In Second Kings, chapter nineteen, verse one, Hezekiah had great confidence in God as in chapter eighteen, verse five. Faced with the threat of the Assyrians in the same chapter from verses seventeen through thirty-seven and horrified at the mockery of the Lord in verses thirty to thirty-five, he turned to God. Hezekiah petitioned Isaiah to pray for Jerusalem and God’s remnant people.
No doubt the words, which his messengers report were such as to tell upon the king, especially that saying of Rab-shakeh, “The Lord said unto me, Go up against this place and destroy it.” The king was shocked with horror as much as his counselors. But he feels that he has in his council one who has long been well-known as God’s messenger to Judah. So while he falls to humiliation and prayer, going for that purpose into the house of the Lord, he sends his servants to enquire of the Prophet what hope there is amid the terrible attack which may very soon be upon them.
Hezekiah discovered deep concern at the dishonor done to God by Rabshakeh’s blasphemy. Those who speak from God to us should, in a particular manner, desire to communicate to God for us. The great Prophet is the great Intercessor. Those likely to prevail with God, who lifts their hearts in prayer. Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. While his servants can speak nothing but terror to the profane, the proud, and the hypocritical, they have comfortable words for the discouraged believer.
When King Hezekiah heard it, he rented his clothes, which was a mode of expressing horror at the daring blasphemy with the assumption of sackcloth as a sign of his mental distress and his entrance into the temple to pray the refuge of a pious man in affliction. And the forwarding of an account of the Assyrian’s speech to Isaiah was to obtain the Prophet’s counsel and comfort.