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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 37:21-38

We may here observe, 1. That those who receive messages of terror from men with patience, and send messages of faith to God by prayer, may expect messages of grace and peace from God for their comfort, even when they are most cast down. Isaiah sent a long answer to Hezekiah's prayer in God's name, sent it in writing (for it was too long to be sent by word of mouth), and sent it by way of return to his prayer, relation being thereunto had: ?Whereas thou hast prayed to me, know, for thy comfort,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 37:24

By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord ,.... Particularly by Rabshakeh, and the other two that were with him, who, no doubt, assented to what he said; not content to reproach him himself, he set his servants to do it likewise; he made use of them as instruments, and even set them, as well as himself, above the Lord: and hast said, by the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains ; not only with his foot soldiers, but with his chariots, and a great number... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 37:25

I have digged, and drunk water ,.... In places where he came, and found no water for his army, he set his soldiers to work, to dig cisterns, as the Targum, or wells, so that they had water sufficient to drink; in 2 Kings 19:24 , it is "strange waters", which were never known before: and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places ; or, as the Targum, "with the soles of the feet of the people that are with me;' the Syriac version, "with the hoofs... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 37:26

Hast thou not heard long ago ?.... By report, by reading the history of ancient times, or by means of the prophets; these are the words of the Lord to Sennacherib. The Targum adds, "what I did to Pharaoh king of Egypt;' it follows: how I have done it; and of ancient times that I have formed it ? meaning either the decree in his own breast from all eternity, and which he had published by his prophets, of raising up him, this wicked prince, to be the scourge of nations; or by the "it"... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 37:27

Therefore their inhabitants were of small power ,.... Or, "short of hand" F21 קצרי יד breviati, "vel breves manu", Forerius; "abbreviati manu", Vatablus, Montanus. ; it was not in the power of their hands to help themselves, because the Lord took away their strength, having determined that they should be destroyed for their sins; otherwise it would not have been in the power of Sennacherib to have subdued them; this takes off greatly from the king of Assyria's triumph, that they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 37:24

By thy servants "By thy messengers" - The text has עבדיך abdeycha , thy servants; but the true reading seems to be מלאכיך malacheycha , thy messengers, as in the other copy, 2 Kings 19:23 ; and as the Septuagint and Syriac found it in their copies in this place. Reproached the Lord - אדני Adonai : but one of my MSS. has אדני יהוה Yehovah Adonai , Jehovah the Lord. This reading is not found, I think, in any other MS., but several have יהוה Yehovah for אדני Adonai ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 37:25

Water "Strange waters" - The word זרים zarim , strange, lost out of the Hebrew text in this place, is supplied from the other copy. A MS. supplies the word רבים rabbim , many, instead of it. With the sole of my feet - With my infantry. All the rivers of the besieged places "All the canals of fenced places" - The principal cities of Egypt, the scene of his late exploits, were chiefly defended by deep moats, canals, or large lakes, made by labor and art, with which they were... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 37:26

Lay waste defended cities into ruinous heaps "Lay waste warlike nations; strong fenced cities" - נצים גלים gallim nitstsim . It is not easy to give a satisfactory account of these two words, which have greatly embarrassed all the interpreters, ancient and modern. For גלים gallim I read גוים goyim , as the Septuagint do in this place, εθνη . The word נצים netsim the Vulgate renders in this place compugnantium ; in the parallel place, 2 Kings 19:25 , pugnantium ; and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 37:27

Corn blasted - שדמה shedemah , parched: it does not appear that there is any good authority for this word. The true reading seems to be שדפה shedephah , blasted, as it is in six MSS. (two ancient) here, and in the other copy. read more

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