Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIX.
VERSE 1. AT that time Merodach-Baladan the Son of Baladan King of Babylon, ſent Letters and a preſent to Hezekiah, &c.] To wit, by the conſent and advice of his Princes; whence it is that theſe Meſſengers are called the Embaſſadors of the Princes of Babylon, 2 Chron. 32.31. But ſee the Notes for this whole paſſage, 2 King. 20.12. &c.
Ver. 2. And Hezekiah was glad of them, &c.] To wit, as being vain-gloriouſly joyed with thinking how renowned he was become, even in remote Countries, and withal haply as chuckering himſelf with a conceit that by the friendſhip of this King of Babylon he ſhould be the ſafer for the future from any further Invaſion of the Aſſyrians; and if this were ſo, it muſt needs argue that he was not ſo confident in Gods protection, as the remembrance of Gods late miraculous Deliverance of him from the Aſſyrians might well have made him. But for this and that which follows, and ſhewed the houſe of his precious things, See the Note 2 King. 20.13.
Ver. 3. What ſaid theſe men? and from whence came they unto thee, &c.] This the Prophet demanded of the King, not becauſe he knew not who they were, and whence they came, but that by the Kings anſwer he might take occaſion to deliver the Meſſage which God had given him in charge. As for his anſwer, They are come from a far Country, &c. See the Note, 2 King. 20.14.
Ver. 4. Then ſaid he, What have they ſeen in thine houſe? &c.] See the foregoing Note; and Hezekiah anſwered, All that is in mine houſe, &c. Though Hezekiah might well have thought, that Gods Prophet uſed not to come unto him, but about very ſerious and weighty matters, and he enquired not of theſe meerly out of curioſity, that he might know what the buſineſs was he was come about; yet by his plain and direct relating what he had done, it appears that he apprehended not that he had ſinned herein, but rather expected to be commended for his wiſe and prudent managing of the whole buſineſs.
Ver. 6. Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine houſe, and that which thy Fathers have laid up in ſtore until this day, ſhall be carried to Babylon, &c.] As if he had ſaid, All theſe things wherein thou haſt ſo prided thy ſelf, and whereof thou haſt ſo exceedingly gloried, ſhall be plundred and carried away, even by the Babylonians, whom now by ſo great reſpects thou haſt ſought to engage to thee. A ſad Meſſage this was! But by making known, that this fact of Hezekiahs ſhould help forward that dreadful deſolation which indeed was chiefly brought upon the whole Land for the wickedneſs and obſtinacy of the people in general, 1. God diſcovered how hateful and deteſtable the ſin of Pride and Vain glory is in his ſight: And 2ly. he brought Hezekiah and the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem to humble themſelves for what had been done; as it is expreſly ſaid they did, 2 Chron. 32.26. But ſee alſo the Note, 2 King. 20.17.
Ver. 7. And of thy Sons that ſhall iſſue from thee, which thou ſhalt beget, ſhall they take away, &c.] To wit, mediately or immediately; his Poſterity, his Children or Childrens Children: and they ſhall be eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon, that is, Servants or Officers, See the Note, 2 King. 8.6. And this was accompliſhed partly in the carrying away of Manaſſeh his Son Captive into Babylon, 2 Chron. 33.11. but eſpecially in the Captivity of Jehoiachim, and others of the ſeed Royal, See 2 Chron. 36.10, 20. and Dan. 1.3. And by foretelling this, Hezekiah was further informed how vainly he and his Progenitors had chuckered themſelves in the great treaſures they had horded up for their Poſterity, ſeeing both their Treaſures and Poſterity too, were not long after to be carried away into Babylon.
Ver. 8. Then ſaid Hezekiah to Iſaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou haſt ſpoken, &c.] Thus the good King doth quietly ſubmit to the Sentence of God, and to the denunciation of it by the Prophet; Good, ſaith he, is the word of the Lord; as if he ſhould have ſaid, It is moſt juſt that God ſhould thus puniſh both my ſin, and the wickedneſs of this people; and I know that what he doth therein, he will do out of fatherly love to thoſe that fear him: he ſaid moreover, for there ſhall be peace and truth in my days; which in 2 King. 20.19. is expreſſed thus, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days? for which ſee the Note there. By peace and truth, is meant aſſured peace, or peace with the faithful accompliſhment of what God had promiſed; particularly it may be, that of the lengthning out his days for fifteen years. So that that which Hezekiah intended hereby, was, That he had cauſe to own it as an effect of Gods Goodneſs and Favour to them, that this Judgment ſhould be ſuſpended and deferred ſo long, that during his life, peace ſhould be continued amongſt them; which alſo might hint ſome hope to them, that when the evil threatned was brought upon the Land, God would remember mercy in the midſt of Judgment.