Bible Strands
Isaiah 37:16
“O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Hezekiah speaks this declaration to the LORD during the Assyrian siege, positioned between his opening address in verse 15 and his request for divine attention in verse 17.
The words — The compound name יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת (Yahweh tzeva'ot) identifies the LORD as commander of heavenly armies, while יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרֻבִים (yoshev ha-keruvim) literally describes Him as the one who sits upon the cherubim.
The thread — The motif of God enthroned above the cherubim appears in Exodus 25:22 and Psalms 99:1, and the claim that He alone rules all earthly kingdoms and made the heavens and earth parallels Psalms 86:10.
Why it lands — The verse asserts that the Creator who governs every human kingdom is the same God actively present in Israel’s crisis, requiring the reader to ground confidence in divine sovereignty rather than military reality.
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
O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
Cross-references
- Exodus 25:22 And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.
- Psalms 99:1 The LORD reigns; let the nations tremble! He is enthroned above the cherubim; let the earth quake!
- Psalms 86:10 For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.
- 1 Samuel 4:4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
- Psalms 80:1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
- Isaiah 44:24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by Myself spread out the earth,
- John 1:3 Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
- Colossians 1:16 For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.
- Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
- Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.