And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

ISAIAH 37:6KJV
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Isaiah 37:6 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 37:6 mean?

Isaiah 37:6 records the prophet Isaiah telling messengers from King Hezekiah not to be afraid of the threats made by the Assyrian king’s servants, because God Himself says those words are blasphemous and should not cause fear. The verse reassures Hezekiah’s people that God is aware of the insults and is in control of the situation.

In this scene, Isaiah is speaking to messengers sent by King Hezekiah, who is deeply troubled by the threatening words of the Assyrian king’s officials. The Assyrians have mocked and insulted God, trying to intimidate Jerusalem into surrender. Isaiah’s message is a direct response from God, telling the king and his people not to let these hostile words shake their confidence.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 37:6

  • "Be not afraid" (תִּירָא, tirā): This Hebrew word often means to fear or be terrified. Here, it is a command not to let fear take over, even in the face of real danger.
  • "Blasphemed" (גָּדַף, gadaph): This word means to insult, reproach, or speak irreverently about God. The verse highlights that the Assyrian threats are not just against Judah, but are direct insults against God Himself.
  • "Servants" (נַעַר, naʿar): This word can mean young men or attendants, but here it emphasizes that even the king’s messengers, not just the king himself, have participated in mocking God.

Why Isaiah 37:6 matters

  • Isaiah 37:6 clarifies that the real offense is not just political or military, but spiritual—the Assyrians have insulted God, not just threatened Judah.
  • The verse shifts the focus from human power to God’s authority, reminding the people that God is not intimidated by earthly rulers.
  • Isaiah 37:6 sets up the following events, where God’s response to the Assyrian blasphemy becomes the turning point in the story.

Where else these words appear

“blasphemed” Hebrew H1442 · used in 7 verses

  • Numbers 15:30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
  • 2 Kings 19:22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
  • Isaiah 37:23 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

“Isaiah” Hebrew H3470 · used in 39 verses

  • 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.
  • 2 Kings 20:19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
  • Isaiah 7:3 Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;

“Assyria” Hebrew H804 · used in 138 verses

  • Genesis 2:14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
  • 2 Kings 20:6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
  • Isaiah 36:8 Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.