Even against the Holy One of Israel . A specially Isaiah phrase, employed by Isaiah twenty-eight times, and only five times in all the rest of Scripture. A strong proof, if any proof beyond the unmistakable Isaiah spirit of the entire prophecy were needed, of the genuineness of the present passage. read more
Holy One of Israel. It is singular to find the holiness of God introduced here rather than his majesty or his power. Yet it is significant. The sublime greatness of God is his character , and this is expressed in the word "Holy One." The insults of Assyria are not levelled so much against God's throne, or God's rule, as against God himself. It is the insult offered to the Divine Name. The contrast between Jehovah and the gods created by heathen imaginations is very striking in this... read more
By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord (see Isaiah 36:15-20 ). And hast said. Sennacherib had not actually uttered these words with his mouth; but the prophet clothes in his own highly poetic language the thoughts which the Assyrian king had cherished in his heart. He had regarded "the multitude of his chariots" as irresistible; he had considered that the mountains which guarded Palestine would be no obstacle to his advance; he had contemplated ravaging and despoiling of its timber... read more
I have digged, and drunk water . Sennacherib notes three natural obstacles to his advance—the forces of his opponents he does not appear to account an obstacle—viz. mountains, deserts, rivers. Mountains do not stop him—he crosses them even with his chariot-force ( Isaiah 37:24 ). Deserts do not stop him—he digs wells there, and drinks their waters. Rivers will not stop him—he will dry them up, trample them into puddles. Note the contrast between the past tenses, "I have come up," "I have... read more
Hast thou not heard, etc.? An abrupt transition, such as is common in Isaiah. From speaking in the person of Sennacherib, the prophet without warning breaks off, and returns to speaking in the person of Jehovah, as his mouthpiece. "Hast thou not heard," he says, long ago; or rather, " that from long ago! have done this?" Art thou so ignorant, so devoid of that light of nature, which should "lighten every man that cometh into the world" ( John 1:9 ), as not to know God's method of... read more
Therefore . The original is not so emphatic, but still contains the idea, not merely of sequence, but of consequence. God, having decreed the successes of the Assyrians, effected them (in part) by infusing weakness into the nations that were their adversaries. They were as the grass of the field (comp. Isaiah 40:6 , Isaiah 40:7 ). The comparison is one constantly used by the Hebrew psalmists ( Psalms 37:2 ; Psalms 90:5 ; Psalms 92:7 ; Psalms 103:15 ), and was not unknown to the... read more
I know thy abode ; literally, thy down-sitting (comp. Psalms 139:2 ). The meaning is that God has, and has had, his eye on Sennacherib throughout all his career, seeing to and watching over his performance of his will. The phrase, going out, and coming in , is a Hebrew idiom for a man's doings (see Numbers 27:17 ; Deuteronomy 28:6 ; Deuteronomy 31:2 ; 1 Samuel 18:13 , 1 Samuel 18:16 ; 2 Samuel 3:25 ; 1 Kings 3:7 , etc.). Thy rage against me . As shown in the message... read more
God s agents are never beyond his restrainings. He used Assyria, but he holds Assyria in with bit and bridle. The horse may plunge, and rear, and trample, and seem to be beyond all restraint; but God never looses the rein, and draws it in when he pleases. The figures used are even more striking. He puts "a hook in the nose," which Michaelis explains in this way: "The Orientals make use of a contrivance for curbing their work-beasts, which is not adopted among us. They bore the nose through... read more
Therefore will I put my hook in thy nose (comp. Ezekiel 29:4 ; Ezekiel 38:4 ; 2 Chronicles 33:11 ). The Assyrians were in the habit of passing "hooks" or "rings" through the noses or lips of their more distinguished prisoners, and attaching a thong to the hook or ring, by which they led the prisoners into the royal presence. The expressions used derive their force from these practices, but are not in the present place to be understood literally. God "turned Sennacherib back" and... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 37:22
The virgin the daughter of Zion ; i.e. Jerusalem (comp. Isaiah 1:8 ; Isaiah 10:32 ; Isaiah 16:1 ; Isaiah 52:2 ; Isaiah 62:11 ). The expression, "virgin daughter," is used also by Isaiah of Zidon ( Isaiah 23:12 ) and of Babylon ( Isaiah 47:1 ). The personification here is very effective. since it represents Jerusalem as a tender maiden, weak and delicate, yet still bold enough to stand up against Sennacherib and all his host, and bid him defiance. Confident in Jehovah, her... read more