Bible Strands
2 Kings 19:1
On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — King Hezekiah acts upon receiving a report, tearing his garments and donning sackcloth before entering the house of the LORD. He immediately follows this by dispatching Eliakim, Shebna, and the leading priests to the prophet Isaiah.
The words — The Hebrew וַ/יִּקְרַ֖ע (va/i.yik.Ra') means "and he tore," denoting the physical rending of garments. The phrase וַ/יִּתְכַּ֣ס (va/i.yit.Kas) translates to "and he covered himself," describing the act of wrapping in sackcloth.
The thread — This specific combination of tearing clothes and wearing sackcloth occurs when Ahab receives judgment in 1 Kings 21:27 and when Jacob mourns for Joseph in Genesis 37:34. The same officials Hezekiah sends appear earlier in 2 Kings 18:37.
Why it lands — The verse documents a king’s immediate physical response to a threatening report, establishing sackcloth and torn garments as recorded markers of royal distress. It requires the reader to note how earthly authority formally enters divine space through prescribed acts of humility.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 21:27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.
- 2 Kings 18:37 Then Hilkiah’s son Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Asaph’s son Joah the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they relayed to him the words of the Rabshakeh.
- Genesis 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
- 2 Chronicles 32:20 In response, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out to heaven in prayer,
- Job 1:20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
- Isaiah 37:1 On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.
- 1 Samuel 4:12 That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line all the way to Shiloh, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
- 1 Kings 21:29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”
- 2 Kings 5:7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”
- 2 Kings 6:30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. And as he passed by on the wall, the people saw the sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.