Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Kings · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Verſ. 1. NOw it came to paſſe in the third yeare of Hoſhea ſonne of Elah king of Iſrael, that Hezekiah the ſonne of Ahaz king of Judah began to reigne.] Hoſhea ſlew Pekah in the fourth yeare of Ahaz, as is before noted, chap. 15.30. and though he were not immediately acknowledged king of Iſrael, yet in the twelfth yeare of Ahaz he began his reigne in Iſrael, chap. 17.1. and Ahaz reigned in all but ſixteen years, chap. 16.2. ſo that the laſt of Ahaz his reigne ſeems to have been the fift yeare of Hoſhea, and the firſt of Hezekiah perhaps the ſixt of Hoſhea; and yet here it is ſaid, that the firſt of Hezekiah was the third of Hoſhea: I anſwer, that though Hoſhea was confirmed king in the twelfth yeare of Ahaz, and ſo it is ſaid in the twelfth of Ahaz he began to reigne in Samaria; yet becauſe he reigned then onelyonly as a viceroy under the king of Aſſyria, the nine years of his abſolute reigne are not reckoned, till he caſt off the Aſſyrian yoke, and took upon him to reigne as abſolute king; which was it ſeems two years after, to wit, in the fourteenth yeare of Ahaz: and ſo the third of Hoſhea was indeed the firſt of Hezekiah.
Verſ. 2. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reigne, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jeruſalem.] If we compare this place with chap. 16.2. where it is ſaid that Ahaz Hezekiahs father was twenty years old when he began to reigne, and that he reigned ſixteen years, and conſequently was thirty ſix years old when he dyed; it may ſeem that Ahaz begat Hezekiah when he was little above eleven years old: for if Hezekiah was five and twenty years old when his father was but thirty ſix, it muſt neceſſarily follow that Ahaz was but eleven years old when his ſonne Hezekiah was born: to avoid this inconvenience ſome hold that Ahaz was one and twenty years old, or nigh ſo much, when he began to reigne, the incomplete yeare not being reckoned, chap. 16.2. the like alſo they ſay concerning the years of his reigne, to wit, that he reigned ſeventeen years well nigh complete, and ſo was thirty eight years old when he died; on the other ſide they ſay that Hezekiah was but twenty foure years old when he began to reigne; onelyonly becauſe he was foure and twenty years old complete, and ſomething more, it is here ſaid, that he was five and twenty years old when he began to reigne. Now according to this computation Ahaz being thirty eight eight years old when he died, and Hezekiah twenty foure, it will follow that Ahaz was fourteen years old when Hezekiah his ſonne was born, which, ſay they, was poſſible enough; but becauſe we find elſewhere that it was ſo uſuall with the kings of Judah and Iſrael, to cauſe their ſonnes that were to ſucceed them to be deſigned kings in their life; I ſhould rather conceive, that what is ſaid both of Ahaz and Hezekiah, concerning their age when they began to reigne, is meant of the time when they were firſt deſigned kings, as is before noted, chap. 16.2.
His mothers name was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.] Or Abijah 2. Chron. 29.1. and if ſhe were, as is ſuppoſed by many, the daughter of that Zachariah, by whom ſo long as he lived Uzziah was kept in the way of truth, chap. 26.5. we may well think that her piety, manifeſted in the carefull education of this her ſonne, was a chief means under God that he proved ſo zealous for the cauſe of the true Religion, though his father was ſo extremely wicked.
Verſ. 4. He removed the high places, and brake the images, &c.] Other particulars are expreſſed in the Chronicles which are not here mentioned; as firſt, that in the firſt monethmonth of the firſt yeare of his reigne he opened the doores of the Temple, which Ahaz had ſhut up, and repaired them, to wit, by overlaying them with gold where they were decayed. Secondly, that having called together the prieſts and Levites, he exhorted them to ſanctifie themſelves, and to cleanſe the houſe of God, willing them to conſider that all the calamities which had lately fallen upon them, were for thoſe foul corruptions in Religion which were crept in amongſt them, and that this the prieſts and Levites did carefully, as he enjoyned them; and ſo the king, with the rulers of the citie, came up immediately to the Temple, and offered ſacrifices there in a moſt ſolemne manner unto the Lord. Thirdly, that upon advice taken, becauſe they could not keep the paſſeover at the uſuall time, they reſolved to keep it on the fourteenth day of the ſecond monethmonth, to this end proclamation was made throughout the kingdome for the aſſembly of the people; yea the king ſent poſts with letters to the Iſraelites of the ten tribes, to perſwade them alſo to return unto the Lord, and to come up unto Jeruſalem to keep the paſſeover, and the feaſt of unleavened bread; wherein he prevailed with divers of them (though the moſt of them laughed his meſſengers to ſcorn) and ſo there was a great aſſembly both of the men of Judah and Iſrael, in Jeruſalem, where they kept the feaſt with exceeding great joy: at which time it was that the people by the kings encouragement beginning firſt in Jeruſalem, and afterward procceeding to the other cities of Judah, yea, and to ſome cities of the Iſraelites too, brake down all the idols and their appurtenance, as is here relalated; yea, and removed the high places too, which had hitherto ſtood in the dayes of their beſt king. And fourthly, that he ordered the courſes of the prieſts and Levites, and provided both for their work and maintainance, wherein he ſound the people very forward.
And he called it Nehuſhtan.] That is a lump or little piece of braſſe: to intimate the folly of the people in worſhiping the braſen ſerpent, when he had broken it, he called it Nehuſhtan.
Verſ. 5. After him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor a…y that were before him.] That is, he excelled all that were before him, and all that were after him: for the kings that were before him the caſe is clear; for the compariſon is not betwixt him and David or Solomon, but betwixt him and the kings of Judah, that ſate in the throne of David, ever ſince the kingdome was rent into two kingdomes, the kingdome of Judah, and the kingdome of the ten tribes: now all theſe he excelled, in that he removed the high places, which neither Jehoſhaphat nor any other of the good kings of Judah had hitherto done. But how did he excell all that were after him? ſeeing of Joſiah his grandchild it is ſaid, chap. 23.25. that there was no king before him like unto him? I anſwer; this needs not ſeem ſtrange, if we conſider, that though Joſiah might excell him in ſome things, as indeed he did; yet Hezekiah might excell Joſiah in other things: as firſt, in that Hezekiah was the firſt that removed the high places, though none before him had done it, yet he would not ſuffer them to ſtand; but when Joſiah removed the high places, he had the example of this his good grandfather to encourage him: and ſecondly, in his many victories over the Philiſtines, wherein Joſiah was never ſo ſucceſſefull.
Verſ. 7. And he rebelled againſt the king of Aſſyria, and ſerved him not.] If when Ahaz did ſend to the Aſſyrian to aid him againſt Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Iſrael, chap. 16.7. he did not onelyonly hire him thereto with a great ſumme of money, but did al…o covenant to become his vaſſall, and to pay him a yearely tribute; and yet within a while after, when Hezekiah ſucceeded his father Ahaz in the kingdome, encouraged with his victories over the Philiſtines and others, he reſolved to caſt off the yoke of the Aſſyrian, and ſo withheld the tribute that had been formerly paid; then no wonder it is, though it be ſaid here of Hezekiah, that he rebelled againſt the king of Aſſyria: ſome Expoſitours excuſe, yea, commend this fact of Hezekiahs; and that either by ſuppoſing that Ahaz had covenanted to pay tribute for ſome certain yeares, and ſo that term of years being now expired, Hezekiah was free; or elſe by pleading that it was unlawfull for Ahaz to ſubject Gods free people to the yoke of a heathen prince; and therefore it was lawfull for Hezekiah to caſt off his yoke: but rather I conceive, it was a weakneſſe and errour in Hezekiah to do this, though he did it out of a zeal againſt the ſubjection of Gods people to a forrain power: and that firſt, becauſe it is here expreſſely termed rebellion▪ and he rebelled againſt the king of Aſſyria, and ſerved him not: ſecondly, becauſe Hezekiah did himſelf acknowledge afterwards, that he had offended herein, verſ. 14. and Hezekiah king of Judah ſent to the king of Aſſyria to Lachiſh▪ ſaying, I have offended, &c. and thirdly, becauſe we find elſewhere, that Zedekiah king of Judah was ſharply condemned for caſting off the yoke of the Babilonian king, contrary to the covenant that had been made with him; as is largely expreſſed▪ Ezek. 17.12, 13. &c.
Verſ. 8. He ſmote the Philiſtines even unto Gaza, &c.] The Philiſtines had taken many ſtrong cities from his father Ahaz, 2. Chron. 28.18. The Philiſtines alſo had invaded the cities of the low-countrey, and of the ſouth of Judah, and had taken Beth-ſhemeſh▪ and Aialon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof. Hezekiah therefore did now make war upon them, and did mightily prevail, taking from them all that they had gotten, as farre as Gaza, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. Concerning which expreſſion ſee the note, chap. 17.9.
Verſ. 13. Now in the fourteenth yeare of king Hezekiah, did Sennacherib king of Aſſyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, &c.] Becauſe Hezekiah had rebelled againſt the Aſſyrian Sennacherib, therefore the ſonne of Shalmaneſer in the fourteenth yeare of Hezekiah, which was eight years after Shalmaneſer had taken Samaria, and carried away the Iſraelites into captivity, raiſed a mighty army and invaded the kingdome of Judah; and thus did the Lord both puniſh the wickedneſſe of the people, which was the more inſufferable becauſe it was under the government of ſo pious a prince; and withall exerciſed the patience, and tried the faith of good Hezekiah.
Verſ. 14. And Hezekiah king of Judah ſent to the king of Aſſyria to Lachiſh, ſaying, I have offended &c.] At the firſt entrance of Sennacherib into the kingdome, Hezekiah buckled himſelf with all diligence to defend himſelf and his kingdome againſt him; and to that end by the advice of his counſel and captains, he cut off the waters that were likely to be uſefull to the Aſſyrian army, and fortified Jeruſalem… and calling together his ſouldiers and men of warre, he ſpake comfortably to them, and aſſured them of Gods aſſiſtance, 2. Chron. 32.2, 8. but it ſeems, when he ſaw how ſuddenly the Aſſyrian had taken many cities of Judah, and that proceeding on in his victories he had alſo beſieged Lachiſh; he began to fear the worſt, and ſo reſolved to try if he could buy his peace, and ſent his ambaſſadours to acknowledge his offence, and to entreat his favour, yielding withall to pay what ever tribute he would impoſe upon him.
Verſ. 17. And the king of Aſſyria ſent Tartan, and Rabſaris, and Rabſhakeh from Lachiſh, &c.] Having gotten the money above mentioned into his hands, verſ. 14. The king of Aſſyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah, three hundred talents of ſilver, and thirty talents of gold: he notwithſtanding went forward in his enterprize of ſubduing them; and therefore not onelyonly continued the ſiege of Lachiſh, but alſo ſent a good part of his army under the command of three of his captains, whereof Rabſhakeh was chief (and therefore is onelyonly mentioned by Iſaiah, chap. 36.2.) And the king of Aſſyria ſent Rabſhakeh from Lachiſh to Jeruſalem to Hezekiah king of Judah:) to beſiege Jeruſalem, 2. Chron. 32.9. After this did Sennacherib king of Aſſyria ſend his ſervants to beſiege Jeruſalem, but he himſelf laid ſiege againſt Lachiſh: even now he had a purpoſe, as it ſeems, to invade Egypt, and was therefore reſolved not to leave this kingdome of Judah behind him, to joyn with the Egyptian, and ſo to annoy him: rather he deſired to make Jeruſalem a place of retreat for his army; and therefore though he thought good to diſſemble with Hezekiah, and to condeſcend ſeemingly to accept of a tribute; yet ſo ſoon as he had gotten the gold and ſilver into his hands, he perfidiouſly went forwards in his warres, and now nothing would ſerve him, but to have Jeruſalem delivered up into his hands.
Verſ. 18. There came out to them Eliakim the ſonne of Hilkiah, which was over the houſhold, and Shebna the Scribe, &c.] This Eliakim was he of whom Iſaiah had prophecyed, that he ſhould be advanced to that place of dignity in Hezekiahs court, which at that time Shebna did enjoy, Iſaiah 22.20▪ 21. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, that I will call my ſervant Eliakim the ſonne of Hilkiah, and I will cloath him with thy robe, and ſtrengthen him with thy girdle, and commit thy government into his hand: and indeed what is there ſaid of Shebna, that he was over the houſe, Iſaiah 22.15. (Get thee unto this treaſurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the houſe:) is here ſaid of Eliakim; and for the Shebna here mentioned, the kings ſcribe or ſecretary, it was not (as I conceive) that wicked Shebna, in whoſe place the Prophet foretold that Eliakim ſhould ſucceed, but another officer of Hezekiah of the ſame name; and therefore perhaps it is ſo expreſſed, Iſaiah 22.15. Get thee unto this treaſurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the houſe, to diſtinguiſh him from this Shebna the ſecretary or ſcribe.
Verſ. 19. Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus ſaith the great king, the king of Aſſyria.] It is conceived, that this manner of ſpeech they might uſe by way of deriding the prophets of Iſrael, who in their prophecying did ordinarily begin after this manner, Thus ſaith the Lord God.
Verſ. 25. Am I now come up without the Lord againſt this place to deſtroy it? &c.] This Rabſhakeh might ſpeak onelyonly to terrifie the people, though in truth he had never any ſuch thought concerning the all-ruling providence of God; but beſides having heard of Hezekiahs taking away the high places and altars, whereon for many years together the people had worſhipped the God of Iſrael, he might perſwade himſelf that this marvellous ſucceſſe, which the Aſſyrians had had in their warres againſt Judah, proceeded from the wrath of the God of Iſrael againſt his people; and ſo urgeth them with this, that doubtleſſe their own God had brought his maſter againſt them, to puniſh them for this which Hezekiah had done.
Verſ. 26. Then ſaid Eliakim the ſonne of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, &c.] That is, one of them in the name of them all: though theſe three men came out to parley with Rabſhaketh and the other Aſſyrian captains, yet it ſeems Rabſhaketh when he ſpake to them, ſpake ſo loud, and that in the Jewes language, that all the ſouldiers that were on the wall might heare what he ſaid; which he did purpoſely to affright the people, as is expreſſely noted, 2. Chron. 32.18. Then they cryed with a loud voice in the Jews speech unto the people of Jeruſalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them, that they might take the city: Eliakim therefore, and thoſe that were with him, deſired Rabſhaketh to ſpeak in the Syrian and not in the Jews language, Speak I pray thee to thy ſervants in the Syrian language (for we understand it) and talk not with us in the Jews language, in the eares of the people that are on the wall: a ſtrange requeſt indeed this may ſeeme, to be made to an enemy, who they might be ſure would do what he could to diſcourage the people, and to raiſe ſedition amongſt them: but firſt, it is no wonder, that men in danger ſhould ſeek to help themſelves in thoſe wayes, whereby there is little or no likelyhood that they ſhould do themſelves any good: and ſecondly, perhaps they deſired this of him as refuſing to continue the parley, unleſſe he would ſpeak to them in the Syrian language; upon which ground they might conceive he would yeild to them, as hoping that upon this parley they would ſurrender the citie to him peaceably.
Verſ. 32. Ʋntill I come and take you away to a land like your own land, &c.] Becauſe the Aſſyrian king had lately carried away the Iſraelites captives into a ſtrange countrey, this people could not but feare the like meaſure, by way of anſwering theſe their fears; therefore he addes theſe words, wherein he yeilds indeed, that they might expect that at his return (for their purpoſe was to go againſt Egypt, aſſoon as they had perfected the conqueſt of Judea) they ſhould be removed out of their countrey; but withall he addes that they ſhould be carried to a land as good as their own.
Verſ. 36. But the people held their peace, and anſwered him not a word: for the kings commandment was, ſaying, Anſwer him not.] To wit, leſt they ſhould raſhly either exaſperate the enemy, or diſcover their fears, or give any other advantage to them, by any thing they ſhould ſay; and becauſe there was no better way to pull down the ſwelling pride of this inſolent tyrant, then thus to ſeeme not to mind what he ſaid, or at leaſt, not to judge his words worthy an anſwer.
Verſ. 37. Then came Eliakim the ſonne of Hilkiah which was over the houſhold, and Shebna the ſcribe, and Joah the ſonne of Aſaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, &c.] To wit, becauſe of the blaſphemy of Rabſhakeh, and the great diſtreſſe whereinto they were all like to fall.