The sacred writer, having now completed the history of the joint
kingdom, and having east his glance forward over the religions history
of the mixed race which replaced the Israelites in Samaria, proceeds
to apply himself uuinterruptedly to the remaining history of the
Jewish kingdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE THIRD YEAR - If Hoshea ascended the throne toward the close of
the 12th year of Ahaz 2 Kings 17:1, and if Ahaz reigned not much more
than 15 years 2 Kings 16:2, the first of Hezekiah might synchronise in
part with Hoshea’s third year.
HEZEKIAH - The name given by our translators follows the... [ Continue Reading ]
TWENTY AND FIVE YEARS OLD WAS HE - This statement, combined with that
of 2 Kings 16:2, would make it necessary that his father Ahaz should
have married at the age of 10, and have had a child born to him when
he was 11 years of age. This is not impossible; but its improbability
is so great, that most... [ Continue Reading ]
HE DID THAT WHICH WAS RIGHT ... - This is said without qualification
of only three kings of Judah, Asa 1 Kings 15:11, Hezekiah, and Josiah
2 Kings 22:2. See some details of Hezekiah’s acts at the
commencement of his reign in 2 Chronicles 29, etc. It is thought that
his reformation was preceded, and... [ Continue Reading ]
HE REMOVED THE HIGH PLACES - This religious reformation was effected
in a violent and tumultuous manner (marginal reference). The “high
places,” though forbidden in the Law (Deuteronomy 12:2, Deuteronomy
12:11; compare Leviticus 26:30), had practically received the sanction
of Samuel 1Sa 7:10; 1 Sam... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER HIM WAS NONE LIKE HIM - The same is said of Josiah (marginal
reference). The phrase was probably proverbial, and was not taken to
mean more than we mean when we say that such and such a king was one
of singular piety.... [ Continue Reading ]
Other good kings, as Solomon, Jehoshaphat, Joash, and Amaziah, had
fallen away in their later years. Hezekiah remained firm to the last.
The phrase “cleaving to God” is frequent in Deuteronomy, but rare
elsewhere.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD WAS WITH HIM - This had been said of no king since David
(marginal reference). The phrase is very emphatic. The general
prosperity of Hezekiah is set forth at some length by the author of
Chronicles 2 Chronicles 32:23, 2 Chronicles 32:27. His great influence
among the nations bordering on t... [ Continue Reading ]
Sargon had established the complete dominion of Assyria over the
Philistines. Hence, the object of Hezekiah’s Philistine campaign was
not so much conquest as opposition to the Assyrian power. How
successful it was is indicated in the Assyrian records by the number
of towns in this quarter which Senn... [ Continue Reading ]
These verses repeat the account given in the marginal reference. The
extreme importance of the event may account for the double insertion.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE FOURTEENTH YEAR - This note of time, which places the invasion
of Sennacherib eight years only after the capture of Samaria, is
hopelessly at variance with the Assyrian dates for the two events, the
first of which falls into the first of Sargon, and the second into the
fourth of Sennacherib,... [ Continue Reading ]
RETURN FROM ME - Or “retire from me,” i. e., “withdraw thy
troops.”
THREE HUNDRED TALENTS ... - According to Sennacherib’s own account,
the terms of peace were as follows:
(1) A money payment to the amount of 800 talents of silver and 30
talents of gold.
(2) the surrender of the Ekronite king.
... [ Continue Reading ]
Ahaz had already exhausted the treasuries 2 Kings 16:8; Hezekiah was
therefore compelled to undo his own work.... [ Continue Reading ]
An interval of time must be placed between this verse and the last.
Sennacherib, content with his successes, had returned to Nineveh with
his spoil and his numerous captives. Hezekiah, left to himself,
repented of his submission, and commenced negotiations with Egypt 2Ki
18:21, 2 Kings 18:24; Isaiah... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY HAD CALLED TO THE KING - The ambassadors summoned Hezekiah,
as if their rank were equal to his. Careful of his dignity, he
responds by sending officers of his court.
ELIAKIM ... WHICH WAS OVER THE HOUSEHOLD - Eliakim had been promoted
to fill the place of Shebna Isaiah 22:20. He was a man... [ Continue Reading ]
The Rab-shakeh, the third in rank of the three Assyrian ambassadors,
probably took the prominent part in the conference because he could
speak Hebrew 2 Kings 18:26, whereas the Tartan and the Rabsaris could
not do so.
THE GREAT KING - This title of the monarchs of Assyria is found in use
as early a... [ Continue Reading ]
Hezekiah no doubt believed that in the “counsel” of Eliakim and
Isaiah, and in the “strength” promised him by Egypt, he had
resources which justified him in provoking a war.
VAIN WORDS - literally, as in margin, i. e., a mere word, to which the
facts do not correspond.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS BRUISED REED - The “tall reed of the Nile bulrush” fitly
symbolized the land where it grew. Apparently strong and firm, it was
quite unworthy of trust. Let a man lean upon it, and the rotten
support instantly gave way, wounding the hand that stayed itself so
insecurely. So it was with Egypt thr... [ Continue Reading ]
The destruction of numerous shrines and altars where Yahweh had been
worshipped 2 Kings 18:4 seemed to the Rab-shakeh conduct calculated
not to secure the favor, but to call forth the anger, of the god. At
any rate, it was conduct which he knew had been distasteful to many of
Hezekiah’s subjects.... [ Continue Reading ]
The phrase translated “give pledges,” or “hostages” (margin)
may perhaps be best understood as meaning “make an agreement.” If
you will “bind yourself to find the riders” (i. e., trained
horsemen), we will “bind ourselves to furnish the horses.” The
suggestion implied that in all Judaea there were n... [ Continue Reading ]
The Rab-shakeh probably tries the effect of a bold assertion, which
had no basis of fact to rest upon.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SYRIAN LANGUAGE - i. e., Aramaic; probably the dialect of
Damascus, a Semitic language nearly akin to their own, but suffciently
different to be unintelligible to ordinary Jews
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE WALL - The conference must have been held
immediately outside the wall for the words of the... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY MAY EAT ... - “My master hath sent me,” the Rab-shakeh
seems to say, “to these men, whom I see stationed on the wall to
defend the place and bear the last extremities of a prolonged siege -
these men on whom its worst evils will fall, and who have therefore
the greatest interest in avoidin... [ Continue Reading ]
There were two grounds, and two only, on which Hezekiah could rest his
refusal to surrender,
(1) ability to resist by his own natural military strength and that of
his allies; and
(2) expectation based upon the language of Isaiah Isaiah 30:31; Isaiah
31:4, of supernatural assistance from Yahweh.... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE AN AGREEMENT ... - Rather, “Make peace with me.” The word,
which primarily means “blessing,” and secondarily “a gift,”
has also the meaning, though more rarely, of “peace.” Probably it
acquired this meaning from the fact that a peace was commonly
purchased by presents.
EAT ... DRINK - A pictur... [ Continue Reading ]
The boast is natural. The Assyrians had had an uninterrupted career of
success, and might well believe that their gods were more powerful
than those of the nations with whom they had warred. It is not
surprising that they did not understand that their successes hitherto
had been allowed by the very... [ Continue Reading ]
Arpad was situated somewhere in southern Syria; but it is impossible
to fix its exact position. Sargon mentions it in an inscription as
joining with Hamath in an act of rebellion, which he chastised. It was
probably the capture and destruction of these two cities on this
occasion which caused them t... [ Continue Reading ]