19 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth....
This line continues to befuddle me. We've read it multiple, multiple times. When someone in the Old Testament is upset, this is what they do. I wonder what the significance is?
14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.
I love the intimacy that this line portrays. At least if it means what I think it means. I can see a guy walking into the temple, and spreading out these notes, so that God can read each page.....and then praying to it. "Can you see this God?, what am I to do?" That shows me a level of personal relationship that is to be admired.
tp
I have looked into sackcloth in the past because as you said we see it often in our OT reading. It seems it can be a public sign of humility and repentance. I guess putting on old scratching underwear is that kind of sign. I liked the vision too of him spreading everything out for God to see and the open questions he must have been asking Him.
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