Discovering the Ultimate Superiority: The God of Israel versus the Rest, ישעיהו לז:יט-כד / Isaiah 37:19-24

Introduction to Isaiah 37:19-24

The Bible explains to us how God is the Creator, He is like no other, and He is a God of life and not death. The Lord God delivers, He sustains, He makes new, and He loves His creation. It is because of these attributes that Hezekiah can refute the claims of the Assyrians and believe that God can deliver Jerusalem and Judah from Assyria. The Lord God Almighty is on a different level from all the other gods, so much so that He commands not to be likened to a graven image of anything on earth according to Shemot / Exodus 20:1-5 due to His other worldliness. This sets the God of Israel above the gods of the nations. This is how Hezekiah could declare his own trust in God in a very concise way. We too can declare our faith and trust in the Lord in a very concise manner due to our having the Word of God (the Bible). The Lord God then tells Isaiah to speak to Hezekiah how the Lord is going to deliver them in a very powerful way. In the opening verses of Isaiah 37 the events that lead to Hezekiah going up to the Temple of the Lord are meant to lead humanity to repentance and trusting by faith. When we repent and trust in the Lord with kavanah (proper intention) it is then that He will respond to us when we inquire of the Lord. We note that Yeshua taught the following concerning trusting in the Lord.

Mark 11:22-25 
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (ESV, *22 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς·* ⸆ ἔχετε πίστιν θεοῦ. 23 ἀμὴν ⸆ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὃς ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ·* ἄρθητι καὶ βλήθητι εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ μὴ διακριθῇ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀλλὰ ⸂πιστεύῃ ὅτι ὃ λαλεῖ γίνεται, ἔσται⸃ αὐτῷ.* *24 διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, πάντα ὅσα προσεύχεσθε καὶ αἰτεῖσθε, πιστεύετε ὅτι ⸀ἐλάβετε,* καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν. *25 Καὶ ὅταν ⸀στήκετε προσευχόμενοι, ἀφίετε εἴ τι ἔχετε κατά τινος, ἵνα καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀφῇ ὑμῖν τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν.* ⸆)

Luke 11:9-13 
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (ESV, *9 Κἀγὼ ὑμῖν λέγω, αἰτεῖτε καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν,* ζητεῖτε καὶ εὑρήσετε, κρούετε καὶ ⸀ἀνοιγήσεται ὑμῖν· 10 πᾶς γὰρ ὁ αἰτῶν λαμβάνει καὶ ὁ ζητῶν εὑρίσκει καὶ τῷ κρούοντι ⸀ἀνοιγήσεται. 11 ⸂τίνα δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν τὸν πατέρα αἰτήσει ὁ υἱὸς⸃ ⸆ ἰχθύν,* ⸀καὶ ἀντὶ ἰχθύος ὄφιν ⸉αὐτῷ ἐπιδώσει⸊;* 12 ἢ καὶ ⸆ αἰτήσει ⸀ᾠόν, ⸇ ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ σκορπίον;* 13 εἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς πονηροὶ ⸀ὑπάρχοντες οἴδατε δόματα ἀγαθὰ διδόναι τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ πατὴρ* ⸂[ὁ] ἐξ οὐρανοῦ⸃ δώσει ⸄πνεῦμα ἅγιον⸅ τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν.)

In Mark 11:22-25 Yeshua says  ἔχετε πίστιν θεοῦ “Have faith in God,” this resonates with what we see taking place in Isaiah that we are to trust in the Lord. Here Yeshua speaks of the power of trusting in the Lord and faith, that believing even a mountain can be moved and cast into the sea. This concept of casting into the sea is a rabbinic concept of utterly destroying idolatry. This is a very important concept when considering our going before the Lord in prayer and requesting freedom from sin while holding onto to the sin as an idol in our lives. There are many references in the rabbinic literature, here in the Talmud Bavli Avodah Zara 43b and Pesachim 28a we read how idols are to be ground up and the dust “cast into the sea.”

Talmud Bavli Avodah Zarah 43b:19
MISHNA: Rabbi Yosei says: When one encounters an idol, he should grind the idol and throw the dust to the wind or cast it into the sea.

Talmud Bavli Pesachim 28a:6
Or perhaps one may crumble it and throw it into the wind, but he may cast it into the sea in its pure, unadulterated form, without crumbling it first….We also learned in a Mishnah with regard to idolatry in a case like this that Rabbi Yosei says: He may grind the idol and throw the dust into the wind or cast it into the sea.

The point is that the mountain that is cast, this mountain may be some sin that seems insurmountable to overcome. We note that Yeshua says “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Here Yeshua suggests that prayer and forgiveness of others are coupled, meaning that we are not to hold anything against a brother or sister in the Lord when going before God seeking help or forgiveness of sins. Just like what Isaiah is teaching us about the sanctity of the name of God in our lives in Isaiah 37, Yeshua is saying that God will indeed take action for the sake of His name when we seek Him in prayer believing, trusting, and living for Him. In Luke 11:9-13 Yeshua speaks to the goodness of God as our Father who desires to give to His children who ask and seek Him. The point is that we can trust in the Lord believing that He hears us and is willing to answer our prayers. Note what David wrote in Tehillim / Psalms 66:18 that if we regard iniquity in our hearts the Lord will not hear us. This is why Teshuvah (repentance) is so important for receiving answered prayer. The point is that the Scriptures reveal to us how we are to seek repentance, trust in the Lord, and live for Him, when we respond in these ways we can be confident that He hears our prayers and that He will respond in a way that satisfies. There are times when we have an illness that we seek from the Lord healing. I have read many who question the idea that in Yeshua we are healed because when they ask in Yeshua’s name they do not receive healing. The point about these things is concerning our being in a battle here in this life, a battle for righteousness and against unrighteousness. The message that we receive from the Scriptures is that we are called to be God’s people and we are called to maintain our faith and faithfulness regardless of what happens to us in this lifetime. From Paul’s comments in the NT text, the Lord sometimes does not heal, and this is for maintaining the faith, to consider regardless of what happens we maintain the faith and this brings glory to God and His holy Name! Our main objective in this life is to draw near to the Lord, and to live our lives for Him, telling others about the great mercy God has on us in Yeshua, and bring glory to HaShem.

Isaiah states the following according to Isaiah 37:19.

ספר ישעיה פרק לז
יט   וְנָתֹן אֶת-אֱלֹהֵיהֶם בָּאֵשׁ כִּי לֹא אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה כִּי אִם-מַעֲשֵֹה יְדֵי-אָדָם עֵץ וָאֶבֶן וַיְאַבְּדוּם: 

Isaiah 37:19 states, “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. (וְנָתֹן אֶת-אֱלֹהֵיהֶם בָּאֵשׁ כִּי לֹא אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה כִּי אִם-מַעֲשֵֹה יְדֵי-אָדָם עֵץ וָאֶבֶן וַיְאַבְּדוּם)” Here Isaiah states וְנָתֹן אֶת-אֱלֹהֵיהֶם בָּאֵשׁ “and give their gods into the fire” notice how Hezekiah in his faith statement here believes that God alone is sovereign and superior in power and strength. The reason this is so, כִּי אִם-מַעֲשֵֹה יְדֵי-אָדָם עֵץ וָאֶבֶן “because made with man’s hand wood and stone” these gods are simply idols made of wood and stone and have no substance, are inanimate objects and superficial as being only images and having no power. These gods are not real gods. Hezekiah states what he knows to be true, this is why he had destroyed the high places around Judah to return the people to the one true faith and worship of the one true God. Note the kind of faith we need to maintain described elsewhere in the Scriptures

ספר דניאל פרק ג
טז   עֲנוֹ שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ וְאָמְרִין לְמַלְכָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר לָא-חַשְׁחִין אֲנַחְנָא עַל-דְּנָה פִּתְגָם לַהֲתָבוּתָךְ: יז   הֵן אִיתַי אֱלָהָנָא דִּי-אֲנַחְנָא פָלְחִין יָכִל לְשֵׁיזָבוּתַנָא מִן-אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא וּמִן-יְדָךְ מַלְכָּא יְשֵׁיזִב:

Daniel 3:16–17  
3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. (KJV)

Here Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego all were willing to go to death for their faith in the God of Israel. Their statement is regardless of what happens to us, we will continue to be faithful to the Lord. This draws us back to this question about being healed from illness when we seek the Lord for healing and nothing happens. The point is in this world we are in a battle for righteousness and truth, and taking a stand against unrighteousness and lies. We are called to maintain these things (faith and faithfulness) regardless of what happens to us in this lifetime. Again, from Paul’s comments in the NT text, the Lord sometimes does not heal, and this is to demonstrate our faithfulness regardless of what happens just like these men in Daniel 3:16-17 to show the world that we will maintain the faith and continue to bring glory to God and His holy Name! Our main objective in this life is to draw near to the Lord, and to live our lives for Him and His glory!  This is how we refute the claims of the world who stand against our God and our way of life (that is to live according to God’s holy word). We take a stand upon the truth that we read in the Scriptures and do not waver. This is that the Lord God of Israel is a different order of being from all the other gods of the nations. In every way He is superior and fundamentally different! We note that the lack of idolatry is not the reason that God is fundamentally different. He is different due to His lovingkindness, mercy, and love. Because of these things what the world says about our God is meaningless. We do not have to worry about what the world thinks, and if something bad happens or a person is never healed of an illness this does not mean that God has failed or that he is like one of the many other gods of the nations.

Isaiah goes on saying the following according to Isaiah 37:20.

ספר ישעיה פרק לז
כ   וְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ מִיָּדוֹ וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל-מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ כִּי-אַתָּה יְהֹוָה לְבַדֶּךָ: 

Isaiah 37:20 states, “Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only. (וְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ מִיָּדוֹ וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל-מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ כִּי-אַתָּה יְהֹוָה לְבַדֶּךָ)” Here Hezekiah calls upon the Lord to save Jerusalem and Judah to let all the nations know that He truely is God and Lord over all! Here we can see how Hezekiah’s primary interest is in the honor and glory of God. Notice the significance here in what Hezekiah is saying. We can talk about glorifying God, but what Hezekiah is speaking of is considering how God is perceived by the nations. See how this is directly connected to the way in which we live our lives? The world looks at us and perceives who God is through the way that we live our lives. The significant point here is that we do not live like the world, which means that we are not to be indistinguishable from the world. We are supposed to be a holy people, and that means that we are set apart from the world, and do not have a part in the ways of the world. We are distinguishable from the world and it should be obvious by anyone who merely talks with us! This is the idea behind these statements from Yeshua and Paul according to Matthew 6:33 and Phillipians 1:20, respectively.

Matthew 6:33  
6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (KJV 33 ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν ⸂βασιλείαν [τοῦ θεοῦ]* καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην⸃ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν.)

Philippians 1:20  
1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. (KJV 20 κατὰ τὴν* ⸀ἀποκαραδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα μου,* ὅτι ἐν οὐδενὶ αἰσχυνθήσομαι ἀλλʼ ἐν πάσῃ παρρησίᾳ ὡς πάντοτε καὶ νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς ἐν τῷ σώματί μου,* εἴτε διὰ ζωῆς εἴτε διὰ θανάτου.*)

Yeshua says we are to seek first the kingdom of God. This means that we are to seek the things of God, not sports, not cars, not money, but the kingdom of God. Paul writes that his hope is in nothing else besides that Yeshua HaMashiakh would be magnified in his body. These statements parallel these things here from Isaiah on Hezekiah, the focus being upon God’s glory and His reputation. What Hezekiah, Yeshua, and Paul are teaching us is that God and His glory is the end goal of righteousness and holiness, and God’s deliverance is the outcome!

Isaiah goes on saying the following according to Isaiah 37:21-23.

ספר ישעיה פרק לז
כא   וַיִּשְׁלַח יְשַׁעְיָהוּ בֶן-אָמוֹץ אֶל-חִזְקִיָּהוּ לֵאמֹר כֹּה-אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הִתְפַּלַּלְתָּ אֵלַי אֶל-סַנְחֵרִיב מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר: כב   זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה עָלָיו בָּזָה לְךָ לָעֲגָה לְךָ בְּתוּלַת בַּת-צִיּוֹן אַחֲרֶיךָ רֹאשׁ הֵנִיעָה בַּת יְרוּשָׁלָם: כג   אֶת-מִי חֵרַפְתָּ וְגִדַּפְתָּ וְעַל-מִי הֲרִימוֹתָה קּוֹל וַתִּשָּׂא מָרוֹם עֵינֶיךָ אֶל-קְדוֹשׁ יִשְֹרָאֵל: 

Isaiah 37:21 states, “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: (וַיִּשְׁלַח יְשַׁעְיָהוּ בֶן-אָמוֹץ אֶל-חִזְקִיָּהוּ לֵאמֹר כֹּה-אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הִתְפַּלַּלְתָּ אֵלַי אֶל-סַנְחֵרִיב מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר)” Isaiah 37:22 “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. (זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה עָלָיו בָּזָה לְךָ לָעֲגָה לְךָ בְּתוּלַת בַּת-צִיּוֹן אַחֲרֶיךָ רֹאשׁ הֵנִיעָה בַּת יְרוּשָׁלָם)” Isaiah 37:23 “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. (אֶת-מִי חֵרַפְתָּ וְגִדַּפְתָּ וְעַל-מִי הֲרִימוֹתָה קּוֹל וַתִּשָּׂא מָרוֹם עֵינֶיךָ אֶל-קְדוֹשׁ יִשְֹרָאֵל)” The Lord God responds to Hezekiah through the prophet Isaiah and speaks the word of God that has been spoken against Sennacherib. We note the narrative, Sennacherib sent his army and messengers to Jerusalem to talk to Hezekiah, to scare him into surrendering. Then Hezekiah went before the Lord at the temple in Jerusalem, and then the Lord God communicated back to Hezekiah concerning Sennacherib. The point of what the Lord God is saying to Hezekiah is that it is the Lord God Almighty who ultimately rules and not Sennacherib. So Sennacherib is at the mercy of God, and not the other way around! Note that when a person is young they have no experience and are weaker in their defenses as opposed to a strongman who is experienced in war and age. This is how the Lord God responds to Sennacherib saying בְּתוּלַת בַּת-צִיּוֹן אַחֲרֶיךָ רֹאשׁ הֵנִיעָה בַּת יְרוּשָׁלָם “The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.” The idea here is that the youth, the virgin, the female who has very little strength will laugh at him to scorn and wag her head at him in defiance due to the power of the God of Israel. Note what David wrote in the psalms.

ספר תהילים פרק כב
ח   כָּל-רֹאַי יַלְעִגוּ לִי יַפְטִירוּ בְשָֹפָה יָנִיעוּ רֹאשׁ: ט   גֹּל אֶל-יְהֹוָה יְפַלְּטֵהוּ יַצִּילֵהוּ כִּי חָפֵץ בּוֹ: י   כִּי-אַתָּה גֹחִי מִבָּטֶן מַבְטִיחִי עַל-שְׁדֵי אִמִּי:

Tehillim / Psalm 22:7–8  
22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: Let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. (KJV)

David speaks of the enemy laughing at him to scorn, but here in Isaiah 37 the Lord responds with the virgin of Zion laughing at the enemy to scorn. So Sennacherib does not do what he had planned, which was to take the city of Jerusalem. He returns home in disgrace due to the Lord God killing his army and then he is killed by his own sons. These things reveal to us how important it is to trust in the Lord God Almighty because those who attack us will be attacking God. (Bereshit / Genesis 12:3, Shemot / Exodus 23:22) Note however this is contingent upon whether one is living his or her life for the Lord, because if one is living in unrepentant sin, then the strike of the enemy may be in God’s will to draw us back to repentance, truth, and life!

Isaiah goes on saying the following according to Isaiah 37:24.

ספר ישעיה פרק לז
כד   בְּיַד עֲבָדֶיךָ חֵרַפְתָּ | אֲדֹנָי וַתֹּאמֶר בְּרֹב רִכְבִּי אֲנִי עָלִיתִי מְרוֹם הָרִים יַרְכְּתֵי לְבָנוֹן וְאֶכְרֹת קוֹמַת אֲרָזָיו מִבְחַר בְּרֹשָׁיו וְאָבוֹא מְרוֹם קִצּוֹ יַעַר כַּרְמִלּוֹ: 

Isaiah 37:24 states, “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. (בְּיַד עֲבָדֶיךָ חֵרַפְתָּ | אֲדֹנָי וַתֹּאמֶר בְּרֹב רִכְבִּי אֲנִי עָלִיתִי מְרוֹם הָרִים יַרְכְּתֵי לְבָנוֹן וְאֶכְרֹת קוֹמַת אֲרָזָיו מִבְחַר בְּרֹשָׁיו וְאָבוֹא מְרוֹם קִצּוֹ יַעַר כַּרְמִלּוֹ)” Here is language that speaks to pride of the nations, specifically here the pride of Sennacherib that if he chooses he will do these things without opposition because of his own self sufficient might. This is very dangerous ground to stand upon, because here Sennacherib is trusting in his own chariots and military might. The Lord God Almighty however will show him what the outcome is for those who trust in the might of self sufficiency. The one who trusts in these things will come to an end very quickly! We note something here concerning being experienced with age. Experience does not necessarily make one wise. Here we see how Sennacherib has a great amount of military experience in his multiple conquests, and this has led him to boast against the God of Israel. Here his experience is used as a means for boasting and pride. What we note about experience is that it can lead to greater amounts of sin. So it is also important for us to seek out the proper experience from the sense of what Yeshua says to seek first the kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:33) Because anything else will feed into the cult of a degenerate lifestyle, this is what we see going on in the world today all over the place, even in the lives of those who are the children of God because they do not seek the kingdom of God. 

Rabbinic Commentary on Isaiah 37:19-24

The Targum Jonathan is an Aramaic and Rabbinic translation of the book of Isaiah and therefore is a valuable resource for continuing to study the book of Isaiah!

תרגום יונתן בן עוזיאל אל ישעיה פרק לז:יט-כד
יח      בְקוּשטָא יוי אַחרִיבוּ מַלכֵי אַתוּר יָת כָל מְדִינָתָא וְיָת אַרעְהֹון׃ יט      וּמֹוקְדִין יָת טָעְוָתְהֹון בְנוּרָא אְרֵי לָא טָעְוָן דְאִית בְהֵין צְרֹוך אִנִין אְלָהֵין עֹובָד יְדֵי אְנָשָא אָעָא וְאַבנָא וְאַבֵידוּנוּן׃ כ      וּכעַן יוי אְלָהַנָא פְרֹוקנָא מִן יְדֵיה וְיִדְעוּן כָל מַלכְוָת אַרעָא אְרֵי אַת יוי לֵית בָר מִנָך׃ כא      וּשלַח יְשַעיָה בַר אָמֹוץ לְוָת חִזקִיָה לְמֵימַר כִדנָן אְמַר יוי אְלָהָא דְיִשׂרָאֵל דִבעֵיתָא מִן קֳדָמַי עַל סַנחֵרִיב מַלכָא דְאַתוּר׃ כב      דֵין פִתגָמָא דִגזַר יוי עְלֹוהִי מְבַסְרָא עְלָך מָעִיקָא עְלָך מַלכוּת כְנִשתָא דְצִיֹון בָתְרָך רֵישֵיהֹון מְנִידִין עַמָא דְבִירוּשלַם׃ כג      יָת מַן חַסֵידתָא וְעַל מַן אִתרָרַבתָא וּקֳדָם מַן אְרֵימתָא קָלָא וּזקַפתָא לְרוּמָא עֵינָך וַאְמַרתָא מִלִין דְלָא כָשְרָן קֳדָם קַדִישָא דְיִשׂרָאֵל׃ כד      בְיַד עַבדָך חַסֵידתָא עַמָא דַיוי וַאְמַרתָא בְסַגִיאוּת רְתִכַאי אְנָא סְלֵיקִית לִתקֹוף כַרכֵיהֹון וְאַף אֵיחֹוד בֵית מַקדְשֵיהֹון וַאְקַטֵיל שְפַר גִיבָרֵיהֹון מִבחַר שִלטֹונֵיהֹון וַאְכַבֵיש קִריַת תוּקפְהֹון וַאְשֵיצֵי סְגֵי מַשרְיָתְהֹון׃

Targum Jonathan son of Uziel Isaiah 37:19-24
37:18 Of a truth, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the provinces and their lands, 37:19 And have burnt their gods in the fire: for they were no gods, they are of no use, but they are the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, therefore they have destroyed them. 37:20 And now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art the Lord; there is none besides Thee. 37:21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, whereas thou hast prayed before me concerning Sennacherib, the king of Assyria: 37:22 This is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him. The kingdom of the congregation of Zion despises thee, abhors thee; the people which are in Jerusalem shake their head behind thee. 37:23 Whom hast thou reproached, and against whom hast thou exalted thyself? and before whom hast thou lifted up thy voice? Yea, thou hast lifted up thine eyes on high; because thou hast spoken words which are not right before the Holy One of Israel. 37:24 By thy servants hast thou reproached the people of the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up against their fortified cities; and moreover, I will seize the house of their sanctuary, and I will slay the most beautiful of their mighty ones, and the choicest of their rulers, and I will subdue the city of their strength, and I will destroy the multitude of their army. (TgJ)

The Targum translates Isaiah from the MSS saying, יח      בְקוּשטָא יוי אַחרִיבוּ מַלכֵי אַתוּר יָת כָל מְדִינָתָא וְיָת אַרעְהֹון׃ 37:18 Of a truth, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the provinces and their lands, יט      וּמֹוקְדִין יָת טָעְוָתְהֹון בְנוּרָא אְרֵי לָא טָעְוָן דְאִית בְהֵין צְרֹוך אִנִין אְלָהֵין עֹובָד יְדֵי אְנָשָא אָעָא וְאַבנָא וְאַבֵידוּנוּן׃ 37:19 And have burnt their gods in the fire: for they were no gods, they are of no use, but they are the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, therefore they have destroyed them. (TgJ) Here we read how Assyria destroyed not just the nations but their gods as well which are described as wood and stone objects and how they are no gods and are of no use but simply the work of men’s hands. This is reminiscent of what Moshe wrote according to the Torah in Shemot / Exodus 20:1-5.

ספר שמות פרק כ
א   וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר:   ס   ב   אָנֹכִי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים: ג   לֹא-יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל-פָּנָי: ד   לֹא-תַעֲשֶֹה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל-תְּמוּנָה אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וַאֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת וַאֲשֶׁר בַּמַּיִם מִתַּחַת לָאָרֶץ: ה   לֹא-תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהֶם וְלֹא תָעָבְדֵם כִּי אָנֹכִי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵל קַנָּא פֹּקֵד עֲוֹן אָבֹת עַל-בָּנִים עַל-שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל-רִבֵּעִים לְשֹֹנְאָי: ו   וְעֹשֶֹה חֶסֶד לַאֲלָפִים לְאֹהֲבַי וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָי: 

Shemot / Exodus 20:1–5  
20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (KJV)

The intent here is that the God of Israel is discussing how He is Lord and king over Israel, and how there are to be no other gods to take the place that is for Him alone. These words from both Isaiah and Exodus are all about the reign of God in our lives. The question is “are we willing to accept the reign of God in our lives?” Within the context of these things, God said that we are not to do (do not live) like the Egyptians. Egyptian moral life was an abomination because it involved idolatry, immorality, oppression, and violence. The Egyptians worshiped animals as gods and held them as sacred, while the God of Israel forbade any worship of other gods or images as we see here in Shemot / Exodus 20:1-5. The Egyptians lived in a way that was an abomination to God because they worshiped animals as gods and held them as sacred. The Hebrews, on the other hand, sacrificed animals to the Lord their God, which was considered a very offensive and profane act by the Egyptians. For example, sheep were sacred to Amon, cows were sacred to Hathor, and bulls were sacred to Apis. If the Hebrews sacrifice these animals in the sight of the Egyptians, they would risk being stoned by the angry mob because it would be counter intuitive to the Egyptian religion. This is why Moses asked Pharaoh to let them go out of the land to worship their God in peace. 

Reasons why God told Israel not to live like the Egyptians.

• God wanted Israel to be holy and separate from the nations that did not worship him or obey his commands. He wanted them to be his treasured possession, his kingdom of priests and his holy nation.
• God wanted Israel to avoid the idolatry and immorality of the Egyptians, who worshiped many gods and animals and practiced various forms of sexual perversion. He wanted them to worship him alone and follow his moral laws that reflected his character and will.
• God wanted Israel to remember his grace and faithfulness in delivering them from the bondage and oppression of the Egyptians, who enslaved them and tried to kill their male children . He wanted them to trust him and obey him as their redeemer and protector.
• God wanted Israel to prepare for the Promised Land (Canaan), where he was bringing them to inherit as a gift of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He wanted them to follow his guidance and his laws that would enable them to live in peace and prosperity in the land.

The significant point is that the God of Israel wanted the people to accept his decrees so that He would reign in our lives through holiness, justice, and righteousness. The Rabbis say in a Midrash that “anything (is called ‘a god’) that you make a king (‘melech’) over you, even a chip or a shard.” (Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael 20:3 Part 1) They say this is the meaning behind God saying לֹא-יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים “You shall have no other gods” according to Shemot / Exodus 20:3. This is an important point, that it is possible to make anything a god, and that gods in one’s life can be more than simply wood and stone objects. 

Isaiah goes on saying the following according to the TgJ, כ      וּכעַן יוי אְלָהַנָא פְרֹוקנָא מִן יְדֵיה וְיִדְעוּן כָל מַלכְוָת אַרעָא אְרֵי אַת יוי לֵית בָר מִנָך׃ 37:20 And now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art the Lord; there is none besides Thee. (TgJ) Here Isaiah speaks about the zeal of the Lord God Almighty for His Name sake to perform a miracle. Sifrei Devarim 43:16 writes the following concerning these things.

Sifrei Devarim 43:16
ועבדתם אלהים אחרים – וכי אלהים הוא? והלא כבר נאמר (ישעיה לז) ונתון את אלהיהם באש כי לא אלהים המה, כי אם מעשה ידי אדם! ולמה נקרא שמם אלהים אחרים? שעושים את עובדיהם אחרים.
“and you serve other gods”: Now are they gods? Is it not written (Isaiah 37:19) “And they have cast their gods into the fire. For they are not gods, but the work of men’s hands.” Why, then, “other gods”? For others make them gods.

Here the commentary has a short comment on אלהים אחרים (other gods) that they make them gods. This is the idea of taking something and making it a god in our lives. I believe that this can relate to anything. Some people believe this only applies to physical idols. The command in Shemot / Exodus 20:4-5 states, לֹֽ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־לְךָ֥֣ פֶ֣֙סֶל֙׀ וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֡֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣֙יִם֙׀ מִמַּ֡֔עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩ בָּאָ֖֨רֶץ מִתַָּ֑֜חַת וַאֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בַּמַּ֖֣יִם׀ מִתַּ֥֣חַת לָאָֽ֗רֶץ׃ לֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחְוֶ֥֣ה לָהֶ֖ם֮ וְלֹ֣א תָעָבְדֵ֑ם֒ כִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֞י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֺ֨ן אָבֹ֧ת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֹׂנְאָֽ֑י׃ “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.” This command primarily pertains to idolatry, which is the worship of any image or representation of a god other than the one true God, the LORD (HaShem). Idolatry is a serious sin that violates the first and greatest commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Shemot / Exodus 20:3). Idolatry is also an act of unfaithfulness and disloyalty to God, who is a jealous God and does not tolerate any rivals or competitors for his glory and honor. Idolatry provokes God’s wrath and brings judgment upon those who practice it and their descendants. However, the command in Shemot / Exodus 20:4-5 also has a broader implication that goes beyond idolatry. It also forbids making any image or likeness of anything in creation for the purpose of worshiping it or giving it honor that belongs to God alone. This includes not only false gods, but also any creature or object that may become an object of devotion, reverence, or obsession. For example, some people may worship or idolize money, power, fame, beauty, sex, sports, celebrities, etc. These things are not necessarily evil in themselves, but they become sinful when they take the place of God in one’s heart and life. Therefore, the command in Shemot / Exodus 20:4-5 pertains to idolatry as well as anything else that may compete with God for one’s love, loyalty, and worship. God alone deserves all glory, honor, and praise, and this is why we see in John 4:24 Yeshua teaching that God’s people are to worship him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). 

Isaiah goes on saying, כא      וּשלַח יְשַעיָה בַר אָמֹוץ לְוָת חִזקִיָה לְמֵימַר כִדנָן אְמַר יוי אְלָהָא דְיִשׂרָאֵל דִבעֵיתָא מִן קֳדָמַי עַל סַנחֵרִיב מַלכָא דְאַתוּר׃ 37:21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, whereas thou hast prayed before me concerning Sennacherib, the king of Assyria: כב      דֵין פִתגָמָא דִגזַר יוי עְלֹוהִי מְבַסְרָא עְלָך מָעִיקָא עְלָך מַלכוּת כְנִשתָא דְצִיֹון בָתְרָך רֵישֵיהֹון מְנִידִין עַמָא דְבִירוּשלַם׃ 37:22 This is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him. The kingdom of the congregation of Zion despises thee, abhors thee; the people which are in Jerusalem shake their head behind thee. כג      יָת מַן חַסֵידתָא וְעַל מַן אִתרָרַבתָא וּקֳדָם מַן אְרֵימתָא קָלָא וּזקַפתָא לְרוּמָא עֵינָך וַאְמַרתָא מִלִין דְלָא כָשְרָן קֳדָם קַדִישָא דְיִשׂרָאֵל׃ 37:23 Whom hast thou reproached, and against whom hast thou exalted thyself? and before whom hast thou lifted up thy voice? Yea, thou hast lifted up thine eyes on high; because thou hast spoken words which are not right before the Holy One of Israel. כד      בְיַד עַבדָך חַסֵידתָא עַמָא דַיוי וַאְמַרתָא בְסַגִיאוּת רְתִכַאי אְנָא סְלֵיקִית לִתקֹוף כַרכֵיהֹון וְאַף אֵיחֹוד בֵית מַקדְשֵיהֹון וַאְקַטֵיל שְפַר גִיבָרֵיהֹון מִבחַר שִלטֹונֵיהֹון וַאְכַבֵיש קִריַת תוּקפְהֹון וַאְשֵיצֵי סְגֵי מַשרְיָתְהֹון׃37:24 By thy servants hast thou reproached the people of the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up against their fortified cities; and moreover, I will seize the house of their sanctuary, and I will slay the most beautiful of their mighty ones, and the choicest of their rulers, and I will subdue the city of their strength, and I will destroy the multitude of their army. (TgJ) We note here according to the TgJ translation that those who rise up against God’s people, in doing so one also rises up against the Lord God Almighty. Note this is paralleled in the text according to Zechariah 2:12 “for whoever touches you touches the pupil of His eye.” (כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָמַר֮ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֒ אַחַ֣ר כָּב֔וֹד שְׁלָחַ֕נִי אֶל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם הַשֹּׁלְלִ֣ים אֶתְכֶ֑ם כִּ֚י הַנֹּגֵ֣עַ בָּכֶ֔ם נֹגֵ֖עַ בְּבָבַ֥ת עֵינֽוֹ׃) It is not written “the pupil of the eye,” but “the pupil of His eye” which is a reference to God’s eye. Note also the promise to Abraham in Parashat Lech Lecha (Bereshit / Genesis 12:1–17:27) These things speak to the Lord God being on the side of His people to protect and to build up. Devarim / Deuteronomy 32:10 speaks of the people of God being called “the apple of His eye” when Israel had arrived at the Promised Land and Moshe was turning over leadership to Joshua and the Song of Moshe. In the song of Moshe, we are reminded of God’s protection and provision for our lives. Here the context is bamidbar (in the wilderness) which was a barren and howling waste land in which the Lord God shielded and cared for His people. The apple of His eye means that He regards us as the object of His affection and precious in His sight. The Torah says that we are made in His image and were created to reflect His glory. This is why He sent His son Yeshua so that through faith we can be transformed from the inside out as Paul writes, “And to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). The hope that we have is the victory that we obtain in Yeshua the Messiah, and remembering how we are loved by God and called to live in His holy ways. In this we have great hope and can praise the Lord for His great mercy on our lives!