Isaiah 37:2-5

37:2 Eliakim the palace supervisor, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, ¹  clothed in sackcloth, sent this message to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz: 37:3 “This is what Hezekiah says: ²  ‘This is a day of distress, insults, ³  and humiliation, ⁴  as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. ⁵  37:4 Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God. ⁶  When the Lord your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said. ⁷  So pray for this remnant that remains.’” ⁸ 

37:5 When King Hezekiah’s servants came to Isaiah,

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¹ tn Heb “elders of the priests” (so KJV, NAB, NASB); NCV “the older priests”; NRSV, TEV, CEV “the senior priests.”

² tn In the Hebrew text this verse begins with “they said to him” (cf. NRSV).

³ tn Or “rebuke” (KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), or “correction.”

⁴ tn Or “contempt”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “disgrace.”

⁵ tn Heb “when sons come to the cervical opening and there is no strength to give birth.”

⁶ tn Heb “all the words of the chief adviser whom his master, the king of Assyria, sent to taunt the living God.”

⁷ tn Heb “and rebuke the words which the Lord your God hears.”

⁸ tn Heb “and lift up a prayer on behalf of the remnant that is found.”