Isaiah 39:3

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 unto me, even from Babylon. WHAT SAID THESE MEN ... WHENCE NAME THEY? - implying that any proposition coming from the idolatrous enemies of God, with whom Israel was forbidden to form alliance, should have been received with anything but gladness. Reliance on Babylon, rather than on God, was a similar sin to the previous reliance on Egypt, (Isaiah 30:1 and Isaiah 31:1.) THEY ARE COME FROM A FAR COUNTRY - implying that he had done nothing more than was proper in showing attention to strangers "from a far country....

3._Then came Isaiah the Prophet _He continues the same narrative, but likewise adds doctrine. Although he does not say that God had sent him, yet it is certain that he did this by the influence of the Holy Spirit and by the command of God; and, therefore, he bestows on himself the designation of _the Prophet, _by which he intimates that he did not come as a private individual, but to perform an office which God had enjoined on him, that Hezekiah might clearly see that he had not to deal with a mortal man. Now, when he says that he _came, we _ought to infer that he was not sent for, but was allowed to remain quietly at home, while Hezekiah was making’ a boastful display of his treasures; for prophets are not usually invited to consultations of this sort. But formerly, while he was weighed down by extreme distress, while Rabshakeh insulted him so fiercely, and uttered such daring’ blasphem...

THEN CAME ISAIAH - Isaiah was accustomed to declare the will of God most freely to monarchs (see Isaiah 7) WHAT SAID THESE MEN? - What proposition have they made? What is the design of their coming? It is implied in the question that there had been some improper communication from them. To this question Hezekiah returned no answer. AND FROM WHENCE CAME THEY? - It was doubtless known in Jerusalem that ambassadors had come, but it would not be likely to be known from what country they had come. FROM A FAR COUNTRY - Probably this was said in order to palliate and excuse his conducts, by intimating to the prophet that it was proper to show respectful attention to foreigners, and that he had done nothing more than was demanded by the laws of hospita

EXPOSITION This chapter is parallel with 2 Kings 20:12, and scarcely differs from it at all. Verse I has the additional words, "and was recovered;" 2 Kings 20:2, the phrase, "was glad of them," for "hearkened unto them;" 2 Kings 20:5, "Lord of hosts," for "Lord" simply; and 2 Kings 20:8 makes Hezekiah's last utterance an observation instead of a question. Otherwise the two accounts are almost word for word the same. Both relate the novel and important fact of ambassadors being sent _to _Hezekiah by the King of Babylon, shortly after his illness, and tell of the reception which he gave them, of the message which Is

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 send for him, but now being well, and in prosperity, he forgot the prophet, to send for him, and have his advice, how he should behave towards these men, as not to offend the Lord: AND SAID UNTO HIM, WHAT SAID THESE MEN? what was their errand to thee, and their business to thee? what did they communicate to thee, or request of thee? AND FROM WHENCE CAME THEY UNTO THEE? from what country? these questions the prophet put to the king, not as ignorant of the men, and their business, and country, but in order to have everything from the king himself, and to lead on to further conversation with hi...

CHAPTER 39 Hezekiah's Self-Exaltation 1. _The ambassadors of Merodach-baladan (Isaiah 39:1)_ 2. _Hezekiah's boasting (Isaiah 39:2)_ 3. _Isaiah's inquiry (Isaiah 39:3)_ 4. _The Babylonian captivity announced (Isaiah 39:5)_ 5. _Hezekiah's submission and comfort (Isaiah 39:8)_ The prediction of Isaiah of the Babylonian captivity, fulfilled through King Nebuchadnezzar about 100 years after these words were spoken, is startling. The reader will bear in mind that the Assyrian was not yet overcome, for the sickness and self-exaltation

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

The prophet's appearance on the scene shews that he suspected the king of coquetting with a foreign alliance, although it is remarkable that on neither side is there any explicit allusion to the political aspect of the affair. Perhaps the first evasive answer of Hezekiah betrays a consciousness of wrong-doing. _from a far country_ He answers that part of the question which involved least embarrassment. It is hardly likely that he means to hint that an alliance with so distant a country was out of the question; more probably he will excuse himself on the ground of hospitality to strangers who had come so far. It is noticeable that he does not mention the ostensible motive of the embassy....

D. PRESUMPTION, CHAPTER 39 1. PRIDE TEXT: Isaiah 39:1-4 1 At that time Merodachbaladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. 2 And Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not. 3 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 unto me, even from Babylon. 4 Then said he, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in my house have they seen: the

ALLIANCE WITH BABYLON DENOUNCED Conclusion of the historical appendix. The chapter belongs to the period when Merodach-Baladan of Babylon was making efforts to bring the various peoples of W. Asia into alliance against the common enemy, the king of Assyria (at this time Sargon, Isaiah 20:1). The arrangement of such alliance with Hezekiah was, doubtless, the object of the embassy, and this explains Hezekiah's gladness and exhibition of his resources (Isaiah 39:2). Congratulation to the king of Judah on his recovery, and enquiry into the astronomical marvel at Jerusalem (Isaiah 38:8) formed pretexts for the embassy (Isaiah 39:1;...