Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 37 · Verse 9 – Verse 14
Verſ. 9. He heard alſo men ſay Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight with thee: and when he heard it, he ſent other meſſengers to Hezekiah, ſaying,
BY that which followes we may coniecture what the cauſe was why the Aſſyrian ſo ſuddenlie departed frō Iudeah. For the Kings of Egypt, and Ethiopia had made a league one with another againſt Senacherib, becauſe they ſaw he grew too mightie,Note. and ceaſed not to inuade Countrie after Countrie: for they thought if his violence were not reſiſted betimes, they might be ſure to looke for the like meaſure. Theſe Kings meant not to defend Iudeah by working his woe, but reſpected their owne ſafetie, becauſe the power of ſo mightie a man is for the moſt part worthelie had in ſuſpition of other Princes and their people. It is wiſely done of them therefore that in foreſeeing dangers, they ioine their forces together to make reſiſtance ere it be too late: for they had been eaſily ouerrunne had they been ſeparated one from the other. Thus you ſee why they ioine their forces into one, to wit, that they may withſtand the violence and furie of this Tyrant.
The Aſſyrian being intangled in ſo deſperat a warre, ſend new Ambaſſadors to Hezekias, thinking by threats to inforce him to yeeld: wherein we may ſee how Tyrants are caried away with pride, and an ouerweening of their owne greatnes, ſo as they thinke to make all the world to tremble & quake at their words, or at the only hearing of the ſound of their names, or at the ſight of their very ſhadow. This man being ſomewhat preuented by a new & difficult buſines, thinks notwithſtanding to ſubdue Iudeah, whence he was forced to depart. It may be he was aſhamed to be thus diſappointed of his purpoſe, and thus abruptlie to raiſe vp his ſiege: but he thinks to obtaine that in his abſence which he could not accompliſh in his owne perſon. Howſoeuer, the Lord did wonderfullie worke in ſuccoring his poore ſeruants, who eſteemed thē ſelues as ſheepe appointed to the ſlaughter. Now that he might abate the rage of this Tyrant, he occupies his head, and fils his hands with ſuch intricate buſineſſes, as out of which he could not eaſily wind himſelfe: as if one ſhould hamper a furious beaſt, or ſhould hold him faſt by the ſnout, as the Prophet wil ſhew anon. I grant, their cruell and reuengefull natures are not tamed thereby, but yet they are ſo reſtrained, that they can not doe the hurt they would.
Wee ſee the truth of this now amongſt vsus. How many tyrants are there which thirſt after the ruin of the Church? How many plots do they lay to bring it about?God will turne the counſels of all Achitophels to fooliſhnes. 2. Sam. 25.31. and 16.23. How buſie are they in corners, ſecretlie taking counſell together? And with what power and policies are they indued? But when they thinke to hauehave their purpoſe, it may be the Lord ſuddenlie deſcries their deſignes, and raiſeth vp enemies againſt them. Sometimes hee ſets them together by the eares, and brings the cruelties which they thought to execute vpō his children vponupon their owne heads. Yet they continue as obſtinate and as fierce as euer they were before, and ceaſe not to imagin miſchiefe ſtill: as this Sennacherib; he is hindred of his purpoſe you ſee, yet hee is not wearie of moleſting this good King, but domineers ouer him with maieſticall tearmes, as if he had been a poore ſlaue: yea, he commands him as if he were his vaſſall. And not content with that, he proudly exalts himſelfe euen againſt the Lord of glorie, and goes beyond the pride of his Captaine Rabſhekeh. For although Rabſhekehs words and his are all one in ſenſe, yet hee offers outrage againſt the Lord with greater impudencie, and with an open throat as it were.
Verſ. 10. Thus ſhall ye ſpeake to Hezekiah King of Iudah, ſaying, Let not thy God deceiue thee in whom thou truſteſt, ſaying, Ieruſalem ſhall not be giuen into the hand of the King of Aſhur.
WHat an horrible blaſphemie is this? He accuſeth God to be a lier and a deceiuer, as if he plaid faſt and looſe with thoſe that put their truſt in him. For take away his truth from him, and what remaines? That is the thing he moſt eſteemes. But he drew theſe words out from the mouth of this miſcreant, who before ſeemed to reuerence ſome god. It is not long you ſee then but he diſcouers himſelfe to the full. Whereas he ſaith in the perſon of God, that Ieruſalem ſhall not be giuen. Some do thence coniecture, that the traytor Shebna had informed the king of Aſhur of Iſaiahs propheſie, and the words doe ſound ſomewhat that way, but there is no neede of any ſuch coniectures, for the Aſſyrian knew well enough that Hezekiah truſted in God. The promiſes made to Dauid, and ſo conſequētly vntounto him, were not vnknowne. This is my reſt, here will I dwell for euer, for I hauehave a delight therein: Pſal. 132.14. Not that this tyrant ſtudied the prophecies to profite by them; but they were manifeſtly knowne to all, yea, that the Iewes did wonderfully glorie in them, and often boaſted of Gods helpe and protection againſt their enemies. This tyrant oppoſeth his blaſphemies againſt the promiſes; Let not thy God deceiue thee: and thus he flies in Gods face as it were, as if hee had been too weake to defend Ieruſalem; and as if himſelfe was not onelyonly ſtronger then all men whatſoeuer, but alſo ſtronger then the Lord of hoſts.
He goes about to proue this by examples. He firſt had vanquiſhed other nations which worſhipped other gods. Secondly, he takes an argument from the power of his predeceſſors; They were ſtronger then the gods of the nations, but I am more mightie then they by many degrees: therefore the God of Iſrael ſhall not ſtand before me.Tyrants grow proud by hauing good ſucceſſes. See how the wicked are wont to grow more and more in their ouerweening, by hauing good ſucceſſes; ſo as they euen forget that they are men. For they not onelyonly attribute a diuine maieſtie vntounto themſelues, but thinke they are a degree aboue that alſo. Which more is, when they hauehave reiected all difference betweene good and euill,Tyrants glory in their ſhame. they take pleaſure in doing miſchiefe, they glory in the ſinnes of their anceſtors, and thinke themſelues no ſmall fooles, in that they came of ſuch theeues and robbers. For he that ſhall note the riſing of theſe Monarks well, it often falles out that he which is growne the mightieſt, may well bee called the rich ſonne of a great theefe.A rich ſonne of a great theefe.
This tyrant cares not whether it were by right or wrong, that his predeceſſours conquered ſo many Countries: for ſuch neuer reſpect equitie, when they meane to make themſelues great: let them hauehave the ſtronger ſide, and then it is no matter by what meanes they come by it, iuſtly or vniuſtly, all is one ſo they hauehave it; all is fiſh that comes to net, as they thinke.The ſaying of a Poet. They put in practiſe the ſaying of a certaine Poet; If a man will bee wicked, let him get might, that he may be ſo. This vice hath not raigned in one age onelyonly, but wee feele by experience, that it hath the full ſwindge now more then euer heeretofore.
Verſ. 11. Behold thou haſt heard what the Kings of Aſhur hauehave done to all lands in destroying them, and ſhalt thou be deliuered?
WEe muſt here note a double compariſon; for he compares Hezekias to other Kings of Iudah (his predeceſſors) which were more mightie then hee, and yet were ouercome by the Kings of Aſſyria. But Sennacherib on the contrary, being more mightie then any of the reſt, proudly aduanceth himſelfe: it followes then that Hezekias is not able to reſiſt him. The other compariſon is of the Kings of Aſſyria, and Sennacherib himſelfe, with the idols of the Gentiles.Verſ. 12. If the idols then could not protect the people which honoured them; it thereupon followes, that the God of Iſrael is no more able then they, to ſaue his people. But when we read here how ſharply the faith of Hezekias was aſſailed by theſe wonderfull tentations: let vsus furniſh our ſelues with the like artillerie, and prepare our ſelues to the fight. Yea, whileſt time laſts, let vsus carefully ſtore our ſelues, that we may conſtantly and couragiouſly reſiſt when the like danger ſhall approch. If Satan obiect vntounto vsus the ruin of many nations,We muſt buckle our ſpirituall armour about vsus, to reſiſt temptations before they come. Wee muſt diſtinguiſh betweene infidels and our ſelues. let vsus diſtinguiſh our condition from theirs: for albeit we are indeed ſubiect to the ſame calamities, yet we hauehave ſure promiſes touching our ſaluation, which the others had not.
Verſ. 12. HaueHave the gods of the nations deliuered them which my fathers hauehave destroyed: as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were at Telaſſer?
13. Where is the King of Hamath, and the King of Arpad, and the King of the Cities of Sepharuaim, Henah, and Iuah?
MEntion is made of Gozan, in 2. King. 17.6. And thence we may garher that it was a Citie of the Medes, although others affirme that it was ſituated in another Country: but it ſufficeth that it ſtood eaſtward from Iudeah. Touching Charan, it is often mentioned in the Scriptures. Plinie Plinie.ſaith it was a Citie of Arabia: but it is commonly placed in Meſopotamia. Which is confirmed by Abrahams voyage, who came thence with his father, when he departed out of Caldea: Gen. 11.31. Act. 7.4. The prophane Hiſtoriographers call it Charras in the plurall number, and ſay that Craſſus and his ſonnes were ſlaine there.
Verſ. 14. So Hezekias tooke the letter of the hand of the meſſenger, and read it: and he went vp into the houſe of the Lord, and Hezekias ſpread it before the Lord.
THe Prophet now ſhewes what refuge Hezekias fled vntounto in his great affliction; to wit, he went forthwith into the Temple to bewaile his miſery (which hee could not remeadie) before the Lord, and to diſcharge his cares and ſorrowes into Gods boſome. For it was no confuſed or diſordered complaint, but by praiers & teares he meant to bow the Lord to his requeſt, that hee might yeeld him ſuccour. By this example we are taught,The onelyonly way to eſcape out of t…ouble. that there is no eaſier way to wade out of our calamities when they preſſe vsus, then by caſting our burthen vponupon the Lord: for all comforts beſides, ſhall doe vsus more hurt then good, if this be wanting.
He ſpreads not the letters before the Lord, as if he had been ignorant of them; but God is well pleaſed we ſhould deale thus with him: therein applying himſelfe to our infirmities. For our praiers, teares, and complaints, diſcouer not our neceſſities before his eies,Mat. 6.8. ſeeing he knowes them all before wee once begin to open our mouthes; or to aske ought at his hands. But we now ſpeake of that which is profitable for vsus; to wit, that God may ſhew that hee hath heard the blaſphemies of our enemies; ſo as thoſe who hauehave vttered them, may not eſcape vnpuniſhed. This is the reaſon and end wherefore Hezekias ſpread the letters of this curſed tyrant before the Lord, namely, to put the greater edge vponupon his praiers, and to kindle and inflame his zeale more and more.