New International Version They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. New Living Translation And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. English Standard Version and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. Berean Standard Bible They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands. Berean Literal Bible and they have given their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but rather the work of the hands of men—wood and stone. And they have destroyed them. King James Bible And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. New King James Version and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. New American Standard Bible and have hurled their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but only the work of human hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. NASB 1995 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. NASB 1977 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. Legacy Standard Bible and have put their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. Amplified Bible and have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not [real] gods but [only] the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they [could destroy them and] have destroyed them. Berean Annotated Bible They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands. Christian Standard Bible They have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but made by human hands—wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. Holman Christian Standard Bible They have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but made by human hands—wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. American Standard Version and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. Contemporary English Version They destroyed the idols of wood and stone that the people of those nations had made and worshiped. English Revised Version and have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. GOD'S WORD® Translation They have thrown the gods from these countries into fires because these gods aren't real gods. They're only wooden and stone statues made by human hands. So the Assyrians have destroyed them. Good News Translation and burned up their gods--which were no gods at all, only images of wood and stone made by human hands. International Standard Version throwing their gods into the fire, since they weren't gods but rather were the product of men's handiwork—wood and stone. And so they destroyed them. NET Bible They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. New Heart English Bible and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they have destroyed them. Webster's Bible Translation And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThey have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands. World English Bible and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they have destroyed them. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand have put their gods into fire, for they [are] no gods, but work of the hands of man, wood and stone, and destroy them. Berean Literal Bible and they have given their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but rather the work of the hands of men—wood and stone. And they have destroyed them. Young's Literal Translation and have put their gods into fire, for they are no gods, but work of the hands of man, wood and stone, and destroy them. Smith's Literal Translation And they gave their gods into fire, for they were not gods, but the work of the hands of man, wood and stone: and they will destroy them. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they have cast their gods into the fire: for they were not Rods, but the works of men's hands of wood and stone, and they destroyed them. Catholic Public Domain Version And they have cast their gods into the fire. For they were not gods, but instead were the works of men’s hands, out of wood and stone. And so they destroyed them. New American Bible They gave their gods to the fire—they were not gods at all, but the work of human hands—wood and stone, they destroyed them. New Revised Standard Version and have hurled their gods into the fire, though they were no gods but the work of human hands—wood and stone—and so they were destroyed. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd have burned their gods in fire; for they were no gods, but the works of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have burned them. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And their gods they have burned in fire, because they were not gods, but the work of the hands of the children of men, of wood and of stone, and they burned them. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. Brenton Septuagint Translation and have cast their gods into the fire: because they are no gods, but the works of men's hands, wood and stone; and they have destroyed them. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Hezekiah's Prayer…17Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone— the work of human hands. 19And now, O LORD our God, please save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”… Cross References They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, Isaiah 37:19 They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands. Deuteronomy 12:3 Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place. Deuteronomy 7:25 You must burn up the images of their gods; do not covet the silver and gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it; for it is detestable to the LORD your God. for they were not gods, Jeremiah 16:20 Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods!” Jeremiah 2:11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols. 2 Chronicles 13:9 But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods. but only wood and stone— Deuteronomy 4:28 And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. Habakkuk 2:18-19 What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it—or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. / Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.” the work of human hands. Psalm 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. Psalm 135:15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. Isaiah 2:8 Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. Jeremiah 10:3-5 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. / They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. / Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.” Jeremiah 10:10-11 But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation. / Thus you are to tell them: “These gods, who have made neither the heavens nor the earth, will perish from this earth and from under these heavens.” Deuteronomy 32:37-38 He will say: “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge, / which ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up and help you; let them give you shelter! Isaiah 44:9-20 All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? / Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. … Isaiah 46:6-7 They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship. / They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles. Treasury of Scripture And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. have cast. 2 Samuel 5:21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. Isaiah 46:1,2 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast… for they were. Psalm 115:4-8 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands… Isaiah 37:18,19 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, … Isaiah 44:9-20 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed… Jump to Previous Cast Destroy Destroyed Destruction Fashioned Fire Gods Hands Stone Thrown Wood WorkJump to Next Cast Destroy Destroyed Destruction Fashioned Fire Gods Hands Stone Thrown Wood Work2 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. They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, Assyria’s armies routinely plundered temples and burned or carried away the idols of conquered peoples. Sennacherib used this record of victory to intimidate Hezekiah, claiming that Judah’s God would prove no different from the defeated nations’ gods. The destruction of a people’s images proclaimed political domination and exposed the helplessness of the objects in which they trusted. Isa 37:19 They have cast their gods into the fire… for they were not gods, The Assyrians spoke truth about the idols they had destroyed, though they wrongly assumed that the Lord was like them. Israel’s God is not one local deity among many, subject to conquest or confined to a shrine. He is the living Creator, sovereign over Assyria, Judah, and every nation. Jer 16:20 Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods!” but only wood and stone— Idols could be cut down, shaped, transported, burned, or shattered because they were material objects without life or power. Scripture repeatedly contrasts such lifeless images with the Lord, who sees, hears, speaks, acts, and saves His people. Deu 4:28 And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone,… the work of human hands. Human beings had made the gods that later could not protect them. The irony of idolatry lies in worshiping what mankind has created rather than worshiping the One who created mankind. Hezekiah’s prayer rests on this distinction: the Lord alone could deliver Jerusalem and make known that He alone is God. Psa 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. Persons / Places / Events 1. HezekiahThe King of Judah during this time, known for his faithfulness to God and his efforts to reform the religious practices of his people. 2. Sennacherib The King of Assyria, who threatened Jerusalem and mocked the God of Israel, claiming that no god could save them from his power. 3. Jerusalem The capital city of Judah, under siege by the Assyrian army, representing the center of Jewish worship and the presence of God. 4. Assyrian Siege The event where the Assyrian army, led by Sennacherib, besieged Jerusalem, challenging the power and sovereignty of the God of Israel. 5. Idols The false gods made of wood and stone, worshiped by the nations conquered by Assyria, which were powerless and destroyed by fire. Teaching Points The Futility of IdolatryIdols, whether physical or metaphorical, cannot save or provide true security. We must place our trust in the living God, not in the works of human hands. God's Sovereignty Over Nations Despite the threats and boasts of powerful nations, God remains sovereign. He can deliver His people from any situation, as He did for Jerusalem. Faith in Times of Crisis Like Hezekiah, we should turn to God in prayer and trust His power and wisdom when facing overwhelming challenges. The Danger of Pride and Arrogance Sennacherib's arrogance led to his downfall. We must remain humble and recognize that all power and authority belong to God. The Importance of True Worship Worship should be directed to the true God, not to idols or false representations. Our devotion must be genuine and rooted in truth. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 2 Kings 19:18?2. How does 2 Kings 19:18 highlight the futility of idol worship today? 3. What does 2 Kings 19:18 teach about God's power over man-made idols? 4. How can we apply the lesson of 2 Kings 19:18 in resisting idolatry? 5. Compare 2 Kings 19:18 with Exodus 20:3-4 on idolatry's consequences. 6. How can believers ensure their worship remains focused on the true God? 7. How does 2 Kings 19:18 challenge the belief in the power of idols? 8. What historical evidence supports the events described in 2 Kings 19? 9. How does 2 Kings 19:18 reflect the theme of divine sovereignty? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 19? What Does 2 Kings 19:18 Mean They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them– In the Assyrian campaigns, captured idols were routinely burned (2 Kings 18:33-35; Isaiah 37:18-19). – Hezekiah brings this fact before the LORD, underscoring that earthly powers have already proven these idols helpless. – The destruction of idols by pagan armies shows how fragile they are when the heat is turned up—literally reduced to ashes while the living God delivers His people (Daniel 3:17; 2 Chronicles 32:19). for they were not gods – Scripture constantly affirms that there is only one true God (Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 45:5). – The so-called “gods” of the nations possess no life, no power, no presence; they cannot save or speak (1 Kings 18:27-29). – Hezekiah’s prayer places the contrast front and center: the Assyrians boast in lifeless idols, but Judah trusts the covenant-keeping LORD. but only wood and stone – Idols are composed of the most basic created materials (Psalm 115:4-8). – Their substance highlights their impotence: wood burns, stone fractures, yet people bow to them. – Jeremiah mocks this blindness: “They cannot speak; they must be carried” (Jeremiah 10:3-5). – The point is clear—what is perishable cannot protect anyone from judgment (Habakkuk 2:18-19). the work of human hands – Idolatry reverses the Creator-creature relationship: humans manufacture what they then worship (Exodus 20:4; Romans 1:21-23). – God needs no temple made with hands, for He Himself gives life and breath to all (Acts 17:24-25). – Trusting man-made objects robs God of glory and leaves people empty, because only the Maker can truly save (Psalm 146:3-6). summary 2 Kings 19:18 exposes the folly of idolatry and magnifies the LORD’s unrivaled sovereignty. The Assyrians had effortlessly torched the gods of other nations, proving they were nothing but flammable art projects. Unlike those worthless statues, the living God hears, sees, and rescues. The verse calls believers to abandon every false refuge and rest their confidence in the one true, eternal Creator who can never be cast into any fire. (18) And have cast (put) their gods into the fire.—Comp. 1Chronicles 14:12. The Assyrian’s emphatic question, “Where are the gods?” implied their annihilation.For they were no gods.—This idea is common in the latter half of the Book of Isaiah. The question has been raised whether the compiler of Kings has not made Hezekiah express a stricter monotheism than had been attained by the religious thought of his days. But if, as Kuenen alleges, no such definite statement of this belief is to be found in Isaiah and Micah (but comp. Isaiah 2:18-21; Isaiah 8:10; Isaiah 10:10 seq.) we may still point to the words of a third prophet of that age—namely, Amos the herdman of Tekoah. (Comp. Amos 4:13; ... Verse 18. - And have east their gods into the fire. The images worshipped by the various nations are regarded as "their gods," which they were, at any rate in the minds of the common people. The ordinary practice of the Assyrians was to carry off the images taken from a conquered people, and to set them up in their own country as trophies of victory (see Isaiah 46:1, 2, where a similar practice is ascribed by anticipation to the Persians). But there are places in the inscriptions where the gods are said to have been "destroyed" or "burnt." It is reasonable to suppose that the images destroyed were those of wood, stone, and bronze, which had little or no intrinsic value, while the gold and silver idols were carried off to the land of the conqueror. No doubt idols of the former far outnumbered those of the latter kind, and, at each sack of a city the "gods" which it contained were mostly burnt. For they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone (comp. Isaiah 42:17; Isaiah 44:9-20; Isaiah 46:6, 7). Wooden images (the Greek ξόανα) were probably the earliest that were made, and, on account of their antiquity, were often especially reverenced. They were "carved, but rude, with undivided feet, and eyes indicated by a line, the face colored red, or white, or gilt. It was only later that ivory and gold plates were commonly laid over the wood, vested and decked out with ornaments" (Dollinger, 'Jew and Gentile,' vol. 1. p. 240). Stone idols were at first shapeless masses, then pillars or cones, finally imitations of the human form, varying from the rudest representations to the priceless statues of Phidias. In Assyrian times, neither the wooden nor the stone idols were possessed of any artistic beauty. Therefore they have destroyed them. "Gods" of this kind could not help themselves, much less save their devotees or the cities supposed to be under their protection. It was not to be wondered at that the Assyrians had triumphed ever such gods.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew They have castוְנָתְנ֥וּ (wə·nā·ṯə·nū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 5414: To give, put, set their gods אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·hem) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative into the fire בָּאֵ֑שׁ (bā·’êš) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 784: A fire and destroyed them, וַֽיְאַבְּדֽוּם׃ (way·’ab·bə·ḏūm) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine plural Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish for כִּי֩ (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction they הֵ֗מָּה (hêm·māh) Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They were not לֹ֨א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no gods אֱלֹהִ֜ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative but כִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction only אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not wood עֵ֥ץ (‘êṣ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood and stone— וָאֶ֖בֶן (wā·’e·ḇen) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 68: A stone the work מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה (ma·‘ă·śêh) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property of human אָדָ֛ם (’ā·ḏām) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being hands. יְדֵֽי־ (yə·ḏê-) Noun - fdc Strong's 3027: A hand Additonal Resources 2 Kings 19:18 Blue Letter Bible2 Kings 19:18 Bible Gateway 2 Kings 19:18 Bible.com 2 Kings 19:18 NIV |
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