Verse 1
it came to pass. Compare Isaiah 37:1.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.
Verse 2
Isaiah. The first occurrence in the historical books. Hezekiah was one of the four kings in whose reign he prophesied (Isaiah 1:1). The chapters in Isaiah which refer to these events are 2 Kings 10:5, 2 Kings 12:6; 2 Kings 14:21-27; 2 Kings 17:12-14; 2 Kings 17:22; 2 Kings 17:29, 2 Kings 17:33; 2 Kings 17:36-37.
Verse 3
children = sons.
Verse 4
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
all. Some codices, with Syriac, omit "all".
reproach = disparage, taunt, or flout.
lift up thy prayer. Hezekiah"s "Songs of the degrees" witness to this prayer in his distress. See Psalms 120:1; Psalms 130:1, Psalms 130:2. App-67.
Verse 6
Isaiah. In Greek (N.T.) = Esaias.
blasphemed = reviled, or vilified.
Verse 7
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. .
a blast. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.
hear a rumour. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6), "hear a hearing" =. hear a serious report. See note on Genesis 26:28.
Verse 8
departed from Lachish. Sennacherib had laid siege against it (2 Chronicles 32:9), but had found it difficult, as Joshua had (Joshua 10:31, Joshua 10:32, "the second day"); and "left" it untaken (Jeremiah 34:7).
Verse 9
Tirhakah. An Ethiopian by birth; king of Egypt by conquest. Defeated later by Esarhaddon, son of Sennacherib, after fifteen days" battle. Esarhaddon is shown on a stele, recently discovered, leading Tirhakah with cords.
Verse 10
trustest = confidest. Hebrew. batah. App-69,
Verse 11
and shalt thou be delivered? Note the Figure of speech Erotesis here, and in verses: 2 Kings 19:12, 2 Kings 19:13, and 2 Kings 19:25.
Verse 13
Hamath, &c. See note on 2 Kings 18:34.
Verse 14
the house of the LORD. Hezekiah"s zeal for the house of Jehovah is seen in his "Songs of the degrees". Compare Psalms 122:1, Psalms 122:9; Psalms 134:1, Psalms 134:2. See App-67.
Verse 15
prayed. When assaulted by the king of terrors he "turned his face to the wall and prayed" (Isaiah 38:2). But when the king of Babylon came with a present he did not pray, and fell into the snare (Isaiah 39:1, Isaiah 39:2). Note the Structure of Isaiah, chs. 36, 39, and see App-67.
dwellest. Compare his prayer in Psalms 123:1. App-67.
art the God = art Thyself the God.
Thou hast made heaven and earth. Compare Genesis 1:1. Hezekiah, in his "Songs of the degrees", repeats this phrase as witnessing to the power of God, as Creator, to defeat the enemy. See Psalms 121:1, Psalms 121:2; Psalms 123:1; Psalms 124:8; Psalms 134:3. See App-67.
Verse 16
living God. Always used in contrast with idols.
Verse 21
at thee = after thee: i.e. after she hath seen thy back turned.
Verse 23
the LORD*. This is one of the 134 places where the Sopherim altered "Jehovah" to "Adonai" (App-32).
will-have, as in 2 Kings 19:24.
Verse 25
done it = made it: i.e. the earth.
Verse 26
as the grass, &c. Note Hezekiah"s reference to this in his "Song of the degrees" (Psalms 129:5-7). See App-67.
blasted = blighted.
Verse 27
abode, &c. = downsitting, and thy outgoing, and thy incoming.
thy rage = thy enraging thyself. Very emphatic. The Hithpael gerund occurs only here and Isaiah 37:28, Isaiah 37:29.
Verse 28
tumult = arrogance.
turn thee back. See the reference to this in Hezekiah"s "Song of the degrees" (Psalms 129:4, Psalms 129:5). See App-67.
Verse 29
eat this year, &c. See the reference to Jehovah"s sign in Hezekiah"s "Songs of the degrees" (Psalms 126:5, Psalms 126:6; Psalms 128:2). See App-67.
Verse 31
out of Jerusalem . . . remnant: i.e. the country people who had retired into Jerusalem for safety.
remnant. Compare 2 Kings 19:4, and see Isaiah 10:20.
the LORD of hosts = Jehovah of hosts. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "of hosts" in the text.
Verse 32
cast a bank: i.e. erect an earthwork.
Verse 34
defend = spread, or be a shield over.
for Mine own sake. Man"s sins cannot foil God"s purpose. He does not go outside of His own will to explain His actions in grace.
Verse 35
it came to pass. Compare 2 Kings 37:36.
that night: i.e. the night of the prophecy when the promise was fulfilled. Compare "that day" (Luke 21:34. 1 Thessalonians 5:4).
the Angel of the LORD: i.e. the destroying Angel. Compare 2 Samuel 24:16.
they: i.e. the king and his people.
dead corpses. Figure of speech Pleonasm, for emphasis.
Verse 36
departed. There is no mention of the capture of Jerusalem in Sennacherib"s inscription. This omission is more remarkable than what Sennacherib says. Had he taken Jerusalem, the omission would be unaccountable. Compare 2 Chronicles 32:21 and Psalms 129:4, Psalms 129:5.
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6) to greatly emphasize the fact of his defeat.
Verse 37
Nisroch. Mentioned in the inscriptions.
his sons. A cylinder recently acquired (1910) by, and now in the British Museum, states: "On the twentieth day of the month Tebet (Dee.), Sennacherib, king of Assyria, his son slew him in a rebellion. "The rebellion (it says) lasted till the twenty-eighth of Sivan (June) of next year, "when Esarhaddon his son sat on the throne of Assyria. "The will, or rather deed of gift, of Sennacherib (2 inches by 1, containing eleven lines; in the Kouyoujik Gallery) gives all to Esarhaddon. This probably led to Esarhaddon having afterwards to fight his two brothers, Sennacherib"s murderers.
smote him. Some years later; but mentioned here as the sequel to this history.
Armenia. Hebrew Ararat.
Esarhaddon. See note, above.