Isaiah 37:36

Authorized King James Version

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Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

Original Language Analysis

וַיֵּצֵ֣א׀ went forth H3318
וַיֵּצֵ֣א׀ went forth
Strong's: H3318
Word #: 1 of 16
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
מַלְאַ֣ךְ Then the angel H4397
מַלְאַ֣ךְ Then the angel
Strong's: H4397
Word #: 2 of 16
a messenger; specifically, of god, i.e., an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)
יְהוָ֗ה of the LORD H3068
יְהוָ֗ה of the LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 3 of 16
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
וַיַּכֶּה֙ and smote H5221
וַיַּכֶּה֙ and smote
Strong's: H5221
Word #: 4 of 16
to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה in the camp H4264
בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה in the camp
Strong's: H4264
Word #: 5 of 16
an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or e
אַשּׁ֔וּר of the Assyrians H804
אַשּׁ֔וּר of the Assyrians
Strong's: H804
Word #: 6 of 16
ashshur, the second son of shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e., assyria), its region and its empire
מֵאָ֛ה a hundred H3967
מֵאָ֛ה a hundred
Strong's: H3967
Word #: 7 of 16
a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction
וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים and fourscore H8084
וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים and fourscore
Strong's: H8084
Word #: 8 of 16
eighty, also eightieth
וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה and five H2568
וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה and five
Strong's: H2568
Word #: 9 of 16
five
אָ֑לֶף thousand H505
אָ֑לֶף thousand
Strong's: H505
Word #: 10 of 16
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ and when they arose early H7925
וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ and when they arose early
Strong's: H7925
Word #: 11 of 16
literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e., to start early in the morning
בַבֹּ֔קֶר in the morning H1242
בַבֹּ֔קֶר in the morning
Strong's: H1242
Word #: 12 of 16
properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
וְהִנֵּ֥ה H2009
וְהִנֵּ֥ה
Strong's: H2009
Word #: 13 of 16
lo!
כֻלָּ֖ם H3605
כֻלָּ֖ם
Strong's: H3605
Word #: 14 of 16
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
פְּגָרִ֥ים corpses H6297
פְּגָרִ֥ים corpses
Strong's: H6297
Word #: 15 of 16
a carcase (as limp), whether of man or beast; figuratively, an idolatrous image
מֵתִֽים׃ behold they were all dead H4191
מֵתִֽים׃ behold they were all dead
Strong's: H4191
Word #: 16 of 16
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

Analysis & Commentary

The fulfillment "the angel of the LORD went forth" describes supernatural intervention. The devastating result "smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred and fourscore and five thousand" (185,000 dead) shows God's power. The detail "when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses" emphasizes the sudden, overnight nature of judgment. No human army killed these soldiers—God acted directly. This miracle definitively proved YHWH's superiority over Assyrian gods and military might.

Historical Context

Ancient historian Herodotus records a similar event where mice (possibly plague-carrying) destroyed an Assyrian army. Whatever the secondary means, God sovereignly caused the destruction.

Questions for Reflection

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