THE ASSYRIANS THREATEN JERUSALEM. The three Chapter s now following form the historical appendix to the first part of the book of the prophet Isaiah, serving chiefly to make the prophecies concerning Assyria more intelligible. The events here told are narrated in practically the same form as in 2 K... [ Continue Reading ]
Now, it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came up against all the defensed cities of Judah, all those which were fortified with walls and towers, AND TOOK THEM, their number, according to an Assyrian account of the expedition, being forty-six. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh, the commander-in-chief of his army, from Lachish, a fortress in the southwestern part of Canaan, which the Assyrians wished to take preliminary to their descent upon Egypt, TO JERUSALEM UNTO KING HEZEKIAH WITH A GREAT ARMY, a large detachment of his troops. AN... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came forth unto him, as emissaries of the king of Judah, ELIAKIM, HILKIAH'S SON, WHICH WAS OVER THE HOUSE, the royal chamberlain, AND SHEBNA, THE SCRIBE, the king's secretary, and therefore an important state officer, AND JOAH, ASAPH'S SON, THE RECORDER, he who kept the royal archives.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? Just on whom and on what did Hezekiah depend to deliver him and his city at this time?... [ Continue Reading ]
I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words, upon which it is not safe to rely), I HAVE COUNSEL AND STRENGTH FOR WAR, that is, empty bragging is his talk concerning preparation for war; NOW, ON WHOM DOST THOU TRUST THAT THOU REBELLEST AGAINST ME? namely, by refusing to surrender Jerusalem in ad... [ Continue Reading ]
Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt, as Rabshakeh contemptuously calls the ally of Judah, WHEREON IF A MAN LEAN, IT WILL GO INTO HIS HAND AND PIERCE IT. SO IS PHARAOH, KING OF EGYPT, TO ALL THAT TRUST IN HIM, the Assyrian general naturally deriding and mocking the strength o... [ Continue Reading ]
But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord, our God, in Jehovah, the God of Israel, IS IT NOT HE WHOSE HIGH PLACES AND WHOSE ALTARS HEZEKIAH HATH TAKEN AWAY AND SAID TO JUDAH AND TO JERUSALEM, YE SHALL WORSHIP BEFORE THIS ALTAR? Hezekiah had indeed done away with all the high places in Judah, even... [ Continue Reading ]
Now, therefore, give pledges, I pray thee, giving sufficient security, and thus entering upon a wager, TO MY MASTER, THE KING OF ASSYRIA, AND I WILL GIVE THEE TWO THOUSAND HORSES, IF THOU BE ABLE ON THY PART TO SET RIDERS UPON THEM. In other words, Rabshakeh wanted to bet the king of Judah that he c... [ Continue Reading ]
How, then, wilt thou turn away, resist and cause to retire, THE FACE OF ONE CAPTAIN OF THE LEAST OF MY MASTER'S SERVANTS AND PUT THY TRUST ON EGYPT FOR CHARIOTS AND FOR HORSEMEN? The course which Hezekiah was following, so his argument ran, was ridiculous, suicidal; for Judah, even with the help of... [ Continue Reading ]
And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? This argument was intended to be particularly effective in breaking down the _ morale_ of the Jews. THE LORD SAID UNTO ME, GO UP AGAINST THIS LAND AND DESTROY IT. This was a bold shot, without foundation, but apt to terrify all t... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Eliakim and Shebnah and Joah, the representatives of the king of Judah, UNTO RABSHAKEH, SPEAK, I PRAY THEE, UNTO THY SERVANTS IN THE SYRIAN LANGUAGE, in the Aramaic tongue, as spoken by the Assyrians, FOR WE UNDERSTAND IT, AND SPEAK NOT TO US IN THE JEWS' LANGUAGE, in the pure Hebrew, as s... [ Continue Reading ]
Rahshakeh's Efforts to bring about Revolt... [ Continue Reading ]
But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words, on a secret mission ? HATH HE NOT SENT ME TO THE MEN THAT SIT UPON THE WALL, THAT THEY MAY EAT THEIR OWN DUNG AND DRINK THEIR OWN PISS WITH YOU? The messengers of Sennacherib purposely spoke in the Hebrew tong... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Rabshakeh, suiting his actions to his words, STOOD AND CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE IN THE JEWS' LANGUAGE AND SAID, HEAR YE THE WORDS OF THE GREAT KING, THE KING OF ASSYRIA!... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he shall not be able to deliver you, to save them from the fate which was in store for them in case they refused to surrender.... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, this being the chief weapon of the believers of all times, SAYING, THE LORD WILL SURELY DELIVER US; THIS CITY SHALL NOT BE DELIVERED INTO THE HAND OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA, this evidently being the gist of Hezekiah's assurances, and rightly so.... [ Continue Reading ]
Hearken not to Hezekiah; for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, that is, Enter into a relation of mutual congratulations with me, the reference being to a surrender with the ratification of peace, at which time people congratulated one another, AND COME OUT TO ME... [ Continue Reading ]
until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. Upon his return from Egypt, which Sennacherib believed he could overcome without difficulty, the Assyrians intended to follow their usual policy of deporting the inhabitants and thus... [ Continue Reading ]
Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us, this challenge now being supported by a third consideration. HATH ANY OF THE GODS OF THE NATIONS, of the heathen countries round about, DELIVERED HIS LAND OUT OF THE HAND OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA?... [ Continue Reading ]
Where are the gods of Hamath, the capital of the country between the Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon, AND ARPHAD, a city still nearer the Syrian frontier? WHERE ARE THE GODS OF SEPHARVAIM? the southernmost city of Mesopotamia, on the left hank of the Euphrates. AND HAVE THEY, the idols of the heathen,... [ Continue Reading ]
Who are they among all the gods of these lands that have delivered their land out of my hand that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? One commentator aptly remarks that the speaker forgets his own assertion here, according to which lie had come up against Judah _ with_ the Lord. "Liars... [ Continue Reading ]
But they, the men of Judah, also those on the wall, HELD THEIR PEACE AND ANSWERED HIM NOT A WORD, for a single incautious remark might have worked great harm; FOR THE KING'S COMMANDMENT WAS, SAYING, ANSWER HIM NOT. Then, after Hezekiah had laid his matter before the Lord in prayer, ISAIAH, THE SON... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaiah's Prophecy and its Fulfillment... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna, the scribe, and Jaah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, the three envoys of Judah, TO HEZEKIAH WITH THEIR CLOTHES RENT, as a sign of deep grief and sorrow, AND TOLD HIM THE WORDS OF RABSHAKEH. Their obedience is rightly re... [ Continue Reading ]
Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed, and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, in boastful mockery, AND LIFTED UP THINE EYES ON HIGH? in a gesture of supercilious contempt. EVEN AGAINST THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. That is where Sennacherib had made his mistake, in directing his blasphemous scor... [ Continue Reading ]
By thy servants, Rabshakeh and his companions, HAST THOU REPROACHED THE LORD AND HAST SAID, BY THE MULTITUDE OF MY CHARIOTS AM I COME UP TO THE HEIGHT OF THE MOUNTAINS, TO THE SIDES OF LEBANON, thus relying entirely upon his own strength; AND I WILL CUT DOWN THE TALL CEDARS THEREOF, the finest trees... [ Continue Reading ]
I have digged and drunk water, so the boast of Sennacherib went on, AND WITH THE SOLE OF MY FEET HAVE I DRIED UP ALL THE RIVERS OF THE BESIEGED PLACES, that is, where water was lacking, he had his men provide it, and where streams hindered his progress, he had but to call upon the resources at his c... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, the Lord Himself having planned this punishment for the purposes of His mercy, AND OF ANCIENT TIMES, THAT I HAVE FORMED IT? everything being ordered in accordance with His plans. NOW HAVE I BROUGHT IT TO PASS THAT THOU SHOULDEST BE TO LAY WASTE DEFENS... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, helpless before the invaders; THEY WERE DISMAYED AND CONFOUNDED, rendered powerless by terror; they WERE AS THE GRASS OF THE FIELD AND AS THE GREEN HERB, AS THE GRASS ON THE HOUSETOPS, with but a thin layer of soil, AND AS CORN BLASTED BEFORE IT BE GR... [ Continue Reading ]
But I know thy abode, namely, when he is at home, AND THY GOING OUT, AND THY COMING IN, AND THY RAGE AGAINST ME, the entire course of Sennacherib's life being known to the Lord, also the preparations for the present campaign and its success hitherto.... [ Continue Reading ]
Because thy rage against Me and thy tumult, his proud self-confidence, IS COME UP INTO MINE EARS, THEREFORE WILL I PUT MY HOOK IN THY NOSE, as one controls an unruly beast, AND MY BRIDLE IN THY LIPS, so that he must submit, though unwillingly, AND I WILL TURN THEE BACK BY THE WAY BY WHICH THOU CAMES... [ Continue Reading ]
And this shall be a sign unto thee, a token whose fulfillment would assure him of the truth of the entire prophecy, YE SHALL EAT THIS YEAR SUCH AS GROWETH OF ITSELF, volunteer grain; AND THE SECOND YEAR THAT WHICH SPRINGETH OF THE SAME, for the Assyrian invasion had not only destroyed the harvest of... [ Continue Reading ]
And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah, those who survived after Sennacherib's invasion, SHALL AGAIN TAKE ROOT DOWNWARD AND BEAR FRUIT UPWARD, be firmly settled once more, for the kingdom of Judah lasted for another century after this prophecy;... [ Continue Reading ]
for out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, those who had found shelter in the city before the advance of the Assyrians, AND THEY THAT ESCAPE OUT OF MOUNT ZION. THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS SHALL DO THIS. There is more than a hint here concerning the rejuvenation of the Messianic period. The Lor... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, not subdue it, NOR SHOOT AN ARROW THERE, he will not even begin his threatened siege of the city, NOR COME BEFORE IT WITH SHIELDS, for the purpose of storming it, NOR CAST A BANK AGAINST IT, the usual tre... [ Continue Reading ]
By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, without accomplishing his object, AND SHALL NOT COME INTO THIS CITY, SAITH THE LORD.... [ Continue Reading ]
For I will defend this city to save it for Mine own sake, to defend His own honor against the bragging of Sennacherib, AND FOR MY SERVANT DAVID'S SAKE, the establishment of whose kingdom was connected with the safety of his capital. Cf 2 Kings 20:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the Angel of the Lord, the Son of God, who bears this name throughout the Old Testament, WENT FORTH AND SMOTE IN THE CAMP OF THE ASSYRIANS A HUNDRED AND FOURSCORE AND FIVE THOUSAND, the calamity being in the nature of a pestilence or some other similar visitation. AND WHEN THEY, the survivors,... [ Continue Reading ]
So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, departed, he abandoned his campaign, AND WENT AND RETURNED, AND DWELT AT NINEVEH, the capital of his empire.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch, his god, one of the chief idols of Assyria, an eagle-headed human figure, THAT ADRAMMELECH AND SHAREZER, HIS SONS, SMOTE HIM WITH THE SWORD, his own offspring becoming guilty of assassination; AND THEY ESCAPED INTO THE LAND OF ARMENI... [ Continue Reading ]