The Meaning of 2 Kings 19:18 Explained

2 Kings 19:18

KJV: And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.

YLT: and have put their gods into fire, for they are no gods, but work of the hands of man, wood and stone, and destroy them.

Darby: and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore have they destroyed them.

ASV: and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And have cast  their gods  into the fire:  for they [were] no gods,  but the work  of men's  hands,  wood  and stone:  therefore they have destroyed  them. 

What does 2 Kings 19:18 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 19:14-24 - Spreading The Case Before The Lord
That bowed form of King Hezekiah, kneeling before God with this insolent and blasphemous effusion spread out before him, is a beautiful suggestion of our duty under similar circumstances. When we receive letters of rebuke and unkindness, whether they are signed or anonymous, let us treat them as Hezekiah treated this one. Let us spread them before God, and plead with Him to interpose for His holy Name's sake. How blessed it is when our lot is so identified with God's that we can forget ourselves in the one sincere desire that His character shall be vindicated and His Name honored! The selfish element has been so strong in our praying and doing!
In all Scripture there is nothing finer than the magnificent answer to Sennacherib's challenge which God gave through Isaiah. The phrase, "virgin daughter," fittingly indicates that the foreign invader was not to set his foot in the Holy City. Listen to her gleeful laughter, as strong in the Lord of hosts, she derides her foes, 2 Kings 19:21, etc. But that faith may be ours. Others who have not made God their trust are like the green herb that withers in the drought: but they who are planted in God send their roots deep down to the moist earth and draw perennial freshness and strength. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 19

1  Hezekiah, in mourning, sends to Isaiah to pray for them
6  Isaiah comforts them
8  Sennacherib, going to encounter Tirhakah, sends a blasphemous letter to Hezekiah
14  Hezekiah's prayer
20  Isaiah's prophecy of the destruction of Sennacherib, and the good of Zion
35  An angel slays the Assyrians
36  Sennacherib is slain by his own sons

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 19:18 mean?

and have cast - their gods into the fire for not gods they [were] for but the work of hands of men wood and stone therefore they destroyed them
וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֶת־ אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם בָּאֵ֑שׁ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֜ים הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֣י אִם־ מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה יְדֵֽי־ אָדָ֛ם עֵ֥ץ וָאֶ֖בֶן וַֽיְאַבְּדֽוּם

וְנָתְנ֥וּ  and  have  cast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם  their  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בָּאֵ֑שׁ  into  the  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
אֱלֹהִ֜ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הֵ֗מָּה  they  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה  the  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
יְדֵֽי־  of  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אָדָ֛ם  of  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
עֵ֥ץ  wood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
וָאֶ֖בֶן  and  stone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
וַֽיְאַבְּדֽוּם  therefore  they  destroyed  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.