What does 2 Kings 19:26 teach about the consequences of pride and disobedience?

Setting the Scene

• Sennacherib, king of Assyria, has boasted that no god can stop his armies (2 Kings 18:33–35).

• Hezekiah prays, and God answers through Isaiah, exposing Assyria’s arrogance (19:20–28).

• Verse 26 records God’s verdict on the proud invaders.

---

Key Verse (partial quote)

“Therefore their inhabitants were powerless; they were shattered and put to shame…” (2 Kings 19:26a)

---

Word Picture of Ruin

• “Powerless… shattered… put to shame” – prideful strength evaporates when God intervenes.

• “Grass of the field… grass on the housetops, scorched before it is grown” (paraphrase of 19:26b) – outward success can look lush, yet one flash of divine judgment leaves it withered.

---

Consequences of Pride and Disobedience

• Sudden weakness – God turns mighty warriors into “powerless” men (cf. Psalm 33:16–19).

• Public humiliation – boasting ends in shame (Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6).

• Total collapse – what seemed invincible crumbles like dried grass (Isaiah 40:6-8).

• Irreversible loss – scorched grain never matures; opportunities to repent pass (Hebrews 3:15).

---

Why God Acts This Way

• He defends His glory (Isaiah 42:8).

• He keeps covenant promises to the faithful (2 Kings 19:34).

• He opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).

---

Lessons for Today

• National or personal success never exempts anyone from answering to God.

• Pride blinds; obedience keeps us under divine protection (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

• Repentance is urgent—before the grass withers.