Isaiah 37:1

And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. SACKCLOTH - (note, .) HOUSE OF THE LORD - the sure resort of God's people in distress (Psalms 73:16; )....

1._And it came to pass. _The Prophet declares that the only hope of safety that was left to the pious king was to bring his complaints before God as a righteous judge; as it is said in the Psalm, that “in the same manner as servants or handmaids, when they are injured, look to the protection of their master or mistress, so the eyes of believers are fixed on the assistance of God.” — (Psalms 123:2.) Thus, when Jerusalem appears to be completely ruined, Hezekiah, being bereft of earthly assistance, betakes himself to the protection of God, and thus acknowledges that there is no other remedy for heavy distresses. Hence also the grace of God shone more brightly, so that it was evidently miraculous, when the pious king was rescued from the jaws of that lion. We ought, therefore, to observe this circumstance, that we may bet

CHAPTER XXXVII _Hezekiah is greatly distressed, and sends to Isaiah the prophet_ _to pray for him_, 1-4. _Isaiah returns a comfortable answer, and predicts the_ _destruction of the king of Assyria and his army_, 5-7. _Sennacherib, hearing that his kingdom was invaded by the_ _Ethiopians, sends a terrible letter to Hezekiah, to induce him_ _to surrender_, 9-13. _Hezekiah goes to the temple, spreads the letter before the_ _Lord, and makes a most affecting prayer_, 14-20. Isaiah is sent to him to assure him that his prayer is hear

WHEN KING HEZEKIAH HEARD IT - Heard the account of the words of Rabshakeh Isaiah 36:22. THAT HE RENT HIS CLOTHES - (See the note at Isaiah 36:22). HE COVERED HIMSELF WITH SACKCLOTH - (See the note at Isaiah 3:24). AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD - Went up to the temple to spread out the case before Yahweh Isaiah 37:14. This was in accordance with the usual habit of Hezekiah; and it teaches us that when we are environed with difficulties or danger and when the name of our God is

EXPOSITION This chapter is the sequel of the preceding, and is so closely connected with it that the two really constitute but one narrative. Isaiah 37:22 of Isaiah 36:1. is more closely connected with Isaiah 37:1, than with the position of the narrative to which it is attached. ISAIAH 37:1 WHEN KING HEZEKIAH HEARD IT; rather, _heard them_;_ i.e._ the "words of Rabshakeh," which his officials reported to him. HE RENT HIS CLOTHES. He did as they had done (Isaiah 36:22

AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN KING HEZEKIAH HEARD IT,.... The report that his ministers made to him of the blasphemies and threatenings of Rabshakeh, the general of the Assyrian army: THAT HE RENT HIS CLOTHES, AND COVERED HIMSELF WITH SACKCLOTH; the one because of the blasphemies he heard; the other cause of the destruction he and his people were threatened with: AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD; the temple, to pray to him there: he could have prayed in his own house, but he chose rather to go to the house of God, not so much on account of the holiness of the place, but because there the Lord promised, and was used to hear the prayers of his people, 1KI 8:29,30 as also because it was more public, and would be known to the people, and set them an example to follow him in. Trouble should not keep persons from, but bring them to, the house of God; here the Lord is to be inquired of, here h...

CHAPTER 37 Hezekiah in the House of the Lord and Sennacherib's Second Attempt 1. _Hezekiah's humiliation and Isaiah sent for (Isaiah 37:1)_ 2. _The message from the prophet (Isaiah 37:6)_ 3. _Rabshakeh's letter (Isaiah 37:8)_ 4. _Hezekiah's prayer (Isaiah 37:14)_ 5. _The prayer answered (Isaiah 37:21)_ 6. _The army of Sennacherib judged (Isaiah 37:36)_ 7. The judgment upon Sennacherib ...

ISAIAH 36-39. This section has been extracted from 2 Kings 18:13 to 2 Kings 20:19, and the Song of Hezekiah has been added. For an exposition see the notes on 2 K.; here we have simply to deal with the Song of Hezekiah. ISAIAH 38:10. THANKSGIVING FOR DELIVERANCE FROM IMMINENT DEATH. This is now generally regarded as a post-exilic psalm. Its absence in the parallel narratine in Kings is significant. Apparently it was inserted here by an editor who thought it suitable to Hezekiah's circumstances. If, as seems likely, it has been influenced by the Book of Job, it must be post-exilic. The title cannot, any more than the Psalm titles, weigh against internal evidence. Hezekiah's writing after his recov

WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. See Hezekiah's reference to his love for, and use of, the Temple in his "Songs of the Degrees" (Psalms 122:1; Psalms 122:9; Psalms 134:1; Psalms 134:2. and App-67)....

_went_into _the house of the Lord_ See Isaiah 37:14. Cf. 1 Kings 8:33-34....