E w 36:22. Hezekiah. Message recieved from Rabshakeh. x 37:1. Yehovah. Answer sought from. w 37:2-5. Hezekiah. Message sent to Isaiah. x 37:6,7. Yehovah. Answer sent from.
603 B.C.
36:22 Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
37)
1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of Yehovah. (see Hezekiah's reference to his love for, and use of, the Temple in his "Songs of the Degrees". Pss.122.1,9; 134:1,2. 2 Kings 20:8)
2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe (see 36:3), and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth (these now added to the embassy. Joah absent), to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
3 And they said to him, "Thus has said Hezekiah, 'This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of reproach (note the reference to this in Hezekiah's "Songs of the Degrees". Pss.120:2,3; 123:3,4): for the sons are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
4 It may be Yehovah your Elohim will hear the words of the Rabshakeh (see "reproach" v.3), whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to revile the living Elohim, and will reprove the words which Yehovah your Elohim has heard: wherefore lift up yor prayer for the remnant that is left.' " (note the reference to Hezekiah's "Songs of the Degrees" in Pss.120:1; 123:1-3; 130:1,2. Trust [36:4,7,15] leads to prayer)
5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
6 And Isaiah said to them (the message in vv.6,7 is shorter and calmer than the second), "Thus shall you all say to your master, 'Thus says Yehovah, 'Be not afraid of the words that you have heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have reproached Me.
7 Behold, I will send a blast (ruach) upon him, and he shall hear a rumour (not that of vv.8,9, but that of v.36, on hearig which he returned to his own land [v.37]), and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.' ' " (see v.37)
8 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. (having raised the siege. See 2 Kings 18:17; 19:8)
9 And he heard say (see "rumour, v7) concerning Tirhakah (the Taracus of the inscritions. The 3rd and last of Manetho's 26th dynasty. This reference to the Ethiopian dynasty in Isaiah's time is an "undesigned coincidence") king of Ethiopia (Judah's hope in Ethiopia wwas vain [see 20:1-6]), "He is come forth to make war with you." And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
10 "Thus shall you all speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, 'Let not your Elohim, in Whom you confide, deceive you, saying, 'Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.'
11 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the earths (i.e. all such countries specially connected with Israel) by destroying them utterly; and shall you be delivered?
12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph (these places are all in Mesopotamia), and the sons of Eden which were in Telassar?
13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim (see notes on 36:19), Hena (now 'Anah, on the Euphrates), and Ivah?' " (now Hit, on the Euphrates)
14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up to the house of Yehovah, and spread it before Yehovah. (see "lift up", v.4)
15 And Hezekiah prayed to Yehovah, saying,
16 "O Yehovah Sabaioth, Elohim of Israel (see 29:23), that dwells (or, sits enthroned) between the cherubims, You are He the true Elohim (cp. 1 Kings 18:39), even You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: You have made heaven and earth. (note the reference to this in Hezekiah's "Songs of the Degrees" in Pss.121:1,2;123:1; 124:8; 134:3)
17 Incline Your ear, O Yehovah, and hear; open Your eyes, O Yehovah, and see: and hear all the words (see "reproach", v.3) of Sennacherib, which has sent to revile the living God. (in contrast with idols)
18 Of a truth, Yehovah, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, (fig., put for the people inhabiting the lands. Some codices read "nations, and their land")
19 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of human hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
20 Now therefore, O Yehovah our Elohim, save us (some codices read "I [or, we] pray You". Cp. 2 Kings 19:19) from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are Yehovah, even You only."
C¹ y 21. Hezekiah. Prayer regarded. z 22-29. Kingof Assyria. Apostrophe to. y 30-32. Hezekiah. Sign given to. z 33-38. King of Assyria. Destruction of.
21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says Yehovah Elohim of Israel, 'Whereas you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria: (see "lift up", v.6)
22 This is the word which Yehovah has spoken concerning him; 'The virgin, the daughter of Zion, has despised you, and laughed you to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem has wagged her head at you. (denoting derision and scorn)
23 Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? and against whom have you exalted your voice, and lifted up your eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. (see 1:4)
24 By thy servants have you reproached Yehovah, and have said, 'By the multitude of my chariots have I scaled to the height of the mountains (cp. 36:10. These boast probably refer to the future as well as the past), to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel. (cp. 2 Kings 19:23. Fulfilling 14:8. As Hannibal later scaled the Als)
25 I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the arms (or, canals.Cp.19:6, and Mic.7:12) of the besieged places.' (fig., put for Egypt)
26 Have you not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have puposed it? (cp. 10:5,15; 30:32) now have I brought it to pass, that you should be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps.
27 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field (note Hezekiah's reference to this in his "Songs of the Degrees", Pss.129:5-7), and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
28 But I know your sitting down, and your going out, and your coming in (fig., put for life in general), and your rage against Me.
29 Because your rage against Me, and your arrogance, is come up into My ears, therefore will I put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips (Assyrian sculptures represent captives thus led. Yehovah would treat them as they treated others), and I will turn you back by the way by which you came.' (see Hezekiah's reference to this, Ps.129:4,5)
30 And this shall be a sign to you (see 7:11), 'You all shall eat (&c. No seed would be sown on account of the foretold devastation wrought by the invasion. Hezekiah refers to this "sign" in his "Songs of the Degrees", Pss.126:5,6; 128:2) this year such as grows of itself (See Lev.25:5,11); and the second year that which shoots up of itself (or, from the roots): and in the third year sow you all, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.
31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: (Hezekiah refers to Yehovah's repeated promises on which he relies, Cp. 2 Kings 19:30-34. See Pss.121:2-8; 124:1-3,6; 125:2; 126:2,3; 127:1)
32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the jealousy of Yehovah Sabaioth shall do this.' " (Cp. 9:7)
33 Therefore thus says Yehovah concerning the king of Assyria, "He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.
34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city," says Yehovah.
35 "For I will shield this city to save it for My own sake (see 31:5), and for My servant (three are so called in this Book: David [here]; Israel or Jacob [the nation, 41:8; 42:19; 43:10; 44:1; 45:4; 48:20; 49:3 and whole chapter]; and Messiah [42:1; 65:8]) David's sake" (see how Hezekiah refers to this in Ps.132:1,10)
36 Then the Angel of Yehovah went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand (cp. 2 Kings 19:35-37): and when they (i.e. the Israelites) arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. (fig., used to emphasise his departure and return, which leads up to what he returned for; also, that he did this without taking the city. Nebuchadnezzar makes no reference to this in his iscriptions)
38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead. (see 2 Kings 19:37)
38)
1 In those days (i.e. Hezekiah's 14th year: for 15 years [603-588 B.C.] are added to his life [v.5], and he reigned 29 years [2 Kings 18:2]; 14 + 15 = 29) was Hezekiah sick unto death (this sickness was therefore during the siege). And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, "Thus says Yehovah, 'Give charge concerning your house: for you will certainly die.' "
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to Yehovah, (as in 37:4 ["lift up"] and vv.14,15. Contrast 39:2, where, when the king of Babylon sent letters and he neglected prayer)
3 And said, "Remember now, O Yehovah, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a perfect heart (see 10:20), and have done that which is good in Yor sight." And Hezekiah wept a great weepng. (cp. 2 Kings 20:3)
C² F 4-6. Yehovah's Message to Hezekiah. G 7,8. The Sign given. F 9-20. Hezekiah's Prayer to Yehovah. G 21,22. The Sign asked for.
603-588 B.C.
4 Then came the word of Yehovah to Isaiah (the only occ. of this in the case of Isaiah. Cp. Gen.15:1), saying,
5 "Go, and say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says Yehovah, the Elohim of David your father (this Divine title reminds and assures Hezekiah that Yehovah would be faithful to His promise made to David in 2 Sam.7. Se 2 Kings 20:5), 'I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears: behold, I will add to your days fifteen years. (hence the number of the "Songs of the Degrees". See 2 Kings 20:9)
6 And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria (the city was thus still besieged): and I will (Hezekiah trusted this promise) shield this city. (see 31:5)
7 And this shall be the sign to you from Yehovah (Hezekiah had not asked for this sign [see v.22]. This shows that v.22 is not "displaced" as alleged. See also 7:11), that Yehovah will do this thing that He has spoken;
8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the steps (it is to these "degrees", or steps of the sundial of Ahaz his father, that Hezekiah refers in the title for "The Songs of the Degrees". See 2 Kings 20:9. "Steps" note the emphasis placed on these by the fivefold repetition of the word), which is gone down in the sun step of Ahaz, ten steps backward.' ' " So the sun returned ten steps, by which steps it was gone down.
F a 9. The Supersciption. b 10-20-. The Prayer. a -20. The Subscription.
9 The engraving of Hezekiah king of Judah (Heb. michtab. Another spelling of michtam. The word Michtam is from Katam, to cut in, or engrave, as in Jer.2:22 "your iniquity is graven before Me". The word, therefore, points to a graven and therefore a permanent weiting; graven on account of its importance [cp. Job 19:24]. This verse is the super-scription common to most Psalms, corresponding with he subscription [v.-20]), when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:
10 I said "in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of Sheõl (see Matt.16:18): I am deprived of the residue of my years."
11 I said, "I shall not appear before Yah (see 1:12; and "appear" Ex.23:15; 34:20), even Yah, in the land of the living (this expression occ. 3 times with Art. ["the living"] in the Hebrew [here, Job 28:13; and Ps.142:5]. Without the Art. it occ. 8 times See Ezek.26:20. "The living", i.e. alive on earth. Not Sheõl, which is the place of the dead): I shall behold humans no more with the inhabitants of a quiet land. (i.e. when this invasion shall be ended)
12 Mine generation (or succession) is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver his thread] my life (see 19:9): He will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night will You make an end of me."
13 I waited expectanty till morning, that, as a lion [awaits his prey], so will He break all my bones (see Ps.22:16): from day even to night wilt You make an end of me.
14 Like a crane or a swallow (or, like a twittering swallow), so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove (see Ps.55:17. Cp. Ezek.7:16): My eyes fail with looking upward: O Yehovah, I am oppressed; be a surety for me. (cp. Job 17:3 ["put me in surety"])
15 What shall I say? He has both spoken to me, and Himself has done it: I shall go slowly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
16 O Yehovah, upon these [Your doings men] revive (ps.104.29,30), and the reviving of my spirit (ruach) [is] altogether in them: so will You recover me, and make me to live.
17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but You have in love to my soul delivered it from the pit or corruption: for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. (sins unforgiven are said to be "before His face" [Ps.109.14,15. Jer.16:17. Hos.7:2]. Cp. Mic.7:19. Hence "happiness" of Ps.32:1)
18 For Sheõl cannot praise You (fig., put for those who are in it), death can not celebrate You (note the Ellipsis of second negative. See Gen.2:6, and 1 Kings 2:9. Cp. for the teaching Pss.6:5; 30:9; 88:10,12. Ecc.9:10. "Celebrate", see note on "shall not give their light", 13:10): and they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Your truth.
19 The living, the living (fig., for emphasis, implying that only such are able to praise), he shall praise You, as I do this day: the father to the sons shall make known Your truth. (see Deut.4:9; 6:7)
20 Yehovah was gracious to save me:
therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of Yehovah. (i.e. the "Songs of the Degrees [Steps]". Where are "my songs", and what were they if not the 15 songs named after the 10 steps by which the shaodow of the sun went back on the sundial of Ahaz [vv.7,8]?)
21 For Isaiah had said, "Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover."
22 Hezekiah also had said, "What is the sign (see vv. 7,8) that I shall go up to the house of Yehovah?"
39)
603 B.C.
1 At that time (i.e. shortly after the two miracles of the shadow and Hezekiah's recovery from his sickness. Cp. 2 Chron.32:31) Merodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah (these were more potent than Sennacherib's hosts; just as Ahab's daughter and feast were more than his men of war with Jehoshaphat. See 2 Chron.18:1-3. Cp with 2 Chron.17:1-3): for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.
2 And Hezekiah was glad of them (this is further Divine information, given by Him Who knew Hezekiah's heart. 2 Kings 20:13 records what Hezekiah did: viz. "listened to them". Man could see the ear, but only Yehovah could know the heart [or mind]. Hezekiah forgot to pray, as in 37:4,14,15; and 38:2. Hence his failure), and shewed them the house of his (marks Hezekiah's ostenation and failure in not giving Yehovah all the glory) precious things (Hezekiah's possession of these riches, after the depletion of his treasures in 2 Kings 18:15,16 is explained and accounted for by a reference to 2 Chron.32:22,3,27, and to the spoil of the Assyrians' camp [2 Kings 19:35]), the silver, and the gold (see Deut.17:17), and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasuries: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not. (emphasising the completeness of his act)
C³ c¹ 3-. Isaiah. Question. d¹ -3. Hezekiah. Information. c² 4-. Isaiah. Question. d² -4. Hezekiah. Ostentation. c³ 5-7. Isaiah. Denunciation. d³ 8. Hezekiah. Submission.
3 Then came Isaiah the prophet to king Hezekiah, and said to him, “What said these men? and from which place came they to you?”
And Hezekiah said, “They are come from a far country to me, even from Babylon.”
4 Then said he (i.e. Isaiah), “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “All that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.”
5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of Yehovah Sabaioth:
6 ‘Behold, the days come, that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left,’ says Yehovah.
7 ‘And of your sons that shall issue from you (Hezekiah had none yet, and Yehovah's promise to David [2 Sam.7:16] seemed in danger of failing. Manassej was not born yet till the 3rd of the 15 added years. Hence his reference to this position in the "Songs of the Degrees". See Pss.127:3-5; 128 [quoting in vv.56 the words in Isa.39:8]. Hezekiah did not marry till after this, and there may be a reference to his marriage to Hephzi-bah in 62:4, which serves as the basis of the comparison in his prophecy concerning the future blessing of Israel), which you shall beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” (see Dan.1:3,4)
8 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, “Good is the word of Yehovah which you have spoken.” (Hezekiah's submission was like Eli's. Cp. 1 Sam.3:18. 2 Kings 20:19. Job 1:21; 2:10. James 5:10,11) He said moreover, “Nevertheless there shall be peace and truth in my days.”