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| 1 After these things and this truth, come hath Sennacherib king of Asshur, yea, he cometh in to Judah, and encampeth against the cities of the bulwarks, and saith to rend them unto himself. |
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| 2 And Hezekiah seeth that Sennacherib hath come, and his face [is] to the battle against Jerusalem, |
Against Jerusalem – The march of Sennacherib's army meant destruction and captivity to many small cities and towns on his route toward Jerusalem. R3581:6
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| 3 and he taketh counsel with his heads and his mighty ones, to stop the waters of the fountains that [are] at the outside of the city and they help him, |
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| 4 and much people are gathered, and they stop all the fountains and the brook that is rushing into the midst of the land, saying, 'Why do the kings of Asshur come, and have found much water ' |
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| 5 And he strengtheneth himself, and buildeth the whole of the wall that is broken, and causeth [it] to ascend unto the towers, and at the outside of the wall another, and strengtheneth Millo, [in] the city of David, and maketh darts in abundance, and shields. |
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| 6 And he putteth heads of war over the people, and gathereth them unto him, unto the broad place of a gate of the city, and speaketh unto their heart, saying, |
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| 7 'Be strong and courageous, be not afraid, nor be cast down from the face of the king of Asshur, and from the face of all the multitude that [is] with him, for with us [are] more than with him. |
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| 8 With him [is] an arm of flesh, and with us [is] Jehovah our God, to help us, and to fight our battles;' and the people are supported by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. |
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| 9 After this hath Sennacherib king of Asshur sent his servants to Jerusalem and he [is] by Lachish, and all his power with him against Hezekiah king of Judah, and against all Judah, who [are] in Jerusalem, saying, |
Send his servants – Although tribute was sent, he sent three chief generals to Jerusalem to accomplish its captivity while he remained with his army besieging Lachish. R3582:2
We cannot purchase peace with things consecrated to the Lord--compromise the truth. So surely as the Lord's consecrated people do this, the Lord will permit to come upon them the very difficulties which they seek to avert. R2381:6
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| 10 'Thus said Sennacherib king of Asshur, On what are ye trusting and abiding in the bulwark, in Jerusalem |
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| 11 'Is not Hezekiah persuading you, to give you up to die by famine, and by thirst, saying, Jehovah our God doth deliver us from the hand of the king of Asshur |
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| 12 Hath not Hezekiah himself turned aside His high places, and His altars, and speaketh to Judah and to Jerusalem, saying, Before one altar ye bow yourselves, and on it ye make perfume |
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| 13 'Do ye not know what I have done I and my fathers to all peoples of the lands Were the gods of the nations of the lands at all able to deliver their land out of my hand |
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| 14 Who among all the gods of these nations whom my fathers have devoted to destruction [is] he who hath been able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God is able to deliver you out of my hand |
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| 15 'And, now, let not Hezekiah lift you up, nor persuade you thus, nor give credence to him, for no god of any nation and kingdom is able to deliver his people from my hand, and from the hand of my fathers: also, surely your God doth not deliver you from my hand!' |
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| 16 And again have his servants spoken against Jehovah God, and against Hezekiah His servant, |
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| 17 and letters he hath written to give reproach to Jehovah, God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, 'As the gods of the nations of the lands that have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah doth not deliver His people from my hand.' |
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| 18 And they call with a great voice [in] Jewish, against the people of Jerusalem who [are] on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them, that they may capture the city, |
In the Jews' speech – The Hebrew language was used, in order that the people might understand their hopeless situation; yet they remained calm. R3582:3
That were on the wall – Some of them soldiers with bows and arrows, spears, etc., to defend the walls. R3582:2
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| 19 and they speak against the God of Jerusalem as against the gods of the peoples of the land work of the hands of man. |
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| 20 And Hezekiah the king prayeth, and Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, concerning this, and they cry to the heavens, |
Prayed – Hezekiah had undoubtedly come to deprecate his course in ignoring the advice of Isaiah in respect to the tribute. He was thoroughly humbled now. R3582:4
When our proudest, strongest foes seem triumphing the most, we should lay hold on the Lord's promises with the greatest confidence. R3582:6
Cried to heaven – Their faith grew stronger the more the false gods were brought into contrast with the true. R3582:4
Those most rooted and grounded are those who have been attested trying experiences and have had occasion to call mightily on the Lord for help. R3582:6
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| 21 and Jehovah sendeth a messenger, and cutteth off every mighty one of valour both leader and head in the camp of the king of Asshur, and he turneth back with shame of face to his land, and entereth the house of his god, and those coming out of his bowels have caused him to fall there by the sword. |
Sent an angel – Probably a simoon (sandstorm) or pestilence. R2382:1
Not necessarily a member of the angelic order of beings, but simply a "messenger." R2382:2
The Lord could use as his angel or messenger a flame of fire, a stroke of lightning or a breath of pestilence. R3582:5
The extremity of Hezekiah and his people became God's opportunity. R3582:4
Which cut off – In answer to faith and prayer, yet in full accord with his foreknown plans. R3582:4
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| 22 And Jehovah saveth Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Asshur, and from the hand of all, and He leadeth them round about; |
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| 23 and many are bringing in an offering to Jehovah, to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, and he is lifted up before the eyes of all the nations after this. |
Presents – In consequence of this marked deliverance of Judah from the superior power of Assyria. R2382:5
He was magnified – Honored, because the Lord's victory doubtless became known as that of Hezekiah. R3582:6
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| 24 In those days hath Hezekiah been sick even unto death, and he prayeth unto Jehovah, and He speaketh to him, and a wonder hath appointed for him; |
In those days – 731 BC, 125 years before the overthrow of Zedekiah, corresponding to the date of the French Revolution, 1789 AD, when Christendom seemed sick unto death, 125 years before 1914. R3574:2*
Hezeklah was sick – Evidently the sickness had somewhat to do with his prosperity and consequent pride and with his failure to render unto the Lord. R2382:6
He gave him a sign – The Lord's people of the New Creation are advised not to request signs of the Lord or to make tests. "We walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Cor. 5:7) R3589:1
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| 25 and Hezekiah hath not returned according to the deed [done] unto him, for his heart hath been lofty, and there is wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem; |
His heart was lifted up – Prosperity is often a severer test of character than adversity. R2382:6
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| 26 and Hezekiah is humbled for the loftiness of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the wrath of Jehovah hath not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah. |
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| 27 And Hezekiah hath riches and honour very much, and treasures he hath made to himself of silver, and of gold, and of precious stone, and of spices, and of shields, and of all [kinds] of desirable vessels, |
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| 28 and storehouses for the increase of corn, and new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and herds for stalls; |
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| 29 and cities he hath made for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God hath given to him very much substance. |
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| 30 And Hezekiah himself hath stopped the upper source of the waters of Gihon, and directeth them beneath to the west of the city of David, and Hezekiah prospereth in all his work; |
To the west side – Typifying the founding of the various Bible societies at the beginning of the nineteenth century. R3574:3*
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| 31 and so with the ambassadors of the heads of Babylon, those sending unto him to inquire of the wonder that hath been in the land, God hath left him to try him, to know all in his heart, |
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| 32 And the rest of the matters of Hezekiah, and his kind acts, lo, they are written in the vision of Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, on the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. |
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| 33 And Hezekiah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in the uppermost of the graves of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have done honour to him at his death, and reign doth Manasseh his son in his stead. |
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