörte, da zerriß er seine Kleider und hüllte sich in Sacktuch und ging in das Haus Jehovas.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quæ cum audisset Ezechias rex, scidit vestimenta sua, et opertus est sacco, ingressusque est domum Domini.