Wherewith the servants ... - Hebrew, נערי na‛ărēy - The ‘youth,’ or the young men. The word properly denotes boys, youths, young men; and is used here probably by way of disparagement, in contradistinction from an embassy that would be truly respectable, made up of aged men.Have blasphemed me - God regarded these words as spoken against himself and he would vindicate his own honor and name. read more
Behold, I will send a blast upon him - Margin, ‘Put a spirit into him.’ The word rendered ‘blast’ (רוח rûach) is commonly rendered ‘spirit.’ It may denote breath, air, soul, or spirit. There is no reason to think that the word is used here in the sense of blast of wind, as our translators seem to have supposed. The sense is probably, ‘I will infuse into him a spirit of fear, by which be shall be alarmed by the rumour which he shall hear, and return to his own land.’ The word is often used in... read more
Assyria defeated (37:1-38)Hezekiah now realized his mistake in ignoring Isaiah and relying on Egypt. In a humble but open acknowledgment that Judah’s plight was desperate, he sent to ask Isaiah to appeal to God for help (37:1-4). Isaiah reassured Hezekiah that God would not tolerate Assyria’s mockery of him (5-7).When the Assyrians temporarily withdrew from Jerusalem to deal with an enemy attack to the south-west, they sent a letter renewing their threats. They reminded the Jerusalemites that... read more
Isaiah said. The message in verses: Isaiah 37:6 , Isaiah 37:7 is shorter and calmer than the second. read more
Isaiah 37:7. Behold, I will send a blast upon him— Behold, I will put a spirit [of fear] into him, when he shall hear, &c. Vitringa. See chap. Isa 31:8-9 whence it clearly follows, that the interpretation here given is right, and that the prophet here refers to the fears of Sennacherib upon the report of Tirhakah's invasion, and not a pestilential blast, as our version would lead one to think. read more
6. servants—literally, "youths," mere lads, implying disparagement, not an embassy of venerable elders. The Hebrew is different from that for "servants" in Isaiah 37:5. blasphemed me— (Isaiah 37:5- :). read more
7. blast—rather, "I will put a spirit (Isaiah 28:6; 1 Kings 22:23) into him," that is, so influence his judgment that when he hears the report (1 Kings 22:23- :, concerning Tirhakah), he shall return [GESENIUS]; the "report" also of the destruction of his army at Jerusalem, reaching Sennacherib, while he was in the southwest of Palestine on the borders of Egypt, led him to retreat. by the sword— (1 Kings 22:23- :). read more
The Rabshakeh’s challenge 36:1-37:7This section demonstrates Hezekiah’s commitment to God, but the next one (Isaiah 37:8-35) shows an even stronger commitment by the king to commit his own fate and the fate of his people to God. The present section stresses Assyrian pride and its result: divine judgment (cf. Isaiah 10:15-19). Isaiah did not record Hezekiah’s attempt to buy off Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13-16), probably because he wanted to focus on the Judean king’s good example of trusting God. read more
So the officials came to Isaiah, and the prophet responded by sending them back to the king with a message from Yahweh. Hezekiah was not to fear the blasphemous claims of Sennacherib’s underlings. The Lord promised to lead the invading king away from Jerusalem and back to his own country where he would die by the sword. A report placed in Sennacherib’s ear would be the sovereign Lord’s instrument. The lack of reference to the decimation of the Assyrian troops already gathered around Jerusalem... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 37:7
Behold, I will send a blast upon him ; rather, I will put a spirit within him ; i.e. I will take away from him the spirit of pride and arrogance by which he has been hitherto actuated, and I will infuse into his heart, instead, a spirit of hesitation and fear. He shall hear a rumour ; literally, as Delitzsch translates, he shall hear a hearsay ; i.e. "a report," or " tidings. " It is uncertain what "tidings" are intended. Some suppose "tidings of the movements of... read more