2 Kings 19:23
New International Version
By your messengers you have ridiculed the Lord. And you have said, “With my many chariots I have ascended the heights of the mountains, the utmost heights of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the choicest of its junipers. I have reached its remotest parts, the finest of its forests.

New Living Translation
By your messengers you have defied the Lord. You have said, ‘With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypress trees. I have reached its farthest corners and explored its deepest forests.

English Standard Version
By your messengers you have mocked the Lord, and you have said, ‘With my many chariots I have gone up the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon; I felled its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses; I entered its farthest lodging place, its most fruitful forest.

Berean Standard Bible
Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest outposts, the densest of its forests.

King James Bible
By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

New King James Version
By your messengers you have reproached the Lord, And said: “By the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, To the limits of Lebanon; I will cut down its tall cedars And its choice cypress trees; I will enter the extremity of its borders, To its fruitful forest.

New American Standard Bible
‘Through your messengers you have taunted the Lord, And you have said, “With my many chariots I went up to the heights of the mountains, To the remotest parts of Lebanon; And I cut down its tall cedars and its choicest junipers. And I entered its farthest resting place, its thickest forest.

NASB 1995
Through your messengers you have reproached the Lord, And you have said, “With my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains, To the remotest parts of Lebanon; And I cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypresses. And I entered its farthest lodging place, its thickest forest.

NASB 1977
‘Through your messengers you have reproached the Lord, And you have said, “With my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains, To the remotest parts of Lebanon; And I cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypresses. And I entered its farthest lodging place, its thickest forest.

Legacy Standard Bible
Through your messengers you have reproached the Lord, And you have said, “With my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains, To the remotest parts of Lebanon; And I cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypresses. And I entered its farthest lodging place, its thickest forest.

Amplified Bible
‘Through your messengers you have taunted and defied the Lord, And have said [boastfully], “With my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains, To the remotest parts of Lebanon; I cut down its tall cedar trees and its choicest cypress trees. I entered its most distant lodging, its densest forest.

Christian Standard Bible
You have mocked the Lord through your messengers. You have said, ‘With my many chariots I have gone up to the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars, its choice cypress trees. I came to its farthest outpost, its densest forest.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You have mocked the Lord through your messengers. You have said: With my many chariots I have gone up to the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars, its choice cypress trees. I came to its farthest outpost, its densest forest.

American Standard Version
By thy messengers thou hast defied the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir-trees thereof; and I will enter into his farthest lodging-place, the forest of his fruitful field.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And by the agency of your Messengers you have rebuked LORD JEHOVAH, and you have said: “With the multitude of my chariots I shall ascend to the height of the mountains and to the borders of Lebanon, and I shall cut off the heights of the cedars, and the best of its cypresses, also I shall enter to the height of the limit of the forest of Karmela.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
by thy messengers thou has reproached the Lord, and hast said, I will go up with the multitude of my chariots, to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Libanus, and I have cut down the height of his cedar, and his choice cypresses; and I have come into the midst of the forest and of Carmel.

Contemporary English Version
You let your officials insult me, the Lord. And this is how you bragged about yourself: "I led my chariots to the highest heights of Lebanon's mountains. I went deep into its forest, cutting down the best cedar and cypress trees.

Douay-Rheims Bible
By the hand of thy servants thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said: With the multitude of my chariots I have gone up to the height of the mountains, to the top of Libanus, and have cut down its tall cedars, and its choice fir trees. And I have entered into the furthest parts thereof, and the forest of its Carmel.

English Revised Version
By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into his farthest lodging place, the forest of his fruitful field.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Through your servants you defy the Lord and say, "With my many chariots I'll ride up the high mountains, up the slopes of Lebanon. I'll cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypresses. I'll come to its most distant borders and its most fertile forests.

Good News Translation
You sent your messengers to boast to me that with all your chariots you had conquered the highest mountains of Lebanon. You boasted that there you cut down the tallest cedars and the finest cypress trees and that you reached the deepest parts of the forests.

International Standard Version
By your messengers you have insulted the LORD. You have claimed, "With my many chariots I ascended the heights of the mountains, including the remotest regions of Lebanon; I cut down its tall cedars and the best of its cypress trees. I entered its most remote lodging place and its most fruitful forest.

JPS Tanakh 1917
By the messengers thou hast taunted the Lord, And hast said: With the multitude of my chariots Am I come up to the height of the mountains, To the innermost parts of Lebanon; And I have cut down the tall cedars thereof, And the choice cypresses thereof; and I have entered into his farthest lodge, The forest of his fruitful field.

Literal Standard Version
By the hand of your messengers | You have reproached the Lord, and say, | In the multitude of my chariots I have come up to a high place of mountains—The sides of Lebanon, | And I cut down the height of its cedars, | The choice of its firs, | And I enter the lodging of its extremity, | The forest of its Carmel.

Majority Standard Bible
Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest outposts, the densest of its forests.

New American Bible
Through the mouths of your messengers you insulted the Lord when you said, ‘With my many chariots I went up to the tops of the peaks, to the recesses of Lebanon, To cut down its lofty cedars, its choice cypresses; I reached to the farthest shelter, the forest ranges.

NET Bible
Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master, 'With my many chariots I climbed up the high mountains, the slopes of Lebanon. I cut down its tall cedars, and its best evergreens. I invaded its most remote regions, its thickest woods.

New Revised Standard Version
By your messengers you have mocked the Lord, and you have said, ‘With my many chariots I have gone up the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon; I felled its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses; I entered its farthest retreat, its densest forest.

New Heart English Bible
By your messengers you have defied the LORD, and have said, 'With the multitude of my chariots, I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down its tall cedars, and its choice fir trees; and I will enter into his farthest lodging place, the forest of his fruitful field.

Webster's Bible Translation
By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the hight of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down its tall cedar trees, and its choice fir trees: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

World English Bible
By your messengers, you have defied the Lord, and have said, “With the multitude of my chariots, I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon, and I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees; and I will enter into his farthest lodging place, the forest of his fruitful field.

Young's Literal Translation
By the hand of thy messengers Thou hast reproached the Lord, and sayest: In the multitude of my chariots I have come up to a high place of mountains -- The sides of Lebanon, And I cut down the height of its cedars, The choice of its firs, And I enter the lodging of its extremity, The forest of its Carmel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Fall of Sennacherib Prophesied
22Whom have you taunted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! 23Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest outposts, the densest of its forests. 24I have dug wells and drunk foreign waters. With the soles of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.”…

Cross References
2 Kings 18:17
Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They advanced up to Jerusalem and stationed themselves by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer's Field.

2 Chronicles 26:10
Since he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain, he built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns. And since he was a lover of the soil, he had farmers and vinedressers in the hill country and in the fertile fields.

Isaiah 10:18
The splendor of its forests and orchards, both soul and body, it will completely destroy, as a sickness consumes a man.

Isaiah 37:24
Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: "With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest heights, the densest of its forests.

Daniel 8:11
It magnified itself, even to the Prince of the host; it removed His daily sacrifice and overthrew the place of His sanctuary.


Treasury of Scripture

By your messengers you have reproached the LORD, and have said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

By.

2 Kings 18:17
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.

2 Chronicles 32:17
He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.

With the multitude.

2 Kings 18:23,33,34
Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them…

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Isaiah 10:7-11,14
Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few…

tall cedar trees thereof.

the forest of his Carmel.

Jump to Previous
Borders Carmel Cedar Cedars Chariots Choice Cut Defied Enter Farthest Field Fir Forest Fruitful Height Hight Innermost Lebanon Messengers Mountains Multitude Parts Reproached Sides Tall Taunted Trees
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Borders Carmel Cedar Cedars Chariots Choice Cut Defied Enter Farthest Field Fir Forest Fruitful Height Hight Innermost Lebanon Messengers Mountains Multitude Parts Reproached Sides Tall Taunted Trees
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.














(23) The multitude.--The reading of the Hebrew margin, of many MSS., Isaiah, and all the versions. The Hebrew text has "with the chariotry of my chariotry"--obviously a scribe's error.

I am come up . . . mountains.--I (emphatic) have ascended lofty mountains. Such boasts are common in the Assyrian inscriptions.

To the sides of Lebanon.--Thenius explains: "the spurs of the Lebanon--i.e., the strongholds of Judaea, which Sennacherib had already captured." "Lebanon, as the northern bulwark of the land of Israel, is used as a representative or symbol for the whole country (Zechariah 11:1)" (Cheyne). The language is similar in Isaiah 14:13.

And will cut down . . .--Or, and I will fell the tallest cedars thereof, the choicest firs thereof. Cedars and firs in Isaiah's language symbolise "kings, princes, and nobles, all that is highest and most stately" (Birks), or "the most puissant defenders" (Thenius). (See Isaiah 2:13; Isaiah 10:33-34.) . . .

Verse 23. - By thy messengers - literally, by the hand of thy messengers - Rabshakeh and others (see 2 Kings 18:30, 35; 2 Kings 19:10-13) - thou hast reproached the Lord, and but said. Sennacherib had net said what is here attributed to him, any more than Sargon had said the words ascribed to him in Isaiah 10:13, 14. But he had thought it; and God accounts men's deliberate thoughts as their utterances. Isaiah's "oracle" brings out and places in a striking light the pride, self-confidence, and self-sufficiency which underlay Sennacherib's messages and letters. With the multitude of my chariots; or, with chariots upon chariots. The chariot-force was the main arm of the Assyrian military service - that on which most dependence was placed, and to which victory was commonly attributed. The number of chariots that could be brought into the field by the Assyrians is nowhere stated; but we find nearly four thousand hostile chariots collected to oppose an ordinary Assyrian invasion, and defeated (see 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 2. p. 362, note 8). The estimates of Cterias - eleven thousand for Ninas, and a hundred thousand for Semiramis (Died. Sic., 2:5. § 4) - are, of course, unhistorical. I am come up to the height of the mountains. "The height of the mountains" is here the high ground which an army would have to traverse in passing from the Coele-Syrian valley into Palestine. It is not exactly Lebanon, which runs parallel with the coast, and certainly does not "guard Palestine to the north," as Keil supposes; But it may be viewed as a "side" or "flank" of Lebanon. In point of fact, Lebanon and Hermon unite their roots to form a barrier between the Coele-Syrian plain (El Buka'a) and the valley of the Jordan, and an invader from the north must cross this barrier. It is not so difficult or rugged but that the Assyrians could bring their chariots ever it. They were accustomed to traverse far more difficult regions in Zagros and Niphatos and Taurus, and to carry their chariots with them, dismounting when necessary, and having the vehicles lifted over obstacles by human hands (see 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 2. p. 74). To the sides of Lebanon. An army which invades Palestine by the Coele-Syrian valley - quite the easiest and most usual line of invasion - necessarily passes along the entire eastern "side," or "flank," of Lebanon, which is the proper meaning of יַרְכָּה, and not "loftiest height" (Keil), or "innermost recess" (Revised Version). The plural, יַרְכְתֵי, is natural when a mountain range, like Lebanon, is spoken cf. And will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof. The felling of timber in the Syrian mountain-chains was a common practice of the Assyrian invaders, and had two quite distinct objects. Sometimes it was mere cruel devastation, done to injure and impoverish the inhabitants; but more often it was done for the sake of the timber which the conqueror carried off into his own country. "The mountains of Amanus I ascended," says Asshur-nazir-pal; "wood for bridges, pines, box, cypress, I cut down... cedar-wood from Amanus I destined for Bit-Hira and my pleasure-house called Azmaku, and for the temple of the moon and sun, the exalted gods. I proceeded to the land of Iz-mehri, and took possession of it throughout: I cut down beams for bridges, and carried them to Nineveh" ('Records of the Past,' vol. 3. p. 74). The cedar (erez) and the pine, or juniper (berosh), were in special request. And I will enter into the lodgings of his borders - rather, the lodge of its border - perhaps a palace or hunting-lodge on the outskirt of the Lebanon forest region (comp. Song of Solomon 7:4) - and into the forest of his Carmel; rather, the forest of its orchard; i.e. the choicest part of the Lebanon forest region - the part which is rather park or orchard than mere forest.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Through
בְּיַ֣ד (bə·yaḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

your servants
מַלְאָכֶיךָ֮ (mal·’ā·ḵe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

you have taunted
חֵרַ֣פְתָּ ׀ (ḥê·rap̄·tā)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2778: To pull off, to expose, to betroth, to carp at, defame, to spend the winter

the Lord
אֲדֹנָי֒ (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

and you have said:
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“With my many
בְּרֹ֥ב (bə·rōḇ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

chariots
רִכְבִּ֛י (riḵ·bî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

I
אֲנִ֥י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

have ascended
עָלִ֛יתִי (‘ā·lî·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

to the heights
מְר֥וֹם (mə·rō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4791: Altitude

of the mountains,
הָרִ֖ים (hā·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

to the far recesses
יַרְכְּתֵ֣י (yar·kə·ṯê)
Noun - fdc
Strong's 3411: Flank, side, extreme parts, recesses

of Lebanon.
לְבָנ֑וֹן (lə·ḇā·nō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3844: Lebanon -- a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel

I have cut down
וְאֶכְרֹ֞ת (wə·’eḵ·rōṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

its tallest
קוֹמַ֤ת (qō·w·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6967: Height

cedars,
אֲרָזָיו֙ (’ă·rā·zāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 730: A cedar tree

the finest
מִבְח֣וֹר (miḇ·ḥō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4005: Choicest, best

of its cypress trees.
בְּרֹשָׁ֔יו (bə·rō·šāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1265: A cypress, tree, a lance, a musical instrument

I have reached
וְאָב֙וֹאָה֙ (wə·’ā·ḇō·w·’āh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

its farthest
קִצֹּ֔ה‪‬ (qiṣ·ṣōh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7093: An extremity, after

outposts,
מְל֣וֹן (mə·lō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4411: A lodgment, caravanserai, encampment

the densest
יַ֖עַר (ya·‘ar)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3293: A copse of bushes, a forest, honey in the comb

of its forests.
כַּרְמִלּֽוֹ׃ (kar·mil·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3759: A plantation, garden land, fruit, garden growth


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OT History: 2 Kings 19:23 By your messengers you have defied (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 19:22
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