1Hezekiah in deep affliction sendeth to desire Isaiah's prayers. 6Isaiah returneth an answer of comfort. 8Sennacherib, being called away to oppose the king of Ethiopia, sendeth a blasphemous letter to Hezekiah. 14Hezekiah's prayer upon the receipt of it. 20Isaiah's prophecy concerning the pride and overthrow of Sennacherib, and the prosperity of Zion. 35An angel destroyeth the Assyrian army: Sennacherib is slain at Nineveh by his own sons.
1AND ita came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he 1rent his clothes, and 2covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
a Isa. 37:1.
1 To testify thereby the grief of his heart. Also 2 Kings 18:37.
2 See of this ceremony, Gen. 37 on verse 34.
2And he sent Eliakim, 3which was over the household, and Shebna 4the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to 5Isaiah the prophet theb son of Amoz.
3 Or, steward. Hebr. who was over the house. See 2 Kings 18 on verse 18.
4 See 2 Kings 12 on verse 10.
5 Whose prophetical book is the first among the books of the great prophets.
b Isa. 1:1.
3And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day 6of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the 7children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
6 Namely, which is come upon us by reason of our enemies, who revile and threaten me and my people, and blaspheme the living God.
7 It is a comparison wherein the king compares himself to a woman in pains of childbirth, his people to the fruit of the womb, and the present distress to the pang and peril, wherein a woman is with her fruit, having no strength to bring forth the same into the world, when she is upon the very point and time of her delivery. (Compare Hosea 13:13.) Intimating hereby that they were in the most extreme danger, and without any power at all to save themselves from it.
48It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; 9and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant 10that are left.
8 That is, take into consideration; the words, It may be, are here not words of doubting, but of good hope. Compare Num. 23:3; Joshua 14:12, etc.
9 Other, and will rebuke the words which the LORD thy God hath heard.
10 That is, which is present, and at hand, and in being. And understand by this remnant the tribe of Judah, which had kept the true worship of God, and were not yet driven out of their land.
5So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
6¶And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the 11servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
11 Hebr. young men, that is, servants, or officers, three in number, previously named 2 Kings 18:17. Of the Hebrew word see Gen. 22 on verse 5.
7Behold, I will send a 12blast upon him, and he shall hear a 13rumor, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
12 Hebr. wind or spirit, that is, will, purpose, zeal, inclination, motion. Thus the word spirit is taken sometimes in a good sense, 2 Chron. 36:22; Ezra 1:1; Hag. 1:14 and sometimes in a bad, Judges 8:3; Job 15:13; Prov. 16:32; 25:28. Others take the word spirit for blast, wind, sound, noise.
13 Namely of Tirhakah, king of Cush, who would come forth to fight against him. See verse 9.
8¶So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against 14Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
14 A city in the tribe of Judah; of which see Joshua 10:29; 15:42; 21:13.
9And when 15he heard say of Tirhakah 16king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: 17he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
15 Namely, the king of Assyria.
16 That is, of the Arabians, or, of the Moors. See Num. 12 on verse 1.
17 Hebr. he returned and sent, that is, he sent again. See Num. 11 on verse 4.
10Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
11Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by 18destroying them utterly: and 19shalt thou be delivered?
18 See Deut. 2 on verse 34.
19 That is, you shall in no wise be delivered. It is a manner of asking a question which denies it very strongly. See Gen. 18 on verse 17.
12Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as 20Gozan, and 21Haran, and 22Rezeph, and the children of 23Eden which were in 24Thelasar?
20 See 2 Kings 17:6 and the annotation.
21 A city in Mesopotamia. See Gen. 11 on verse 31.
22 Hebr. Retseph, situated in Mesopotamia.
23 This was a region situated in Chaldea, or Babylonia. See thereof Gen. 2 on verse 8; Ezek. 27:23.
24 The name (as some perceive) of a fort situated in the midst of the Euphrates. Others hold it to be a region.
13Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of 25Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of 26Hena, and Ivah?
25 See 2 Kings 18 on verse 34.
26 See 2 Kings 18 on verse 34.
14¶And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the 27house of the LORD, and spread it 28before the LORD.
27 That is, the temple.
28 That is, in the court, over against the ark of the covenant, which was in the holy of holies, for a sign of God’s present habitation there. See Lev. 1 on verse 3 and Lev. 9 on verse 24.
15And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which 29dwellest between 30the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
29 Or, sittest.
30 Understand the two cherubims, which stood at both ends of the mercy seat of the ark, Exod. 25:18, etc. This appellation of God is likewise used, 1 Sam. 4:4. See Num. 7:89 with the annotation.
16LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent 31him to reproach the living God.
31 Namely, Rabshakeh. See 2 Kings 18:17, etc.
17Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
18And have 32cast 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.
32 Hebr. given.
19Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.
20¶Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
21This is the 33word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; 34The virgin the 35daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem 36hath shaken her head at thee.
33 Understand the thing which the Lord had revealed to the prophet Isaiah, touching the king of Assyria.
34 Understand the state or kingdom of the Jewish people, or of the city of Jerusalem, which is perceived to be so called, because it had not yet been quite overpowered, and taken by any.
35 As the word daughters being put after the name of a city, signifies the villages, and small towns resorting under it, Num. 21:25; Judges 1:27, also the word daughter being put before the name of a city, or of a land, signifies the inhabitants thereof, as here, and Psalm 45:12; 137:8; Isa. 23:12; 47:1.
36To shake the head at a man, or about someone, is to despise and scorn him, Job 16:4. Psalm 22:7; 44:14: Isa. 37:22; Jer. 18:16; Lam. 2:15.
22Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, 37and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the 38Holy One of Israel.
37 Other, yea thou hast lifted up thine eyes against the Holy One of Israel.
38 God is called the Holy One of Israel, not only because He is holy, yea Holiness Itself, but also because He sets apart a people for Himself, which He hallows by the blood and Spirit of Christ. See of this appellation also, Isa. 5:24; Jer. 51:5, etc.
2339By 40thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of 41Lebanon, and will cut down the 42tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings 43of his borders, and into the forest 44of his Carmel.
39 Hebr. by the hand.
40 Namely, Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh, 2 Kings 18:17.
41 See of this mountain, 1 Kings 4 on verse 33.
42 Hebr. the height of the cedar trees thereof, and the choice of the fir trees thereof. Some understand hereby the fair and strong cities of Judah, which the king of Assyria had taken, 2 Kings 18:13.
43 Hebr. the inn of his end, or, extremity, utmost part. Understand all the places of Judah, in what utmost ends or corners so ever they may be. The meaning is, that the king of Assyria had an intent to leave no place free and unmolested, but to over-run, take, waste, and destroy the entire land.
44 Or, and his fruitful field. The name of a pleasant and fruitful mountain situated in the tribe of Issachar, of which see 1 Kings 18 on verse 19. The word seems to be taken here for a fair, pleasant, and fruitful place. Also Isa. 10:18; Jer. 2:7; 4:26, etc.
2445I have digged and drunk 46strange waters, 47and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the 48rivers of besieged places.
45 That is, although I have passed with my army through dry, and waterless countries, and that they have sought by all means possible to stop all passages of water from me, in order that I might be constrained to remove out of this land, 2 Chron. 32:3, 4, yet by my wisdom and power I have gotten water enough, even in places, where there was none before.
46 That is, new waters, never found or known before.
47 Intimating that he could not only furnish his army with water, but also deprive his enemies, whom he besieged, of it; and that by reason of the great multitude of soldiers that followed him.
48 Hebr. rivers, or, brooks of siege.
2549Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and 50of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
49 Hitherto are rehearsed the words of the king of Assyria: Now here follow again the words of God, which He speaks to the king. As if He would say, thou hast no cause to boast of thy victories, for they are My work, to punish the nations by destroying their cities and countries.
50 Hebr. of days of antiquity.
2651Therefore their inhabitants were 52of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the 53green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
51 The meaning is: As victory comes from God, so does also fear, dismay and weakness, whereby men are overcome.
52 Hebr. short of hand, or, short-handed; that is, of small strength, of weak power. Also Isa. 37:27.
53 Hebr. the greenness of the little grass, or little-herb. Other, the pot herb of the small herb: That is, the small pot herb.
27But I know thy 54abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
54 That is, all your purpose, counsel, devices, attempts and practice. Compare herewith the annotation at Deut. 31 on verse 2.
28Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, 55therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and 56my bridle 57in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
55 This is a similitude taken from those who have to do with fierce and cruel beasts; thereby to express the power of God, which He uses to restrain the malice of cruel and raging tyrants.
56 Another comparison taken from those who have to rule a wild horse.
57 That is, into your mouth.
2958And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things 59as grow of themselves, and in the second year 60that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
58 This is spoken to king Hezekiah, to assure him and his people that they would be delivered from the violence and fury of the king of Assyria.
59 The Hebrew word signifies that which grew of itself (after the harvest is ended) out of the seeds that are fallen out, without the labor or help of man.
60 The sign was, that they would not only in the first year, when the land was over-run by the Assyrians, but also in the next after that find sufficient store of victual sprung up by itself in the field. See further Isa. 37 on verse 30.
30And the 61remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet 62again take root 63downward, and bear 64fruit upward.
61 Hebr. the escaping, that is, those who shall have escaped. So in the following verse.
62 Hebr. shall add root.
63 A similitude taken from plants; whereby is signified, that those of Judah would have very great success, and prosperity.
64 Hebr. make fruit. The Hebrew word peri signifies not only the fruits, but also the branches that bear the fruits. Also Lev. 23:40; see the annotation.
31For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a 65remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: 66the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
65 Namely, which shall escape the hands of enemies, having been kept and secured in the city of Jerusalem, which shall not fall into the hand and power of the Assyrians.
66 That is, the fervent love of God toward His people and His fierce wrath toward His enemies shall produce this deliverance. Compare Isa. 9:7.
32Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bankc against it.
c mound for besieging a city*
33By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
34For Id will defend this city, to save it, 67for mine own sake, and 68for my servant David's sake.
d 2 Kings 20:6.
67 That is, in order that My name may be acknowledged, praised, honored, and feared. Compare Prov. 16:4; Isa. 48:9, 11. Ezek. 36:21, 22, 23.
68 See 1 Kings 11 on verse 12.
35¶And it camee to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the 69camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when 70they arose early in the morning, behold, 71they were all dead corpses.
e Isa. 37:36.
69 Understand Sennacherib’s army, which was situated before Libnah, (or according to the opinion of some, was upon the march towards Jerusalem,) verse 8, where Rabshakeh returned to him, without besieging Jerusalem, as God had promised, verse 32. Compare Isa. 37 on verse 33, and 36.
70 Namely, the king of Assyria and his counsellers.
71 Namely, who were smitten by the angel.
36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at 72Nineveh.
72 See Gen. 10 on verse 11, and 12.
37And it came to pass, as he was 73worshipping in the house of 74Nisroch his god, thatf Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote 75him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of 76Armenia. And 77Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
73 Namely, to worship the idol and to honor him with religious worship.
74 The name of an idol of the Ninevites.
f 2 Chron. 32:21; Isa. 37:38.
75 As was foretold, verse 7.
76 Or, Ararat. See Gen. 8 on verse 4.
77 He reigned (as some write) ten years in Nineveh. After him the monarchy was transferred from the Assyrians to the Babylonians.