Isaiah 37:26-27

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 37:26

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 37:26

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 37:1-38

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 37:21-29

The intoxication of success, etc. The first thing of which this passage speaks, and of that it speaks very forcibly, is— I. THE INTOXICATION OF UNHOLY SUCCESS . The tone of this Assyrian monarch was one of insolent arrogance. His military achievements had implanted in his mind the notion that he had done much greater things than he had actually accomplished, and had exerted the idea that he could achieve other things which were wholly out of his power. He magnifies his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 37:26

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 37:27

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

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 37:26

Hast thou not heard - This is evidently the language of God addressed to Sennacherib. It is designed to state to him that he was under his control; that this was the reason Isaiah 37:27 why the inhabitants of the nations had been unable to resist him; that he was entirely in his hands Isaiah 37:28; and that lie would control him as he pleased Isaiah 37:29.Long ago how I have done it - You boast that all this is by your own counsel and power. Yet I have done it; that is, I have purposed,... read more

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