Isaiah 37:23 — Meaning and Application

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:

This {is} the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, {and} laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted {thy} voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? {even} against the Holy One of Israel.

By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, {and} the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, {and} the forest of his Carmel. {By thy...: Heb. By the hand of thy servants} {the tall...: Heb. the tallness of the cedars thereof and the choice of the fir trees thereof} {the forest...: or, the forest and his fruitful field}

I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places. {besieged: or, fenced and closed}