Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Kings · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Verſ. 3. THis is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blaſphemy.] That is, this is a day wherein the poore people of God are in great trouble, wherein the Lord hath teſtified his diſpleaſure againſt us, and rebuked us for our ſinnes, and wherein the proud enemy hath blaſphemed Gods name.
For the children are come to the birth, and there is not ſtrength to bring forth.] That is, ſuch as is the condition of a woman in travell, when the child is come to the very birth, and then her ſtrength fails her, that ſhe cannot be delivered; ſuch is our condition: our ſorrow is extreme, our danger deſperate; as being brought to ſuch extremities, that unleſſe help come preſently, we are ſure to periſh, and no power or ability we have to help our ſelves; ſo that unleſſe God do miraculouſly help us, we muſt needs periſh, both prince and people: and in ſuch extremities God is wont to come in to the help of his poore diſtreſſed people.
Verſ. 4. It may be the Lord thy God will heare all the words of Rabſhakeh, &c.] That is, it may be he will manifeſt that he hath heard them by puniſhing him for them.
Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.] That is, pray earneſtly unto God, for thoſe few that are left of the people of God: he calls them a remnant, firſt, with reſpect to the captivity of the ten tribes who were carried away into a ſtrange land; and ſo onelyonly Judah and Benjamin were left: ſecondly, with reſpect to the havock that had been made amongſt the people of Judah, both in the dayes of Ahaz his father, and now alſo by Sennacherib in many of their cities which he had taken; and for theſe he deſires him to lift up a prayer; that is, to pray fervently: for in fervent prayer the ſoule of a man mounts up as it were to heaven, and is above all thinking of earthly things, according to that of David, Pſal. 25.1. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my ſoul.
Verſ. 7. Behold, I will ſend a blaſt upon him, &c.] That is, I will drive him out of the kingdome, even as the duſt or chaffe is driven by a blaſt of wind; and thus the Lord ſhews how unable the Aſſyrian ſhould be to ſtand againſt his indignation notwithſtanding he thought his power could not be reſiſted. What this blaſt was wherewith the Aſſyrian was driven out of the land, may be probably gathered by that which is related afterward: it may be meant either of the report of the king of Ethiopia's arming againſt him, or of the ſlaughter which was made by the Angel in his army, verſ. 35. or of the fear and terrour wherewith he was ſtricken of God upon thoſe occaſions, or of all theſe together: and ſo likewiſe for the rumour that is mentioned in the next words, and he ſhall heare a rumour, &c. it may be mean… both of the rumour that the king of Ethiopia was come out againſt him, verſ. 9. and of the rumour of the ſlaughter made in the Aſſyrian army, perhaps the tumult, and ſhreeking, and grones that were then amongſt them.
Verſ. 8. So Rabſhakeh returned, and found the king of Aſſyria warring against Libnah.] Rabſhakeh finding that the inhabitants of Jeruſalem would not yield to open their gates unto him, went preſently to Sennacherib to Libnah; either to inform him of their reſolution, or rather to conferre with him concerning the army of Tirhakah the Arabian, or Ethiopian king, whereof it ſeems he had heard. Whether he raiſed the ſiege, and went away with that army he carried againſt Jeruſalem, chap. 18.17. it is not expreſſed. The threatning letters which Sennacherib immediately ſent to Hezekiah, by terrifying him to make him yield, is a probable argument that Rabſhakeh had left his army ſtill before Jeruſalem, under the command of the other captains, and onelyonly went himſelf to Sennacherib, to conſult with him concerning their affairs.
Verſ. 9. And when he heard ſay of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to ſight againſt thee: he ſent meſſengers again unto Hezekiah.] And withall he gave them letters written to Hezekiah, containing in effect the ſame meſſage, verſ. 14. and the reaſon why he thus ſought by all means to terrifie Hezekiah, was to make him yield preſently to him, that if it were poſſible he might be poſſeſſed of Jeruſalem, before they ſhould heare of the coming of the Ethiopian army; and that the rather, becauſe that citie would be the moſt convenient place for him to retreat unto with his army, if need were to ſhelter themſelves againſt the Ethiopians.
Verſ. 14. And Hezekiah went up into the houſe of the Lord, and ſpread it before the Lord.] That is, he ſpread Sennacheribs letter before the altar, the ſigne of Gods preſence amongſt them; and this he did, partly, to quicken his own ſpirit, and to ſtrengthen his own faith in prayer, by the ſight of that blaſphemous writing; and partly, by that outward ſigne, to imply what he deſired of God; namely, that God would take notice of, and revenge the horrible blaſphemies of that daring wretch, againſt his great and glorious name.
Verſ. 16. And heare the words of Sennacherib, which hath ſent him to reproch the living God.] That is, the meſſenger that brought his letter.
Verſ. 21: This is the word that the Lord hath ſpoken concerning him, The virgin, the daughter of Sion hath deſpiſed thee, &c.] That is, the inhabitants of Sion & Jeruſalem ſhall laugh thee to ſcorn. The people inhabiting any citie, or countrey, are in the Scripture uſually called the daughter of that citie or countrey, Pſal. 45.12. And the daughter of Tyre ſhall be there with a gift: Pſal. 137.8. O daughter of Babylon who art to be deſtroyed: becauſe they have been bred, born, and nouriſhed the…e, and have lived under the defence & government thereof, and ought to be faithfull and obedient to the government under which they live; whence naturally all nations are wont to ſtile their countrey, their mother, 2. Sam. 20.19. Thou ſeekeſt to deſtroy a citie, and a mother in Iſrael: and they are called the virgin daughter of Sion, not ſo much becauſe they were not now defiled with idolatry, which is ſpirituall fornication (for even heathen people are ſo called Iſa. 47.1. Come down and ſit in the duſt, O virgin-daughter of Babylon, ſit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Caldeans: Jer. 46.11. Go up into Gilead, and take balme; O virgin the daughter of Egypt: and where had been groſſer idolatry, then amongſt the inhabitants of Jeruſalem in the dayes of Ahaz?) nor becauſe ſhe had never yet been ſubdued and brought under the command of any forrain prince (for after they were under the Babylonian command, they are ſtill called ſo, Lam. 1, 15. the Lord hath troden the virgin the daughter of Judah, as in a winepreſſe, and 2.13. What thing ſhall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jeruſalem? what ſhall I equall to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Sion?) but rather, becauſe of their conſtant abode in thoſe places; for in that regard they might moſt fitly be reſembled to a virgin daughter that lives with her mother; tenderly and delicately brought up by her: yea, perhaps in this place this phraſe is uſed alſo to imply the weakneſſe of Jeruſalem at this time.
Verſ. 23. By thy meſſengers thou haſt reproched the Lord.] By this circumſtance doth the Prophet aggravate the inſolent pride of Sennacherib: that he ſet his ſervants to blaſpheme the holy name of God.
With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, &c.] That is, the ſtrongeſt places of the kingdome I have ſubdued, and paſſed through as a conquerour, even thoſe that ſeemed to them moſt inacceſſible; and am now come to the ſides of Lebanon, that is, their chief citie and ſtrength, the citie Jeruſalem: and hereby is intimated that nothing could or ſhould ſtand in the way of his armies; that as he had hitherto, ſo he would ſtill ſubdue the land before him, take poſſeſſion of their forts and caſtles, cut down the tall cedar trees, and the choice firre trees, that is, deſtroy there Princes, Nobles, and great men, enter the lodgings of his borders, and into the forreſt of his Carmel; that is, poſſeſſe himſelf of their frontier towns, and all the fruitfull and pleaſant places of their countrey; even as conquerours in a land ſubdued are wont to do, as they go along, what they pleaſe themſelves.
Verſ. 24. I have digged and drunk ſtrange waters, and with the ſole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of beſieged places.] That is, when I have come in places moſt deſtitute of water, it hath been no hindrance to me, becauſe even there I have digged up ſtrange waters, that is, fountains, & waters, where never any were ſeen before; & on the other ſide where cities have been environed with great & deep waters, no ſooner have I ſet my foot there to beſiege them, but with the multitude of my ſouldiers I have dried them up. Thus he boaſts, that nothing could be a let to his numerous army, and laughs to ſcorn Hezekiahs policie in cutting of the waters, 2. Chron. 32.3.
Verſ. 25. Haſt thou not heard long ago, how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? &c.] As if the Lord ſhould have ſaid, Thou boaſteſt of the conqueſt of many nations, but didſt thou never heare that there is a God in heaven that ruleth the world, by whoſe providence and decree all ſuch things are done: ſurely thus it is with thee, now have I brought it to paſſe, that thou ſhouldeſt be to lay waſte fenced cities into ruinous heaps; that is, that which I before determined, I have now by thee brought to paſſe, uſing thee as my ſcourge to puniſh the wickedneſſe of men, and to turn their ſtrong fenced cities into ruinous heaps; which agrees with that which the Prophet ſaith elſewhere, Iſaiah 10.5, 6. O Aſſyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the ſtaffe in their hand is mine indignation, I will ſend him against an hypocriticall nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the ſpoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire in the streets: there is indeed another tranſlation of theſe words, which is ſet in the margin of our Bibles, Haſt thou not heard how I have made it long ago, and formed it of ancient times, ſhould I now bring it to be laid waſte, and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps? and according to this tranſlation the meaning may be, that God had long ago and of ancient times made and formed the Iſraelites to be his peculiar people, and had planted them in the land of Canaan, which he had provided for their inheritance (a thing ſo famouſly known, that Sennacherib muſt needs have heard of it) and that therefore it was not likely that God would now ſuffer him wholly to lay waſte their countrey, and to turn their cities into ruinous heaps: but the firſt expoſition doth farre beſt agree with the ſcope of the Lords upbraiding the pride of Sennacherib, in boaſting of what he had done to ſo many nations.
Verſ. 26. Therefore their inhabitants were of ſmall power, they were diſmaied and confounded, they were as the graſſe of the field, &c.] That is, becauſe I gave them up into thy power, therefore they were ſoon and eaſily deſtroyed.
Verſ. 27. But I know thy abode, and thy going out, &c.] That is, I know all thy counſels and enterprizes; there is nothing thou doeſt adviſe upon, or determine, nothing thou doeſt attempt or accompliſh, but it is known to me; yea, thou doeſt nothing but what I have determined ſhall be done: and this is fully that which David acknowledgeth concerning himſelf, Pſalm. 139.2, 3. Thou knoweſt my down ſitting and mine upriſing, thou underſtandest my thoughts afarre off, thou compaſſeſt my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my wayes.
Verſ. 29. And this ſhall be a ſigne unto thee, Ye ſhall eat this yeare ſuch things as grow of themſelves, &c.] That is, though ye have been hindred from ſowing and planting this yeare, by reaſon of the Aſſyrians that have invaded your land; yea, though there be no ſowing nor planting the next yeare, (to wit, either becauſe it was the ſabbath yeare, the yeare of the lands reſt; or becauſe the Aſſyrians left not the countrey till ſeed time was paſt) yet there ſhall be ſufficient that ſhall grow of it ſelf of the ſcattered ſeeds of corne that fell upon the earth; and hereby ſome inferre, that the Aſſyrians continued a time in the land, even after this promiſe was made to Hezekiah by the prophet Iſaiah, at leaſt, till the ſeed time of the ſecond yeare was paſt: and a very miraculous paſſage this was, that for three years they ſhould live of that which grew of it ſelf; nor is it any wonder that the Lord gives that for a ſigne to ſtrengthen their faith, which was not accompliſhed till the Aſſyrians had left the land: we ſee the like Exod. 3.12. And he ſaid, Certainly I will be with thee, and this ſhall be a token unto thee, that I have ſent thee, when thou haſt brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye ſhall ſerve God upon this mountain. (Concerning which, ſee the note there.)
Verſ. 30. And the remnant that is eſcaped of the houſe of Judah, ſhall yet again take root downward▪ &c.] Becauſe though they ſhould at preſent be delivered from the Aſſyrians, they might fear that being brought to ſuch a poore number, their nation would never be able long to ſubſiſt; this promiſe is added concerning future times, to wit, that that ſmall remnant of them which had eſcaped the ſword of the Aſſyrians, ſhould like a thriving flouriſhing tree, grow and proſper, and repleniſh the land again, as in former times.
Verſ. 31. For out of Jeruſalem ſhall go forth a remnant, and they that eſcape out of mount Zion.] That is, that poore remnant that now for fear of the Aſſyrians, is ſhut up within the walls of Jeruſalem, ſhall go forth thence (the enemies being fled) and ſhall again repleniſh the land.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts ſhall do this.] The Lords zeal for his own glory, the fervent love he beares to his people, and his juſt indignation againſt the enemy, ſhall move him to do this, however his people have deſerved no ſuch favour at his hands.
Verſ. 32. He ſhall not come into this citie, nor ſhoot an arrow there, &c.] It is evident that Rabſhaketh came up againſt Jeruſalem with a great army, chap. 18.17. if he removed his army thence when he went to Sennacherib to Libnah, verſ. 8. (which perhaps he did, having heard of the Ethiopian that was coming againſt them) then the meaning of this place is clear, that notwithſtanding the threatning letters he had ſent, he ſhould not return again to lay ſiege unto Jeruſalem; but if the army of Rabſhakeh lay ſtill before Jeruſalem, then the meaning of theſe words may be, that though the army of Rabſhakeh had blockt up Jeruſalem, and waited for the coming of Sennacheribs army, who was happely gone againſt the Egyptian and Ethiopian army, intending then with their joynt forces to aſſault Jeruſalem; yet he ſhould never caſt a bank againſt it, but ſhould return the way he came, which accordingly came to paſſe, verſ. 35. as was formerly prophecyed by Iſaiah, chap. 14.25. I will break the Aſsyrian in my land▪ and upon my mountains tread him under foot; then ſhall his yoke depart from off them, and his burthen depart from off their ſhoulder.
Verſ. 34. For I will defend this citie to ſave it, for my own ſake, and for my ſervant Davids ſake.] That is, becauſe of my promiſe made to David concerning the perpetuity of his throne, which had reſpect chiefly to Chriſt the ſonne of David, of whom David was a type.
Verſ. 35. And it came to paſse that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, &c.] That is, that very night, after the Prophet had ſent this meſſage to Hezekiah concerning the deliverance of Jeruſalem, or that night when the Lord performed this which the prophet had foretold, the angel of the Lord went out, and ſmote in the camp of the Aſsyrians, one hundred foureſcore and five thouſand; and amongſt others the captains and leaders of his camp, perhaps even Rabſhakeh amongſt the reſt who had lately belched forth ſuch execrable blaſphemies againſt the God of Iſrael, 2. Chron. 32.21. And the Lord ſent an Angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders, and captains, in the camp of the king of Aſſyria, &c.
Verſ. 36. So Sennacherib king of Aſſyria departed, &c.] With ſhame of face, 2. Chron. 32.21. So he returned with ſhame of face to his own land. &c. the book of Tobit alſo telleth us, that at his return, he in a rage ſlew many of the Iſraelites in Nineveh, Tobit 1.18. but of this we find no mention in any of the canonicall books of Scripture.
Verſ. 37. And Eſar-haddon his ſonne reigned in his ſtead.] Who in the beginning of his reigne, ſent new troops out of Syria into Samaria, to fortifie the colony therein planted by his grandfather Shalmaneſer▪ Ezra 4.2.