en_tn_condensed/isa/37/intro.md

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Isaiah 37 General Notes

Structure and formatting

Some translations prefer to set apart extended quotations, prayers or songs. The ULB and many other English translations indent the lines of chapter 37:22-38, which is an extended quotation.

Special concepts in this chapter

Tearing clothes and putting on sackcloth

This was a sign of great distress. While it is often accompanies repentance, in this chapter it is intended to show the king's anger at the blasphemy of the Assyrians when they spoke against Yahweh. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sign, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/repent and rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/blasphemy)

Prayer

Hezekiah was different from the other kings because when he was threatened by Assyria, he went to Yahweh in prayer. He did not trust in his army or make an alliance with Egypt. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/trust)