2 Kings 19:16
New International Version
Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

New Living Translation
Bend down, O LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.

English Standard Version
Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.

Berean Standard Bible
Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.

King James Bible
LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.

New King James Version
Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

New American Standard Bible
Incline Your ear, LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, LORD, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to taunt the living God.

NASB 1995
“Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

NASB 1977
“Incline Thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open Thine eyes, O LORD, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

Legacy Standard Bible
Incline Your ear, O Yahweh, and hear; open Your eyes, O Yahweh, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God.

Amplified Bible
O LORD, bend down Your ear and hear; LORD, open Your eyes and see; hear the [taunting] words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to taunt and defy the living God.

Christian Standard Bible
Listen closely, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see. Hear the words that Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Listen closely, LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, LORD, and see. Hear the words that Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God.

American Standard Version
Incline thine ear, O Jehovah, and hear; open thine eyes, O Jehovah, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, wherewith he hath sent him to defy the living God.

Contemporary English Version
But just look how Sennacherib has insulted you, the living God.

English Revised Version
Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, wherewith he hath sent him to reproach the living God.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Turn your ear toward me, LORD, and listen. Open your eyes, LORD, and see. Listen to the message that Sennacherib sent to defy the living God.

Good News Translation
Now, LORD, look at what is happening to us. Listen to all the things that Sennacherib is saying to insult you, the living God.

International Standard Version
Turn your ear, LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, LORD, and observe! Listen to the message sent by Sennacherib to insult the living God!

Majority Standard Bible
Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.

NET Bible
Pay attention, LORD, and hear! Open your eyes, LORD, and observe! Listen to the message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God!

New Heart English Bible
Incline your ear, LORD, and hear. Open your eyes, LORD, and see. Hear the words of Sennacherib, with which he has sent to defy the living God.

Webster's Bible Translation
LORD, bow down thy ear, and hear: open, LORD, thy eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, who hath sent him to reproach the living God.

World English Bible
Incline your ear, Yahweh, and hear. Open your eyes, Yahweh, and see. Hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to defy the living God.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Incline, O YHWH, Your ear, and hear; open, O YHWH, Your eyes, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib with which he has sent him to reproach the living God.

Young's Literal Translation
Incline, O Jehovah, Thine ear, and hear; open, O Jehovah, Thine eyes, and see; and hear Thou the words of Sennacherib with which he hath sent him to reproach the living God.

Smith's Literal Translation
O Jehovah, incline thine ear and hear; O Jehovah open thine eyes and see: and hear the words of Senherib, which sent him to reproach the living God.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Incline thy ear, and hear: open, O Lord, thy eyes, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, who hath sent to upbraid unto us the living God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Incline your ear, and listen. Open your eyes, O Lord, and see. And hear all the words of Sennacherib, who sent so that he might reproach the living God before us.

New American Bible
Incline your ear, LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, LORD, and see! Hear the words Sennacherib has sent to taunt the living God.

New Revised Standard Version
Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
O LORD, incline thine ear and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, who hath sent messages to reproach the living God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Incline, LORD JEHOVAH, your ear, and hear; open, LORD JEHOVAH, your eyes and see, and hear all the words of Sennakherib who sent to reproach the living God!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Incline Thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open Thine eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, wherewith he hath sent him to taunt the living God.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherim, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Hezekiah's Prayer
15And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. 16Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God. 17Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste these nations and their lands.…

Cross References
Isaiah 37:17
Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to all the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.

Psalm 31:2
Incline Your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue. Be my rock of refuge, the stronghold of my deliverance.

Psalm 86:1
A prayer of David. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

Psalm 130:2
O Lord, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.

Nehemiah 1:6
let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.

Daniel 9:18
Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion.

Exodus 3:7
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.

1 Kings 8:28-29
Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You today. / May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.

2 Chronicles 6:40
Now, my God, may Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

Psalm 17:6
I call on You, O God, for You will answer me. Incline Your ear to me; hear my words.

Psalm 55:1-2
For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea. / Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraught

Psalm 102:1-2
A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come before You. / Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call.

Psalm 143:1
A Psalm of David. O LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea; in Your righteousness, answer me.

Jeremiah 29:12
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”


Treasury of Scripture

LORD, bow down your ear, and hear: open, LORD, your eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which has sent him to reproach the living God.

bow down.

Psalm 31:2
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

Isaiah 37:17
Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.

open.

1 Kings 8:29
That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

2 Chronicles 6:40
Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

Daniel 9:18
O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

which hath sent.

2 Kings 19:4
It may be the LORD thy God will hear all 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 are left.

Psalm 79:12
And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

Isaiah 37:4,17
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…

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2 Kings 19
1. Hezekiah, in 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 destruction of Sennacherib, and the good of Zion.
35. An angel slays the Assyrians.
36. Sennacherib is slain by his own sons.














Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear
This phrase is a heartfelt plea from King Hezekiah, seeking God's attentive presence. The Hebrew word for "incline" is "natah," which conveys the idea of stretching out or bending down. It suggests a personal and intimate action, as if God is bending down to listen closely to His people. This reflects the deep relationship between God and His followers, emphasizing that He is not a distant deity but one who is actively involved in the lives of His people. The use of "O LORD" invokes the covenant name of God, Yahweh, reminding us of His faithfulness and commitment to His promises.

open Your eyes, O LORD, and see
Here, Hezekiah continues his plea for divine intervention. The request for God to "open Your eyes" uses the Hebrew word "paqach," which means to open or to make aware. This anthropomorphic language is not suggesting that God is unaware, but rather it is a poetic way of asking God to take action. It reflects the belief that God is both omniscient and omnipotent, fully aware of the situation and fully capable of intervening. The repetition of "O LORD" reinforces the personal relationship and trust Hezekiah has in God.

listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent
Hezekiah is asking God to pay attention to the blasphemous words of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king. The Hebrew word for "listen" is "shama," which means to hear intelligently, often with the implication of attention and obedience. This highlights the seriousness of the situation, as Sennacherib's words are not just against Judah but against God Himself. Historically, Sennacherib was known for his military campaigns and his arrogance, often boasting of his conquests. This context underscores the threat he posed and the urgency of Hezekiah's prayer.

to defy the living God
The phrase "defy the living God" is central to understanding the spiritual battle at play. The Hebrew word for "defy" is "charaph," which means to reproach or taunt. Sennacherib's actions were not merely political; they were a direct challenge to the sovereignty and power of Yahweh. The term "living God" contrasts the true God with the lifeless idols worshiped by other nations. It emphasizes God's active presence and power in the world. This acknowledgment of God as "living" serves as a reminder of His eternal nature and His ability to act on behalf of His people. Theologically, this phrase calls believers to trust in God's supremacy over all earthly powers.

(16) Bow down thine ear, and hear.--Not so much my prayer as the words of Sennacherib.

Open, Lord, thine eyes, and see.--Referring, as Thenius says, to Sennacherib's letter; not, however, as if Jehovah's eyes were closed before this prayer. To treat the figurative language of the Old Testament in such a manner does violence to common sense. "Bow thine ear," "Open thine eyes," in Hezekiah's mouth simply meant "Intervene actively between me and my enemy;" although, no doubt, such expressions originally conveyed the actual thoughts of the Israelites about God.

Which hath sent him.--Rather, which he hath sent. The "words" are regarded as a single whole, a message.

The living God.--In contrast with the lifeless idols of Hamath, Arpad, &c.

Verse 16. - Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear. "Bow down thine ear" is a Hebrew idiom for "give ear," "attend "(see Psalm 31:2; Psalm 71:2; Psalm 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."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Incline
הַטֵּ֨ה (haṭ·ṭêh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

Your ear,
אָזְנְךָ֙ (’ā·zə·nə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear

O LORD,
יְהוָ֤ה ׀ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

and hear;
וּֽשֲׁמָ֔ע (ū·šă·mā‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

open
פְּקַ֧ח (pə·qaḥ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6491: To open, to be observant

Your eyes,
עֵינֶ֖יךָ (‘ê·ne·ḵā)
Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

O LORD,
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

and see.
וּרְאֵ֑ה (ū·rə·’êh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

Listen to
וּשְׁמַ֗ע (ū·šə·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

the words
דִּבְרֵ֣י (diḇ·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

that
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Sennacherib
סַנְחֵרִ֔יב (san·ḥê·rîḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5576: Sennacherib -- a king of Assyr

has sent
שְׁלָח֔וֹ (šə·lā·ḥōw)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

to defy
לְחָרֵ֖ף (lə·ḥā·rêp̄)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2778: To pull off, to expose, to betroth, to carp at, defame, to spend the winter

the living
חָֽי׃ (ḥāy)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

God.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT History: 2 Kings 19:16 Incline your ear Yahweh and hear (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 19:15
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