2 kings 19:3 - They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘Today is a day of trouble, of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to deliver them.
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "2 kings 19:3" mean?
This verse from 2 Kings 19:3 (and found similarly in Isaiah 37:3) is part of a message sent by King Hezekiah of Judah to the prophet Isaiah. He's deeply distressed by the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. Let's break down the verse to understand its meaning:
"They said to him, 'Thus says Hezekiah...'": This introduces the message as coming from King Hezekiah himself.
"Today is a day of trouble, of rebuke, and of rejection...": This describes the dire situation facing Judah.
Trouble: The kingdom is under immense pressure and suffering due to the Assyrian siege.
Rebuke: They are being chastised or reproved, likely both by their enemies (the Assyrians) and perhaps by God (for their sins).
Rejection: They feel abandoned, possibly by God, or at least that their prayers are not being answered.
"...for the children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to deliver them.": This is the central metaphor, and it's crucial to understanding the verse. It uses the imagery of childbirth to represent the kingdom's situation.
Children have come to the point of birth: This means the crisis has reached its peak. The people are on the verge of utter collapse, just as a woman in labor is at the point of giving birth. The analogy is meant to convey an undeniable nearness of something impending (likely doom).
No strength to deliver them: Judah lacks the resources, power, or ability to save itself. Like a woman in labor who is too weak to deliver her child, Judah is helpless in the face of the Assyrian threat. They are at the most critical moment, yet they are completely incapable of taking action to save themselves.
In essence, the verse is a powerful lament expressing:
Desperation: Hezekiah recognizes the extreme peril facing his kingdom.
Helplessness: Judah is utterly unable to save itself from the Assyrian onslaught.
Imminent Crisis: The crisis is not some distant threat; it's about to come to a head.
Need for Divine Intervention: Implicitly, Hezekiah is acknowledging that only divine intervention can save them now, since human efforts are insufficient.
Hezekiah is sending this message to Isaiah to seek his intercession with God, hoping that the prophet can plead for divine help in this desperate situation. The analogy of childbirth emphasizes the urgency and the utter lack of human power to avert disaster.
2 kings 19:3 - They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘Today is a day of trouble, of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to deliver them.
What does "2 kings 19:3" mean?
This verse from 2 Kings 19:3 (and found similarly in Isaiah 37:3) is part of a message sent by King Hezekiah of Judah to the prophet Isaiah. He's deeply distressed by the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. Let's break down the verse to understand its meaning:
"They said to him, 'Thus says Hezekiah...'": This introduces the message as coming from King Hezekiah himself.
"Today is a day of trouble, of rebuke, and of rejection...": This describes the dire situation facing Judah.
Trouble: The kingdom is under immense pressure and suffering due to the Assyrian siege.
Rebuke: They are being chastised or reproved, likely both by their enemies (the Assyrians) and perhaps by God (for their sins).
Rejection: They feel abandoned, possibly by God, or at least that their prayers are not being answered.
"...for the children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to deliver them.": This is the central metaphor, and it's crucial to understanding the verse. It uses the imagery of childbirth to represent the kingdom's situation.
Children have come to the point of birth: This means the crisis has reached its peak. The people are on the verge of utter collapse, just as a woman in labor is at the point of giving birth. The analogy is meant to convey an undeniable nearness of something impending (likely doom).
No strength to deliver them: Judah lacks the resources, power, or ability to save itself. Like a woman in labor who is too weak to deliver her child, Judah is helpless in the face of the Assyrian threat. They are at the most critical moment, yet they are completely incapable of taking action to save themselves.
In essence, the verse is a powerful lament expressing:
Desperation: Hezekiah recognizes the extreme peril facing his kingdom.
Helplessness: Judah is utterly unable to save itself from the Assyrian onslaught.
Imminent Crisis: The crisis is not some distant threat; it's about to come to a head.
Need for Divine Intervention: Implicitly, Hezekiah is acknowledging that only divine intervention can save them now, since human efforts are insufficient.
Hezekiah is sending this message to Isaiah to seek his intercession with God, hoping that the prophet can plead for divine help in this desperate situation. The analogy of childbirth emphasizes the urgency and the utter lack of human power to avert disaster.