2 Kings 19:1
Rent his cloaths, &c. — Great men must not think it any disparagement to them, to sympathize with the injured honour of the great God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Rent his cloaths, &c. — Great men must not think it any disparagement to them, to sympathize with the injured honour of the great God.... [ Continue Reading ]
The children — We are like a poor travailing woman in great extremity, having no strength left to help herself, and to bring forth her infant into the world. We have attempted to deliver ourselves from the Assyrian yoke; and had carried on that work to some maturity, and as we thought, brought it to... [ Continue Reading ]
For the remnant — For Judah, which is but a remnant, now the ten tribes are gone: for Jerusalem, which is but a remnant, now the defenced cities of Judah are taken.... [ Continue Reading ]
Returned — To the king, to give him an account of the treaty; leaving behind him the army under the other commanders.... [ Continue Reading ]
O Lord God of Israel, &c. — He calls him the God of Israel, because Israel was his peculiar people; but yet the God of the whole earth, not as Sennacherib fancied, the God of Israel only. Let them say what they will, thou art sovereign Lord, the God of gods, even thou alone: Universal Lord of all th... [ Continue Reading ]
Him — Rabshakeh: he would not do him the honour to name him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Virgin — So he calls Zion, or Jerusalem; because she was pure in good measure from that gross idolatry wherewith other people were defiled, which is called spiritual whoredom: and to signify, that God would defend her from the rape which Sennacherib intended to commit upon her with no less care than... [ Continue Reading ]
Mountains — I have brought up my very chariots to those mountains which were thought inaccessible by my army. Lebanon — An high hill, famous for cedars and fir — trees. Cut down — I will cut down the trees that hinder my march, and plane the way for my numerous army and chariots. Lodgings — Those ci... [ Continue Reading ]
Strange waters — Such as were never discovered by others. Dried up — And as I can furnish my army with water digged out of the earth; so I can deprive my enemies of their water, and can dry up their rivers, and that with the sole of my feet; with the march of my vast and numerous army, who will easi... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou not, &c. — Hast thou not long since learned, that which some of thy philosophers could teach thee; that there is a supreme and powerful God, by whose decree and providence all these wars and calamities were sent, and ordered; whose mere instrument thou art, so that thou hast no cause for t... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore — Because I had armed thee with my commission and strength, and taken away their spirit and courage.... [ Continue Reading ]
I know — Though thou dost not know me, yet I throughly know thee, and all thy designs and actions, all thy secret contrivances in the place of thy abode, in thy own kingdom and court; and the execution of thy designs abroad, what thou intendest in thy going out, and with what farther thoughts thou c... [ Continue Reading ]
My hook, &c. — What a comfort is it, that God has a hook in the nose and a bridle in the jaws of all his and our enemies?... [ Continue Reading ]
A sign — Of the certain accomplishment of the promises here made: that God will not only preserve the city from his present fury, but also, bless his people with a durable prosperity, 2 Kings 19:30. The third year — This was an excellent sign; especially, considering the waste and havock which the A... [ Continue Reading ]
The remnant, &c. — They shall be well fixt and provided for themselves, and then do good to others.... [ Continue Reading ]
Go forth — That handful of Jews who were now gathered together, and shut up in Jerusalem, shall go out of their several habitations, and by my singular blessing increase exceedingly. The zeal — Although when you reflect upon yourselves, and consider either your present fewness, and weakness, or your... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall not — The army sent with Rabshaketh did not form a close siege against it, but only disposed themselves so as to block it up at some distance; possibly waiting 'till the king of Assyria had taken Libnah and Lachish, (which they presumed he would speedily do.)... [ Continue Reading ]
Angel — Such an angel as destroyed the first — born of Egypt. Arose — The few that were left alive: all their companions were dead.... [ Continue Reading ]
So Sennacherib, &c. — The manner of the expression intimates the great disorder and distraction of mind he was in.... [ Continue Reading ]
Was worshipping, &c. — The God of Israel had done enough to convince him, that he was the only true God. Yet he persists in his idolatry. Justly then is his blood mingled with his sacrifices, who will not be convinced by so dear — bought a demonstration, of his folly in worshipping idols.... [ Continue Reading ]