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| 1 After these things and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to break into them. |
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| 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was minded to fight 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 he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the fountains of waters that were outside the city; and they helped him. |
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| 4 And there was gathered together much people, and they stopped all the fountains, and the torrent that flows through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water? |
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| 5 And he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside, and fortified the Millo of the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance. |
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| 6 And he set captains of war over the people, and assembled them to him on the open place at the gate of the city, and spoke consolingly to them saying, |
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| 7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him: |
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| 8 with him is an arm of flesh, but with us is Jehovah our God to help us and to fight our battles. And the people depended upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. |
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| 9 After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he himself was before Lachish, and all his power with him), unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at 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 says Sennacherib king of Assyria: On what do ye rely that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem? |
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| 11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you, to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Jehovah our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? |
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| 12 Has not the same Hezekiah removed his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem saying, Ye shall worship before *one* altar, and burn incense upon it? |
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| 13 Do ye not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the countries? Were the gods of the nations of the countries in any wise able to deliver their country out of my hand? |
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| 14 Who is there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers have utterly destroyed, that was able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? |
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| 15 And now, let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this manner, neither yet believe him; for no +god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, nor out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand? |
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| 16 And his servants spoke yet more against Jehovah, the true God, and against his servant Hezekiah. |
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| 17 And he wrote a letter to rail at Jehovah the God of Israel, and to speak against him saying, As the gods of the nations of the countries have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of my hand. |
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| 18 And they cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language to the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to frighten them and to trouble them; that they might take 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 spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of man's hand. |
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| 20 And because of this, king Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed and cried to heaven. |
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 sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the princes and the captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. And he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels made him fall there with 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 saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all, and protected them on every side. |
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| 23 And many brought gifts unto Jehovah to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; and he was thenceforth magnified in the sight of all the nations. |
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 Hezekiah was sick unto death, and he prayed to Jehovah; and he spoke to him and gave him a sign. |
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 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was lifted up; and there was 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 humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Jehovah came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. |
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| 27 And Hezekiah had very much riches and honour; and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant vessels; |
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| 28 storehouses also for the increase of corn and new wine and oil, and stalls for all manner of beasts, and he procured flocks for the stalls. |
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| 29 And he provided for himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God gave him very much substance. |
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| 30 And he, Hezekiah, stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. |
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 However in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. |
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| 32 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. |
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| 33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the highest place of the sepulchres of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. |
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