The Meaning of 2 Kings 19:21 Explained

2 Kings 19:21

KJV: This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

YLT: this is the word that Jehovah spake concerning him: 'Trampled on thee -- laughed at thee, Hath the virgin daughter of Zion Behind thee shaken the head -- Hath the daughter of Jerusalem?

Darby: This is the word that Jehovah has spoken against him: The virgin-daughter of Zion despiseth thee, laugheth thee to scorn; The daughter of Jerusalem shaketh her head at thee.

ASV: This is the word that Jehovah hath spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

This [is] the word  that the LORD  hath spoken  concerning him; The virgin  the daughter  of Zion  hath despised  thee, [and] laughed thee to scorn;  the daughter  of Jerusalem  hath shaken  her head  at thee. 

What does 2 Kings 19:21 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 19:21 mean?

This [is] the word which has spoken Yahweh concerning him Has despised you laughed to scorn you the virgin the daughter of Zion behind your back [her] head Has shaken the daughter of Jerusalem
זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־ דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו בָּזָ֨ה לְךָ֜ לָעֲגָ֣ה לְךָ֗ בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־ צִיּ֔וֹן אַחֲרֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹ֣אשׁ הֵנִ֔יעָה בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם

זֶ֣ה  This  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
הַדָּבָ֔ר  the  word 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
דִּבֶּ֥ר  has  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עָלָ֑יו  concerning  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בָּזָ֨ה  Has  despised 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּזָה 
Sense: to despise, hold in contempt, disdain.
לָעֲגָ֣ה  laughed  to  scorn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: לָעַג  
Sense: to mock, deride, ridicule.
בְּתוּלַת֙  the  virgin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּתוּלָה  
Sense: virgin.
בַּת־  the  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
צִיּ֔וֹן  of  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
אַחֲרֶ֙יךָ֙  behind  your  back 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
רֹ֣אשׁ  [her]  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הֵנִ֔יעָה  Has  shaken 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נוּעַ  
Sense: to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, make move, wave, waver, tremble.
בַּ֖ת  the  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.