And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying. He did not return railing for railing, but committed himself and his cause to him that judgeth righteously; he did not write an answer to the letter himself, but lays it before the Lord, and prays him to answer it, who was most principally reflected on in it. read more
O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim ,.... Or, "the inhabitant of the cherubim" F12 ישב הכרבים "cherubim inhabitator", Forerius. ; which were over the mercy seat, the residence of the Shechinah, or Majesty of God, the symbol of the divine Presence in the holy of holies; a title which the God of Israel, the Lord of armies in heaven, and earth bears, and distinguishes him from all other gods, and which several titles carry in them arguments to strengthen... read more
Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear ,.... The prayer which Hezekiah was now presenting to him, as also the reproach of the enemy: open thine eyes, O Lord, and see ; the letter he spread before him, and take notice of the blasphemies in it; and punish for them. Both these clauses are to be understood after the manner of men, and in a way becoming the being and perfections of God, to whom ears and eyes are not properly to be ascribed, and so likewise the bowing of the one, and the opening... read more
Of a truth Lord ,.... This is a truth and will be readily owned what the king of Assyria has said that his ancestors have destroyed all lands, or at least have endeavoured to do it, and have had it in their hearts to do it: the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries : or "all the lands and their land" F13 כל הארצות ואת ארצם "omnes terras, et terram eorum", Pagninus, Montanus; "vel terram inquam eorum", Vatablus. ; the Targum is, "all... read more
And, have cast their gods into the fire ..... And burnt them; and it may well be asked, where are they? Isaiah 36:19 , for they were no gods, but the works of men's hands, wood and stone ; they were made of wood or of stone, and therefore could not be called gods; nor could they save the nations that worshipped them, nor themselves, from the fire: therefore they have destroyed them ; the Assyrian kings were able to do it, and did do it, because they were idols of wood or stone; but... read more
Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand ,.... The hand of the king of Assyria. The Lord had promised that he would and Hezekiah believed he would; but he knew that for this he would be inquired of by him, and he pleads covenant interest, in him, and entreats for salvation upon that account, as well as for the reason following: that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only ; by doing that which other gods could not do; they could not save... read more
Unto the Lord "Before Jehovah" - That is, in the sanctuary. For אל el , the Syriac, Chaldee, and the other copy, 2 Kings 19:15 , read לפני liphney , "before the face." read more
The nations - הארצות haratsoth , "the lands; "instead of this word, which destroys the sense, ten of Kennicott's and five of De Rossi's MSS. (one ancient) have here גוים goyim , "nations;" which is undoubtedly the true reading, being preserved also in the other copy; 2 Kings 19:17 . Another MS. suggests another method of rectifying the sense in this place, by reading מלכם malcam , "their king, "instead of ארצם artsam , "their land;" but it ought to be מלכיהם malcheyhem ... read more
Save us "Save us, we beseech thee" - The supplicating particle, נא na , is supplied here from eighteen MSS., three ancient, of Dr. Kennicott, and ten of De Rossi, and from the other copy; 2 Kings 19:19 . That thou art the Lord, even thou only "That thou Jehovah art the only God" - The word אלהים Elohim , "God, "is lost here in the Hebrew text, but preserved in the other copy; 2 Kings 19:19 . The Syriac and Septuagint seem here to have had in their copies אלהים Elohim ,... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 37:8-20
We may observe here, 1. That, if God give us inward satisfaction in his promise, this may confirm us in our silently bearing reproaches. God answered Hezekiah, but it does not appear that he, after deliberation, sent any answer to Rabshakeh; but, God having taken the work into his own hands, he quietly left the matter with him. So Rabshakeh returned to the king his master for fresh instructions. 2. Those that delight in war shall have enough of it. Sennacherib, without provocation given to him... read more