In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Ver. 1. _In those days._] In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah's reign, as appeareth by comparing 2 Kings... [ Continue Reading ]
Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, Ver. 2. _Then he turned his face to the wall._] Not so much out of fear of death, - though nature at death will have a bout with the best; and to die actively is not every man's happiness; _quis enim vult mori? prorsus nemo,_ sa... [ Continue Reading ]
I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. Ver. 3. _I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now._] _Obsecro Domine, memento quaeso._ Words full of incitation. The first word... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Ver. 4. _Before Isaiah was gone out into the middle court._] So the _Chetib._ Or, Into the middle of the city; so the _Cheri,_ or margin, hath it. It is probable that the king's cour... [ Continue Reading ]
Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. Ver. 5. _The captain of my people,_] _Antecessor._ See on... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. Ver. 6. _And I will add unto thy days fifteen years._] Thus God's grant to Hezekiah's prayer was... [ Continue Reading ]
And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid [it] on the boil, and he recovered. Ver. 7. _Take a lump of figs._] This poultice was fit enough for the carbuncle, but yet could never have cured him so soon without a miracle. See on 2 Kings 20:1 . _ And he recovered._] _Non ex faculta... [ Continue Reading ]
And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What [shall be] the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day? Ver. 8. _And Hezekiah said._] _Dixerat autem,_ He had said; _sc., _ before the plaster was laid upon the boil. _ What shall be the sign? &c._] That h... [ Continue Reading ]
And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? Ver. 9. _Shall the shadow go forward ten degrees?_] This was in God Almighty _stupenda dignatio,_ a wonderful condescension,... [ Continue Reading ]
And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. Ver. 10. _It is a light thing,_] viz., In comparison of the sun's retrogradation, wherein both the substance of the thing and the manner were wholly miraculous, whe... [ Continue Reading ]
And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz. Ver. 11. _And he brought the shadow._] Together with the body of the sun. This was the prodigy that the Babylonish ambassadors had observed and came to inquire... [ Continue Reading ]
At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. Ver. 12. _At that time Berodach-baladan._] _a_ Baladan signifieth a lordless or masterless man, saith Pagnine. This Berodach - or Merodach Isa 3... [ Continue Reading ]
And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and [all] the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezek... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, [even] from Babylon._ Ver. 14. _What said these men? &c._] Very wisely doth the prophet fetch about the business, that... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All [the things] that [are] in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them. Ver. 15. _All the things, &c._] See on 2 Kings 20:13 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. Ver. 16. _Hear the word of the Lord._] Divine truths must be spoken, however they be taken.... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the days come, that all that [is] in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. Ver. 17. _That all that is in thine house._] So that thou hast made a fair hand of all, forfeited all by th... [ Continue Reading ]
And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Ver. 18. _And of thy sons that shall issue from thee._] A heavy judgment on so good a man, on so light an offence, as some would think. But these... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good [is] the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, [Is it] not [good], if peace and truth be in my days? Ver. 19. _Good is the word of the Lord, &c., _] _i.e., _ It is just and equal; and blessed be God that it is no worse. Quintilian saith of Vespas... [ Continue Reading ]
And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Ver. 20. _How he made a pool and a conduit._] Of these, see 2Ki 18:17 Neh 3:15 2 Chronicles 32... [ Continue Reading ]
And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. Ver. 21. _And Hezekiah slept, &c._] He was most honourably buried, 2Ch 32:33 placed above all the house of David, as he exceeded them all in virtue. _ And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead._] A degenerate plant of... [ Continue Reading ]