Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 37
CHAP. XXXVII.
VERSE 1. ANd it came to paſs when King Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, &c.] To wit, as his Meſſengers had done, that brought him report of what Rabſhakeh had ſaid; See the Notes Gen. 37.29. and 2 King. 18.37. and covered himſelf with ſackcloth. See the Note, Pſal. 30.11. and went into the houſe of the Lord, to wit, the Temple; that he might there pour forth his ſoul in Prayer before the Lord. But ſee the Notes for this Chapter, 2 King. 19.
Ver. 2. And he ſent Eliakim, &c.] To wit, becauſe they had been ear-witneſſes of the Blaſphemies of Rabſhakeh, and the Elders of the Prieſts, covered with ſackcloth, who were joyned with the other, the better to repreſent the weightineſs of the buſineſs they were come about, and the ſad condition of all the Servants of God that were in the City; unto Iſaiah the Prophet the Son of Amos, See the Note, Chap. 1.1. namely, both to engage him to joyn with Hezekiah and the people in praying to God for help; and likewiſe that he might from him be informed of what God would be pleaſed to reveal to them concerning the great ſtreights they were in; and therefore there is expreſs mention made here of his prophetical Office, he ſent unto Iſaiah the Prophet; for though this Prophet had formerly given them ſeveral promiſes from God, that Jeruſalem ſhould be delivered (ſee the Notes, Chap. 33.17.) yet Hezekiah being conſcious to himſelf of the weakneſs of his faith, and the overbearing power of his fears, was deſirous further to be confirmed herein.
Ver. 3. And they ſaid unto him, &c.] To wit, delivering the meſſage which Hezekiah had given them in charge; Thus ſaith Hezekiah (where ſome obſerve that they do not ſay, Thus ſaith King Hezekiah, as being deſirous, without minding any thing of State, to expreſs themſelves in the humbleſt manner, ſuitable to the ſad condition whereinto they were fallen) This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blaſphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is no ſtrength to bring forth: that is, ſay ſome Expoſitors, into ſo ſad a plight the whole land is, that Women with child fall into travel for fear before their time and dye; becauſe when the child comes to the birth, they have not ſtrength to bring forth. But for this whole verſe, ſee the Notes, 2 King. 19.3.
Ver. 4. It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabſhakeh, &c. and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard, &c.] Thoſe words, the Lord thy God, which are twice here repeated, were doubtleſs uſed, in relation to that ſpecial intereſt which Iſaiah had in God, as he was a Prophet, and that ſpecial reſpect which upon that account the Lord had to him, and to his prayers; wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left: that is, Cry aloud unto God for them; whereto agrees that which is ſaid, 2 Chron. 22.20. for this cauſe Hezekiah the King, and the Prophet Iſaiah the Son of Amos, prayed and cried to Heaven.
Ver. 5. So the Servants of King Hezekiah came to Iſaiah.] That is, Thus, as is before related, they went and delivered their meſſage to Iſaiah. And this is again here inſerted to make way to the following anſwer which the Prophet returned to their Meſſage.
Ver. 6. And Iſaiah ſaid unto them, Thus ſhall you ſay unto your Maſter, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, Thus ſhall you ſay to our King, who ſent you his ſervants with this meſſage to me, Thus ſaith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words that thou haſt heard, wherewith the ſervants of the King of Aſſyria have blaſphemed; as if he had ſaid, Alas! they are but words: he ſhall not be able to do what he threatens to do. And as for the blaſphemies they have belched out againſt me, fear not, I will take care to be in due time avenged on them for that.
Ver. 7. Behold, I will ſend a blaſt upon him, &c.] That is, He ſhall be ſtruck with a pannick fear; yet I ſee not why it might not be meant of the terrible tempeſt which ſome think God brought upon the Aſſyrian Army when it was deſtroyed; See the Note, Chap. 30.30. But of this and that which follows, and he ſhall hear a rumor, and return to his own land; See the Note, 2 King. 19.7. and I will cauſe him to fall by the ſword in his own land, that is, He that now makes ſuch havock with the ſword amongſt foreign Nations, ſhall ere long be ſlain with the ſword amongſt his Subjects in his own Country; yea, by the hand of his own Sons, as is related in the cloſe of this Chapter.
Ver. 8. So Rabſhakeh returned and found the King of Aſſyria warring againſt Libnah, &c.] If this Libnah bordered upon Egypt, as ſome ſay it did, it is likely that Sennacherib left Lachiſh (when perhaps he had taken it) and ſate down before Libnah, that he might the better keep off any auxiliary forces which the Egyptians might bring to the aid of Judea; or particularly, that he might the better oppoſe Tirhakah the Ethiopian, of whoſe coming againſt him he had heard. Or if it lay nearer to Jeruſalem than Lachiſh, it is then probable, that his deſign was only to draw up the reſidue of his Army ſtill nearer to Jeruſalem; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachiſh, from whence Rabſhakeh was at firſt ſent againſt Jeruſalem. But ſee the Note, 2 King. 19.8.
Ver. 9. And he heard ſay concerning Tirhakah King of Ethiopia, He is come forth to make war with thee: and when he heard it, he ſent meſſengers to Hezekiah, &c.] See the Note, 2 King. 19.9. It is not expreſſed whether this was a true or a falſe report; yet it is moſt probable that it was ſo, becauſe we find that God foretold by Iſaiah, that the King of Aſſyria ſhould vanquiſh the Ethiopians with the Egyptians, and ſo deprive the Jews of that aid which they expected from them: See the Notes, Chap. 20.1, 3, 4.5. And this in likelihood he did not long after he had again ſent Meſſengers with a ſecond ſummons for the delivering up of Jeruſalem to him.
Ver. 14. And Hezekiah received the Letter from the hand of the meſſengers, and read it, &c.] For though God had promiſed to deſtroy Sennacherib, yet Hezekiah would not therefore carry himſelf the more inſolently, nor neglect to accept of any fair treaty with his enemy; and Hezekiah went up into the houſe of the Lord, and ſpread it before the Lord; that is, In the Temple. But ſee the Note, 2 King. 19.14.
Ver. 15. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord.] Here again obſervable it is, that though God had already aſſured him, that Sennacherib ſhould be deſtroyed, and Jeruſalem delivered, yet he would not give over uſing the means of praying to God for mercy, and that eſpecially that he might withal ſhew himſelf ſenſible of the horrible reproaches which the proud enemy had caſt upon his great name.
Ver. 16. O Lord of Hoſts, &c.] See the Note, Gen. 2.1. God of Iſrael, that dwelleſt between the Cherubims; as if he had ſaid, Manifeſt, O Lord, that thou art preſent amongſt us as thine own peculiar people, ready to help us, and to hear our Prayers, of which thine Ark covered with Cherubims is a viſible ſign to us, by delivering us out of the hands of this blaſpheming Tyrant; and let him ſee what a bold attempt it is in him, to endeavour to diſpoſſeſs thee of thy dwelling place.
Ver. 17. Encline thine ears, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and ſee.] That is, Hear the blaſphemous ſpeeches which theſe wretches have belched out againſt thee, and ſee the blaſphemies that are in this Letter I have ſpread before thee.
Ver. 18. Of a truth, Lord, the Kings of Aſſyria have laid waſte all the Nations and their Countrys.] So alſo is this expreſſed, 2 King. 19.17. Here indeed it is in the Hebrew, all the lands and their Countrys; but therefore by lands are meant the Nations inhabiting thoſe lands, as we find it explained 2 Chron. 32.13, 17.
Ver. 21. Then Iſaiah the Son of Amos ſent unto Hezekiah.] Moſt probable it is, that this he did by the Meſſengers whom Hezekiah had ſent to him, to enquire whether he had received any further word of anſwer from God.
Ver. 22. This is the word which the Lord hath ſpoken concerning him, &c.] That is, concerning Sennacherib, The Virgin, the Daughter of Zion hath deſpiſed thee, and laughed thee to ſcorn; See the Notes, Chap. 1.8. and 23.12. but eſpecially 2 King. 19.21. the Daughter of Jeruſalem hath ſhaken her head at thee, See the Notes Job 16.4. and Pſal. 22.7. as he had before ſhaken his hand at her, See the Note, Chap. 10.32.
Ver. 23. Whom haſt thou reproached and blaſphemed? and againſt whom haſt thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? &c.] To wit, as every way diſcovering his pride and inſolence; See the Note, Chap. 10.12. It is all one in effect as if he had ſaid, Little doſt thou think or conſider againſt whom it is that thou haſt thus arrogantly advanced thy ſelf; even againſt the holy one of Iſrael, that is, The holy God of Heaven and Earth, that hath choſen Iſrael to be a holy people to himſelf; See the Note, Chap. 1.4. It is he whom thou haſt blaſphemed, yea, in the reproaches thou haſt caſt upon Hezekiah, his anointed, and upon his people, thou haſt indeed reproached the Lord their God.
Ver. 24. By thy Servants haſt thou reproached the Lord, &c.] In 2 King. 19.23. it is, By thy meſſengers; and then it follows, and haſt ſaid, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the Mountains, to the ſides of Lebanon: that is, I have got over all the hills and mountains that lay in my way, even the loftieſt of them, ſuch as Mount Lebanon was, and that not with my foot-forces only, but alſo with my Chariots, which muſt needs be a work of great difficulty, and only to be maſtered by a mighty Army; as namely, by cutting out and levelling their way where the ground was ſteep and rocky, and full of trees, that obſtructed their paſſage. And this may be meant both of the hills and mountains they climbed, that they might take the Towns and Forts that ſtood thereon, and of thoſe alſo which they were neceſſarily to paſs over, that they might get into the Countrys that lay beyond them. And it might be that he might herein have ſpecial reſpect alſo to thoſe Mountains that were about Jeruſalem, Pſal. 125.2. and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir-trees thereof; that is, Having thus far ſubdued the land before me, I ſhall eaſily do ſo ſtill; their Cedars and Fir-trees he would cut down at his pleaſure, either to clear his way for his Army to paſs, or for other uſes; See the Note, Chap. 14.8. That which he intends is this, That nothing ſhould hinder him in his approaches to Jeruſalem. But withal obſervable it is, that whilſt Sennacherib here threatens to hew down the lofty trees of Lebanon, God had before threatned and foretold, that his Lebanon, that is, his mighty Army ſhould be hewn down; See the Notes, Chap. 10.33, 34. and I will enter into the height of his border (in 2 King. 19.23. it is, into the lodgings of his borders) and the foreſt of his Carmel, or, as it is in the Margin, the foreſt and his fruitful field. Now by the height of his border, or the lodgings of his borders, ſome underſtand the tower of Lebanon, Cant. 7.4. which according to our Tranſlation, I will enter into the height of his border, ſeems not ſo probable, becauſe it is before ſaid, That the Aſſyrian had already marched over that Mountain. And others again underſtand thereby Jeruſalem, the Metropolis and chief place of the Kingdom, which being taken, there would nothing elſe in a manner remain to be done; and by the foreſt of his Carmel, they underſtand the Country thereabout, becauſe for the pleaſantneſs and fruitfulneſs of it, it was like another Carmel, and with the abundance of Fruit-trees and Vines growing therein, it ſhewed like a foreſt. Indeed, having compared this place with that in 2 King. 19.23. this ſeems to be the moſt probable Expoſition, that by the height of his border, is meant the City Jeruſalem, together with the forts and holds on the frontiers thereabouts; and by the foreſt of his Carmel, the goodly and pleaſant Country in that part of Judea. But ſee the Notes in that, 2 King. 19.23.
Ver. 25. I have digged and drunk water, &c.] In 2 King. 19.24. it is, I have digged and drunk ſtrange waters; and it follows as here, and with the ſole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the beſieged places; for which ſee the Note, 2 King. 19.24. The Expreſſion here uſed of drying up great Rivers with the ſole of his feet, is doubtleſs an hyperbolical vaunt; as if he ſhould have ſaid, That his Army was ſo numerous, that with their feet alone they were able to dry up all the waters where they came; or rather, That though the Rivers were never ſo great, his ſouldiers and their beaſts were able to drink them all dry. However, that which is intended hereby, was, That the waters could no where keep him off from any place which he meant to aſſault; either by diverting their waters ſome other way, or by ſome ſuch like policy, he could take a courſe that their waters ſhould be no hinderance to him. Now thus conſidering the words, there may be therein a threatning covertly couched, to wit, that he could ſoon deprive Jeruſalem of her waters, which Hezekiah had been ſo careful to ſecure for them, whereby they muſt needs be forced to yield, or elſe muſt periſh with thirſt.
Ver. 26. Hast thou not heard, &c?] Sennacherib had ſaid, ver. 11. Behold, thou hast heard what the Kings of Aſſyria have done to all lands by deſtroying them utterly; and to this now God replys, Haſt thou not heard long ago, how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? that is, That all that thou and thy Anceſtors have done, was indeed done by me, by my decree, and all-ruling providence (which accordingly therefore I did long ago make known by my Prophets, as Chap. 10.5. O Aſſyrian, the rod of mine anger, &c.) and that you therefore were but the inſtruments in mine hand to do what I would have done; and ſhall the ax boaſt it ſelf againſt him that heweth therewith? &c. Chap. 10.15. Now have I brought it to paſs, that thou ſhouldeſt be to lay waſte defenced Cities into ruinous heaps. But for this whole verſe, ſee the Note, 2 King. 19.25.
Ver. 27. Therefore their inhabitants were of ſmall power, they were diſmaied and confounded, &c.] See the Notes for this and the following verſe, 2 King. 19.26, 27. they were as the graſs of the field, and as the green herb; See the Note, Pſal. 102.4. as the graſs on the houſe tops, which the higher it ſtands, the ſooner it is burnt up and withered; See the Note, Pſal. 129.6.
Ver. 29. Becauſe thy rage againſt me, and thy tumult is come up into mine ears: therefore will I put my hook in thy noſe, &c.] In theſe words there ſeems to be an Alluſion either to fiſh-hooks wherewith when they have ſtruck ſome great fiſh through the noſe, they uſe to draw it along this way and that, to the end that having thus wearied it, they may the better take it up (for the proof whereof that paſſage is uſually alledged, Ezek. 29.3, 4. I am againſt thee, Pharaoh, King of Egypt, the great Dragon that lieth in the midſt of his rivers—But I will put my hooks in thy chaws; or elſe to thoſe rings which men are wont to put into the noſes of Bears and Bufales, that they may the better over-maſter them, and carry them up and down which way they liſt. It is all one in effect, as if God had ſaid, Becauſe thou rageſt againſt me like ſome furious wild beaſt, therefore I will uſe thee like a beaſt; therefore will I put my hook in thy noſe, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way which thou cameſt. And indeed, becauſe men mad with rage, are wont to diſcover their fury by the puffing of their noſtrils, and the foming of their mouths, it may well be that in reference hereto, the Lord doth the rather uſe this Expreſſion, therefore will I put my hook in thy noſe, and my bridle in thy lips.
Ver. 30. And this ſhall be a ſign unto thee, &c.] That is, To thee, O Hezekiah: ye ſhall eat this year ſuch as groweth of it ſelf, and the ſecond year that which ſpringeth of the ſame; and in the third year ſow ye and reap, &c. Now though it cannot well be queſtioned, that this was given as a ſign for the ſtrengthning of his and the peoples faith concerning the foregoing promiſe of the deſtruction of the Aſſyrian, and the deliverance of Jeruſalem; yet withal it is clear, that this tended alſo to the comforting of them both againſt the fear of Sennacheribs returning again with a freſh Army, becauſe they are hereby aſſured, that after his departure they ſhould live peaceably and quietly in the land; and likewiſe eſpecially againſt that great diſtreſs they muſt needs be in, thinking how they ſhould be provided for food, if they were rid of their enemies, when they had ſo far ſpent their old ſtore, and the enemy had ſpoiled that which was growing in the field, and had, it may be, hindred them that year from ſowing their ſeed, which might have yielded them a Crop at harveſt-time. But for this ſign, and how it muſt be underſtood, ſee in the Note, 2 King. 19.30. and ſee alſo the Note before, Chap. 7.14.
Ver. 31. And the remnant that is eſcaped of the houſe of Judah, ſhall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.] That is, They ſhall multiply exceedingly, and being ſetled in the land, ſhall proſper and flouriſh, both in their outward eſtate, and ſpiritually too, which was indeed accompliſhed in the remainder of Hezekiahs reign. But ſee the Note, 2 King. 19.30.
Ver. 32. For out of Jeruſalem ſhall go forth a remnant, and they that eſcape out of mount Zion, &c.] As if it had been ſaid, As for Jeruſalem in particular (of which the Aſſyrian had ſaid, that God himſelf ſhould not defend it) they that were ſhut up in her, ſhall go out freely and fearleſly wherever they pleaſe; they that were fled thither, ſhall return to their own habitations; and the reſt, whitherſoever their occaſions ſhall call them; yet it may alſo have reſpect to their going forth to gather the ſpoils of the Aſſyrians, See the Notes, Chap. 33.23, 24. and to thoſe that ſhould be ſent forth from Jeruſalem to repair the great ruines that had been made in many Cities in the land. And how this may be alſo myſtically applied to that ſmall remnant that ſhould go out of Zion in the days of the Goſpel, to encreaſe the number of Gods Iſrael amongſt the Gentiles, we may ſee in the Note, Chap. 1.9. the zeal of the Lord of hoſts ſhall do this; that is, the zeal of God Almighty, who can do what he pleaſeth, will do this. But ſee the Notes, 2 King. 19.31.
Ver. 33. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord concerning the King of Aſſyria, &c.] To wit, becauſe the Lord is thus reſolved to preſerve his people, He ſhall not come into this City, nor ſhoot an arrow there, nor come before it with ſhields, nor caſt a bank againſt it; the meaning is, that he ſhould never come to make any aſſault upon it, nor ſo much as to lay ſiege to it. By coming before it with ſhields, is meant, drawing up men that were to ſcale the walls, and to enter the City, who uſed to be armed with ſhields, therewith to cover and ſhelter themſelves from any thing that might be caſt upon them, or any ſtrokes that might be made at them by thoſe on the wall. And by banks caſt up, may be meant, thoſe banks which the ſouldiers caſt up under the Covert, whereof they were to make their approaches to the City; or Mounts caſt up, out of which they were to ſhoot into the City. But ſee the Note, 2 King. 19.32.
Ver. 34. By the way that he came, by the ſame ſhall he return.] To wit, with great diſhonour and diſgrace; with ſhame of face, as it is expreſſed 2 Chron. 32.21. as indeed it muſt needs be a matter of great reproach to him, to flee away with a few ſcattered Troops, through thoſe very parts by which he had a while before marched in ſo great State and Fury, with ſuch a gallant and numerous Army.
Ver. 35. For I will defend this City, to ſave it, for mine own ſake, &c.] That is, For mine own Glory; becauſe I have taken them of mine own free grace to be mine own Covenant-people, and determined that Jeruſalem ſhall be the ſetled place of my Worſhip; and that I may vindicate mine own glory from the blaſphemous Aſperſions of the Aſſyrian; and for my Servant Davids ſake; that is, For the love I bear to his ſeed for his ſake; and that I may make good the promiſe I made to him, and not becauſe the inhabitants of Jeruſalem have deſerved any ſuch favour at mine hands. But ſee the Note, 2 King. 19.34.
Ver. 36. Then the Angel of the Lord, &c.] In 2 King. 19.35. it is, And it came to paſs that night (which makes it more than probable, that this was done the very night after the foregoing promiſe made Hezekiah concerning the Deſtruction of Sennacheribs Army, and the deliverance of Jeruſalem) that the Angel of the Lord went out, to wit, from Heaven, or from the Lord (as it is ſaid, 2 Chron. 32.21. That the Lord ſent an Angel) and ſmote in the camp of the Aſſyrians, an hundred fourſcore and five thouſand; See the Note, 2 King. 19.35. Why this was done in the night, we may eaſily conceive; namely, that this Judgment might come upon them the more ſuddenly, and with greater terror; and ſo likewiſe why it was done by an Angel, to wit, that they might clearly ſee, that it was by the immediate Sword of God, for the horrible contempt they had caſt upon him; for which ſee the Note, Chap. 31.8 A more difficult queſtion is, Where the camp of the Aſſyrians was, when the Angel made this ſlaughter amongſt them? Now though concerning this, we may upon clear grounds determine 1. That it was in the land of Judah, according to that, Chap. 14.25. I will break the Aſſyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot; for which ſee the Note there. And 2ly. That Sennacherib had not then beſieged Jeruſalem; for above, ver. 33. it is expreſly ſaid, That he ſhould never do that; yet in what particular place he lay encamped with his Army, I find no where expreſſed. Some think it was at Libnah, where Rabſhakeh found him, ver. 8. when he went back to him from Jeruſalem. And again others hold, that it was at Nob, a Town not far from Jeruſalem; which I judge the more probable, becauſe Chap. 10.32. where our Prophet ſeems to deſcribe the manner of Sennacheribs marching from one place to another, when he went up againſt Jeruſalem, Nob is mentioned as the laſt place where he pitched his Camp; and from thence it is ſaid, That he ſhaked his hand againſt Mount Zion, as by way of threatning, that he would now preſently be with her; See the Note in that place. So that I ſay, it is moſt probable, that whilſt Sennacherib made a ſtand there, that he might put all things in a readineſs for the ſiege of Jeruſalem, there it was that his Army was miraculouſly deſtroyed by an Angel. Only withal it is moſt likely too, which others ſay, That this ſlaughter was made, not only in Sennacheribs Camp wherever it was, but alſo amongſt thoſe forces which Rabſhakeh had from the firſt left to block up Jeruſalem. And accordingly of both places, that muſt be underſtood which followeth, and when they aroſe early in the morning, that is, The Inhabitants of Jeruſalem that looked every moment for the coming of Sennacherib, or rather thoſe few of the Aſſyrians that God would have eſcape the ſword of the Angel; and behold, they were all, that is, Their whole Army, in a manner, dead corpſes; that is, Not ſick and dying, but ſtark dead. By what manner of death they were deſtroyed, it is no where expreſſed: only ſome places elſewhere in this Prophecy ſeem to import, That a mighty and terrible tempeſt fell upon the Camp of the Aſſyrians at that time when this Havock was made amongſt them; for which, ſee the Note, Chap. 30.30.
Ver. 37. So Sennacherib King of Aſſyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Niniveh.] That is, He with thoſe few that were not ſlain by the Angel, fled away home into their own Country. And thus God was pleaſed to order it by his providence, that he ſhould eſcape, and not fall by the Sword of the Angel; 1. That he might to his greater confuſion ſee the dreadful power of the God of Iſrael, whom he had deſpiſed and blaſphemed, clearly diſcovered in that ſtrange and horrid Judgment which he found executed upon his Army. 2ly. That he might to his exceeding vexation flee back in ſo diſgraceful a manner the very way that he came; See the Note before, ver. 34. And 3ly. that he might be reſerved to a death far ſadder in many reſpects, than that of his being ſlain by the Angel, as is related in the following verſe. As for Nineveh, that was at preſent the chief City of Aſſyria; See Gen. 10.11. that ſtrong hold, whereunto the Prophet had before foretold he ſhould flee, See the Notes, Chap. 31.8, 9.
Ver. 38. And it came to paſs as he was worſhipping in the houſe of Niſroch his god, that Adramelech and Sharezer his Sons ſmote him with the Sword, &c.] As the Prophet Iſaiah had before foretold it ſhould be, ver. 7. And ſome conclude from the Apochryphal Book of Tobit, Chap. 1.21. That it was not above five and fifty days after the Deſtruction of his Army in Judea that this was done. However, juſt it was with God, that he that had blaſphemed the true God, ſhould find his Idol-god unable to defend him; and they eſcaped into the land of Armenia, and Eſarhaddon his Son reigned in his ſtead; who is alſo called Aſnappar, Ezra 4.10. and Tobit 1.21. Sarchedonus; and by other Writers, as ſome conceive, Sardanapalus, in whoſe days, ten years after Sennacheribs death, the Chaldeans overcame the Aſſyrians by Merodach their King.