Outline of Isaiah chapters 36, 37, 38, 39
—King Hezekiah in Jerusalem
This page provides an outline of Isaiah chapters 36 to 39 for your reference. The complete outline of Isaiah is spread over several lessons.
1 Context Overview
In chapters twenty-eight to thirty-nine of Isaiah, Jerusalem is issued with a series of warnings,especially that their trust in Egypt as an ally is misplaced, and they should be trusting in God. These warnings are followed by encouragement, in the form of poems about the Messiah, "the King in his beauty." Next Isaiah warns all nations that they are accountable to God. Isaiah then tells the story of how God helped king Hezekiah in Jerusalem to save the city from destruction by Sennacherib king of Assyria. He then records how God extended Hezekiah’s life, and promised him that Jerusalem would not be destroyed until after his death.
2 Hezekiah and Sennacherib (Isaiah 36-37)
These two chapters record how Hezekiah king of Judah listens to God and obeys the word of Isaiah. The result is that Sennacherib king of Assyria is defeated in his attack on Jerusalem, and the destruction of Jerusalem is postponed until the Babylonian empire rises to power.
- Sennacherib’s boast, showing his arrogance and ignorance. What he says about Egypt is true, but by his public derision of God and good King Hezekiah, he has signed his own death warrant (Isaiah 36:1-22).
- Isaiah encourages Hezekiah with a prediction that Sennacherib will retreat to his own land there be killed by sword (Isaiah 37:1-7).
- Sennacherib again blasphemes, boasts, and threatens (Isaiah 37:8-13).
- Hezekiah takes his troubles to God in prayer (Isaiah 37:14-20).
- Isaiah delivers God’s answer in the form of an oracle against Sennacherib...
- Sennacherib’s boasting and blasphemy condemned (Isaiah 37:21-25).
- Sennacherib’s power comes from God, and now God will take his power away (Isaiah 37:26-29).
- Hezekiah is given a sign and promise that Sennacherib will not beseige or invade the city of Jerusalem (Isaiah 37:30-35).
- The Angel of the Lord routs the Assyrian army. Sennacherib retreats home to Ninevah. While he was worshipping his god, his sons murdered him by sword (Isaiah 37:36-38).
3 Hezekiah’s Life and Reign Extended (Isaiah 38-39).
- Hezekiah falls seriously ill. He prays to God, who grants him 15 more years of life with a remarkable sign (Isaiah 38:1-8).
- Hezekiah’s song (Isaiah 38:9-20).
- Footnotes recording the cure Isaiah prescribed for Hezekiah’s illness and Hezekiah’s request for a sign (Isaiah 38:21-22).
- Babylonian envoys visit Hezekiah, he shows them all his treasures. Isaiah prophesies that after Hezekiah's time the Babylonians will seize the treasures and carry off many people of Jerusalem into exile and slavery. Some of Hezekiah’s sons will be among them (Isaiah 39:1-8)
Note:— Duplicate passages. A very similar record to Isaiah 36-39 is found in 2Kings 18-20. See also 2Chronicles 32.