· Translation: KJV

2 Kings 20:16Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of Yahweh.

The setting

Jerusalem, ~701 BC. Isaiah the prophet arrives at Hezekiah's palace with the formal prophetic introduction that always preceded divine judgment in modern-day Israel...

The emotion here: heavy-hearted but obedient, knowing he must deliver unwelcome news to someone he cares about

The original word

Yahweh (יְהוָה) — the covenant name of God, used when delivering covenant consequences

Why it matters

This phrase 'Hear the word of Yahweh' appears 23 times in Scripture and almost always precedes judgment or correction

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Kings 20:16

Isaiah's tone shift - he'd just healed Hezekiah's terminal illness, now he must pronounce judgment on the same man

Common misconceptionPeople think prophets enjoyed delivering bad news, but Isaiah had just performed a miracle for Hezekiah - this confrontation would have been personally painful.

Bible Genome reading

2 Kings 20:16 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerIsaiah
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotionworship
Literary typeprophecy
MarkCommand
MarkProphecy

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability70%
Memorability70%
Crisis relevance80%
Standalone60%
Themes:prophetic authoritydivine messagesolemn announcement

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Kings 20

2 Kings 20:16 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. The setting is a royal palace. These words are attributed to Isaiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include prophetic authority, divine message, solemn announcement. Notable phrases: Hear the word of Yahweh. This verse contains a command. This verse contains prophecy.

Your reflection

What does 2 Kings 20:16 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "worship"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.