2 KINGS CHAPTER 19 Hezekiah acquainteth Isaiah the prophet with the
blasphemies of Rab-shakeh: he promiseth deliverance from the Lord, 2
KINGS 19:1. Sennacherib is forced to march against the Moors; sendeth
blasphemous letters to Hezekiah, 2 KINGS 19:8. His prayer, 2 KINGS
19:14. Isaiah prophesieth... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
A DAY OF TROUBLE AND OF REBUKE; either,
1. From God, wherein God rebukes and chastens us sorely. Or rather,
2. From the Assyrian, who reviles and reproacheth us; for his business
here is to complain, not of God, but of the Assyrian. We are like a
poor travailing woman in great extremity, and havin... [ Continue Reading ]
IT MAY BE; he speaks doubtfully, because he knew not whether God would
not deliver them all up into the Assyrian's hand, as he and his people
deserved. But sometimes this is not a word of doubt, but of good hope;
as NUMBERS 22:33 JOSHUA 14:12. THE LORD THY GOD, to whom thou art dear
and precious. He... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL SEND A BLAST UPON HIM, Heb. _a wind_, a storm or tempest, by
which name God's judgments are oft called, i.e. a violent, and sudden,
and terrible stroke; namely, that miraculous destruction of his army,
of which 2 KINGS 19:35. Although the place may be rendered thus, _I
will put a spirit withi... [ Continue Reading ]
RAB-SHAKEH RETURNED TO THE KING, to give him an account of the treaty,
and to advise with him what was further to be done; leaving behind him
the army under the other commanders, mentioned 2 KINGS 18:17, as is
most probable from the other threatening message here following; which
would have been ver... [ Continue Reading ]
KING OF ETHIOPIA, Heb. _of Cush_, i.e. either,
1. Of Arabia, as that word is most commonly meant; of which see the
notes, and especially my Latin Synopsis, upon NUMBERS 12:1. Or rather,
2. Of Ethiopia beyond Egypt. Nor was there any need that he should
force his passage through Egypt, which is obj... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No, certainly, never expect it: such questions oft imply a denial, as
GENESIS 18:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
Several places about or beyond Euphrates. See GENESIS 11:31 EZEKIEL
27:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE IS THE KING OF HAMATH? either,
1. Their god, whom he here calls their king, because they looked upon
him as their protector and governor, which kings are or should be to
their people. Or rather,
2. Their king properly so called. And as before he compared their gods
with the God of Jerusalem,... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, i.e. into the court of the temple; for
further he might not enter. BEFORE THE LORD, i.e. before the ark or
temple; which he did, not to acquaint God, but to strengthen his own
faith, and quicken himself to prayer.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH HATH SENT HIM, i.e. the messenger who brought this railing
letter, 2 KINGS 19:14; or Rab-shakeh, who was easily understood out of
the former chapter, although he would not do him the honour to name
him; or, _sent it_, to wit, this letter.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. Accepted it, and will answer it; a common synecdoche.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VIRGIN; so he calls Zion, or Jerusalem; partly, because she was
pure in good measure from that gross idolatry wherewith other people
were defiled, which is called spiritual whoredom; partly, to signify
that God would defend her from that rape which Sennacherib intended to
commit upon her, with n... [ Continue Reading ]
EXALTED THY VOICE; by Rab-shakeh, who _cried with a loud voice_, 2
KINGS 18:28. LIFTED UP THINE EYES ON HIGH; a gesture of pride and
scornfulness, PROVERBS 21:4. AGAINST THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL: not
against man, but against the holy God, who will not suffer thy impious
blasphemies to go unpunished; a... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THY MESSENGERS; so thou hast advanced thy very servants above me. I
AM COME UP TO THE HEIGHT OF THE MOUNTAINS; I have brought up my very
chariots to those mountains which were thought inaccessible by my
army. LEBANON; a high hill, famous for cedars and fir trees, here
following. WILL CUT DOWN THE... [ Continue Reading ]
STRANGE WATERS; such as were never discovered nor used by others. And
therefore all thy endeavours to deprive me of water for my army, 2
CHRONICLES 32:3, are idle and fruitless. WITH THE SOLE OF MY FEET HAVE
I DRIED UP ALL THE RIVERS OF BESIEGED PLACES; and as I can furnish my
army with water digged... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou not long since learned that which some of thy philosophers
could and did teach thee, that there is a supreme and powerful God, by
whose decree and providence all these wars and calamities were sent
and ordered, whose mere instrument thou art, so that thou hast no
cause for these vain boast... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE; because I had armed thee with my commission and strength,
and taken away their spirit and courage, and withdrew my help from
them to give it to thee. THEIR INHABITANTS; the people of Israel, and
Judah, and other places which thou hast conquered. AS THE GRASS OF THE
FIELD; which is weak an... [ Continue Reading ]
Though thou dost not know me, yet I thoroughly know thee, and all thy
designs and actions, all thy secret and subtle contrivances in the
place of THY ABODE, in thy own kingdom and court, and the execution of
thy designs abroad, what thou intendest in _thy going out_, and with
what successes or forme... [ Continue Reading ]
THY TUMULT, i.e. thy tumultuous noise, thy clamours and blasphemies
which Rab-shakeh in thy name beached forth against me with _a loud
voice_, 2 KINGS 18:28. MY HOOK IN THY NOSE, AND MY BRIDLE IN THY LIPS;
a metaphor from wild and furious beasts, that must be thus managed. I
WILL TURN THEE BACK BY T... [ Continue Reading ]
A SIGN UNTO THEE, to wit, of the certain accomplishment of the
promises here made to thee; that Zion should triumph over this
insulting enemy, 2 KINGS 19:21; that God would not only preserve the
city from his present fury, 2 KINGS 19:34, but also that God would
bless his people with a durable prospe... [ Continue Reading ]
i. e. shall increase and multiply greatly; a metaphor from plants.
Compare JOB 29:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
A REMNANT; that handful of Jews who now were gathered together, and
shut up in Jerusalem, shall go out to their several habitations, and
by my singular blessing increase exceedingly. THEY THAT ESCAPE OUT OF
MOUNT ZION; the same thing expressed in other words, which is usual in
the Hebrew language. T... [ Continue Reading ]
Which was true, though he sent Rab-shakeh and others with a great host
against Jerusalem, 2 KINGS 18:17; either because that host went away
with Rab-shakeh to Libnah, above, 2 KINGS 19:8; or rather, because
that army did not form a close siege against it, but only marched
towards it, and disposed th... [ Continue Reading ]
Whereas he expected to devour the kingdom of Judah at one morsel, and
then to proceed further, and to conquer Egypt or other neighbouring
countries; and as it is said of him, and concerning this very time and
design, ISAIAH 10:7, to cut off nations not a few, he shall meet with
so sad a disappointme... [ Continue Reading ]
For my promise and covenant's sake, made with David concerning the
stability and eternity of his kingdom. See 1 KINGS 11:12,13.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT NIGHT; either,
1. In the night following this message of the prophet to Hezekiah; or,
2. In that famous night when God destroyed the Assyrians, it was done
in this manner. For such expressions are oft used of an indefinite and
uncertain time, as that day is frequently taken, as ISAIAH 4:1, IS... [ Continue Reading ]
God spared SENNACHERIB, not in mercy, but in wrath, reserving him to a
more dreadful and shameful death by the hands of his own children.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND OF ARMENIA was a place most fit for their purpose, because it
was near to that part of Assyria, and was very mountainous and
inaccessible by armies, and the people more stout and warlike, and
constant enemies to the Assyrians. ESARHADDON; who sent great supplies
to his new colony in Samaria... [ Continue Reading ]