2 Kings 19:14 Meaning and Explanation
“And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Hezekiah takes the threatening letter, reads it, and spreads it open before the LORD in the temple.
What Does 2 Kings 19:14 Mean?
Hezekiah takes the letter from the messengers and reads it. Then he does something unforgettable in its simplicity: he goes up to the house of the LORD and spreads the letter open before God, as if laying the threat itself on the altar.
Here is one of Scripture's purest images of prayer. The king does not answer Sennacherib's words with words of his own, nor hide the letter away in fear. He carries it to God and unfolds it, every cruel line laid bare before the One who reads all hearts. Whatever weighs on us, the threats, the accusations, the impossible demands, can be brought just like this and spread open before the Lord. He invites us to bring Him the very letter that frightens us.
2 Kings 19:14 in the Original Language
paras (פָּרַשׂ), 'spread' -- to lay out fully open, as Hezekiah unfolds the letter so that nothing in it is hidden from God.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Kings 19:14
What does 2 Kings 19:14 mean?
Hezekiah takes the threatening letter, reads it, and spreads it open before the LORD in the temple.