Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
2 KINGS 19:32KJVWhat does 2 Kings 19:32 mean?
2 Kings 19:32 means that God promises the king of Assyria will not enter Jerusalem, attack it, or even begin a siege against it. The verse assures that the enemy will not so much as shoot an arrow or build siege ramps against the city.
In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Isaiah to reassure King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. The Assyrian army, led by its king, was threatening Jerusalem, but God declares that their attack will not succeed or even begin. This is a direct response to the fear and danger facing Jerusalem at that moment.
The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 19:32
- LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of God, emphasizing that this promise comes directly from Israel’s God, not just a generic deity.
- come (בּוֹא, bo): The word means "to come" or "to enter." Here, it stresses that the Assyrian king will not even set foot in the city.
- shoot (יָרָה, yarah): This word means "to shoot" (as with an arrow). The verse highlights that not even a single arrow will be fired at Jerusalem, underlining the total protection promised.
- cast a bank (שָׁפַךְ סֹלְלָה, shafakh solelah): This phrase refers to building a siege ramp, a common tactic in ancient warfare. The verse says the enemy will not even begin preparations for a siege.
Why 2 Kings 19:32 matters
- This verse clarifies that God’s protection is complete—Jerusalem will not just survive the siege, but the enemy will not even start an attack.
- The verse shows the contrast between human threats and God’s promises, emphasizing that God’s word overrides even the mightiest armies.
- In the larger story, this is a turning point where God’s intervention is promised before any battle begins, setting up the dramatic deliverance that follows.