INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 39 This chapter gives an account of Hezekiah's fall into sin after his recovery, and the correction he had for it. The king of Babylon sent messengers to him to congratulate him upon his recovery, Isaiah 39:1. Hezekiah received them with great joy, and in the pride of his he... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THAT TIME MERODACHBALADAN, THE SON OF BALADAN, KING OF BABYLON,.... The same is called Berodach, 2 Kings 20:12 which, according to Hillerus z, is the same with Barmerodach, the son of Merodach; though it is generally took to be a slip of the scribe's there, or a change of letter, as is common in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HEZEKIAH WAS GLAD OF THEM,.... Not of the presents, for he was very rich, and stood in no need of them, nor does it appear that he was covetous; but of the ambassadors, and of the honour that was done him in having such sent to him from such a prince; his sin was vain glory; and because he might... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME ISAIAH THE PROPHET UNTO KING HEZEKIAH,.... Quickly after the ambassadors had been with the king, and he had shown them all his treasures; the prophet did not come of himself, but was sent by the Lord, though he was not sent for by the king; in the time of his distress and illness he could... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HE, WHAT HAVE THEY SEEN IN THINE HOUSE?.... Coming nearer to the point he had in view, and which was the thing that was displeasing to the Lord; not that he had received the ambassadors, and used them in such a manner as persons in such a quality ought to be used; but that he had shown the... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID ISAIAH TO HEZEKIAH,.... Now he begins to let him know that he came not of himself, and that he did not ask these questions to gratify his own curiosity, but that he came from the Lord, and with a word of rebuke from him: HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD OF HOSTS; a greater King than thou art, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME,.... Or, "are coming e"; and which quickly came; after a few reigns more, even in Jehoiakim's time: THAT ALL THAT IS IN THINE HOUSE, AND THAT WHICH THY FATHERS HAVE LAID UP IN STORE UNTIL THIS DAY, SHALL BE CARRIED TO BABYLON; as it was, when Jehoiakim king of Judah, his mothe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF THY SONS THAT SHALL ISSUE FROM THEE, WHICH THOU SHALT BEGET, SHALL THEY TAKE AWAY,.... Manasseh his immediate son was taken and carried to Babylon, though afterwards released; nor does it appear that he was made a eunuch or an officer there; this had its fulfilment in Jeconiah and his childre... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HEZEKIAH TO ISAIAH, GOOD IS THE WORD OF THE LORD WHICH THOU HAST SPOKEN,.... Hezekiah was at once convinced of his sin, acknowledged it and repented of it, and owned that the sentence pronounced was but just and right; and that there was a mixture of mercy and goodness in it, in that time... [ Continue Reading ]