22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
29 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
22 Whom hast thou reproached H2778 and blasphemed? H1442 and against whom hast thou exalted H7311 thy voice, H6963 and lifted up H5375 thine eyes H5869 on high? H4791 even against the Holy H6918 One of Israel. H3478
23 By H3027 thy messengers H4397 thou hast reproached H2778 the Lord, H136 and hast said, H559 With the multitude H7230 of my chariots H7393 H7393 I am come up H5927 to the height H4791 of the mountains, H2022 to the sides H3411 of Lebanon, H3844 and will cut down H3772 the tall H6967 cedar trees H730 thereof, and the choice H4004 fir trees H1265 thereof: and I will enter H935 into the lodgings H4411 of his borders, H7093 and into the forest H3293 of his Carmel. H3760
24 I have digged H6979 and drunk H8354 strange H2114 waters, H4325 and with the sole H3709 of my feet H6471 have I dried H2717 up all the rivers H2975 of besieged places. H4693
25 Hast thou not heard H8085 long ago H7350 how I have done H6213 it, and of ancient H6924 times H3117 that I have formed H3335 it? now have I brought H935 it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste H7582 fenced H1219 cities H5892 into ruinous H5327 heaps. H1530
26 Therefore their inhabitants H3427 were of small H7116 power, H3027 they were dismayed H2865 and confounded; H954 they were as the grass H6212 of the field, H7704 and as the green H3419 herb, H1877 as the grass H2682 on the housetops, H1406 and as corn blasted H7711 before H6440 it be grown up. H7054
27 But I know H3045 thy abode, H3427 and thy going out, H3318 and thy coming in, H935 and thy rage H7264 against me.
28 Because thy rage H7264 against me and thy tumult H7600 is come up H5927 into mine ears, H241 therefore I will put H7760 my hook H2397 in thy nose, H639 and my bridle H4964 in thy lips, H8193 and I will turn thee back H7725 by the way H1870 by which thou camest. H935
29 And this shall be a sign H226 unto thee, Ye shall eat H398 this year H8141 such things as grow H5599 of themselves, and in the second H8145 year H8141 that which springeth H7823 of the same; and in the third H7992 year H8141 sow H2232 ye, and reap, H7114 and plant H5193 vineyards, H3754 and eat H398 the fruits H6529 thereof.
30 And the remnant H7604 that is escaped H6413 of the house H1004 of Judah H3063 shall yet again H3254 take root H8328 downward, H4295 and bear H6213 fruit H6529 upward. H4605
31 For out of Jerusalem H3389 shall go forth H3318 a remnant, H7611 and they that escape H6413 out of mount H2022 Zion: H6726 the zeal H7068 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 shall do H6213 this.
32 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 concerning the king H4428 of Assyria, H804 He shall not come H935 into this city, H5892 nor shoot H3384 an arrow H2671 there, nor come before H6923 it with shield, H4043 nor cast H8210 a bank H5550 against it.
33 By the way H1870 that he came, H935 by the same shall he return, H7725 and shall not come H935 into this city, H5892 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
34 For I will defend H1598 this city, H5892 to save H3467 it, for mine own sake, and for my servant H5650 David's H1732 sake.
35 And it came to pass that night, H3915 that the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 went out, H3318 and smote H5221 in the camp H4264 of the Assyrians H804 an hundred H3967 fourscore H8084 and five H2568 thousand: H505 and when they arose early H7925 in the morning, H1242 behold, they were all dead H4191 corpses. H6297
36 So Sennacherib H5576 king H4428 of Assyria H804 departed, H5265 and went H3212 and returned, H7725 and dwelt H3427 at Nineveh. H5210
37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping H7812 in the house H1004 of Nisroch H5268 his god, H430 that Adrammelech H152 and Sharezer H8272 his sons H1121 smote H5221 him with the sword: H2719 and they escaped H4422 into the land H776 of Armenia. H780 And Esarhaddon H634 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
22 Whom hast thou defied and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high? `even' against the Holy One of Israel.
23 By thy messengers thou hast defied the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir-trees thereof; and I will enter into his farthest lodging-place, the forest of his fruitful field.
24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt.
25 Hast thou not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? now have I brought it to pass, that it should be thine to lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps.
26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as grain blasted before it is grown up.
27 But I know thy sitting down, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy raging against me.
28 Because of thy raging against me, and because thine arrogancy is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
29 And this shall be the sign unto thee: Ye shall eat this year that which groweth of itself, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.
30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of mount Zion they that shall escape: the zeal of Jehovah shall perform this.
32 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come unto this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.
33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and he shall not come unto this city, saith Jehovah.
34 For I will defend this city to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of Jehovah went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.
36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.
22 Whom hast thou reproached and reviled? And against whom lifted up a voice? Yea, thou dost lift up on high thine eyes -- Against the Holy One of Israel!
23 By the hand of thy messengers Thou hast reproached the Lord, and sayest: In the multitude of my chariots I have come up to a high place of mountains -- The sides of Lebanon, And I cut down the height of its cedars, The choice of its firs, And I enter the lodging of its extremity, The forest of its Carmel.
24 I have digged, and drunk strange waters, And I dry up with the sole of my steps All floods of a bulwark.
25 Hast thou not heard from afar, it I made, From days of old that I formed it? Now I have brought it in, And it becometh a desolation, Ruinous heaps `are' fenced cities,
26 And their inhabitants `are' feeble-handed, They were broken down, and are dried up, They have been the herb of the field, And the greenness of the tender grass, Grass of the roofs, And blasted corn -- before it hath risen up!
27 And thy sitting down, and thy going out, And thy coming in, I have known, And thine anger towards Me;
28 Because of thine anger towards Me, And thy noise -- it came up into Mine ears, I have put My hook in thy nose, And My bridle in thy lips, And have caused thee to turn back, In the way in which thou camest.
29 And this to thee `is' the sign, Food of the year `is' the spontaneous growth, And in the second year the self-produced, And in the third year sow ye, and reap, And plant vineyards, and eat their fruits.
30 And it hath continued -- The escaped of the house of Judah That hath been left -- to take root beneath, And hath made fruit upward.
31 For from Jerusalem goeth out a remnant, And an escape from mount Zion; The zeal of Jehovah `of Hosts' doth this.
32 Therefore, thus said Jehovah, Concerning the king of Asshur: He doth not come in unto this city, Nor doth he shoot there an arrow, Nor doth he come before it with shield. Nor doth he pour out against it a mount.
33 In the way that he cometh in -- In it he turneth back, And unto this city he doth not come in, The affirmation of Jehovah --
34 And I have covered over this city, To save it, for Mine own sake, And for the sake of David My servant.'
35 And it cometh to pass, in that night, that a messenger of Jehovah goeth out, and smiteth in the camp of Asshur a hundred eighty and five thousand, and they rise early in the morning, and lo, all of them `are' dead corpses.
36 And Sennacherib king of Asshur journeyeth, and goeth, and turneth back, and dwelleth in Nineveh;
37 and it cometh to pass, he is bowing himself in the house of Nisroch his god, and Adramelech and Sharezar `his sons' have smitten him with the sword, and they have escaped to the land of Ararat, and Esar-Haddon his son reigneth in his stead.
22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted the voice? Against the Holy one of Israel hast thou lifted up thine eyes on high.
23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots have I come up To the height of the mountain, to the recesses of Lebanon, And I will cut down its tall cedars, the choice of its cypresses; And I will enter into its furthest lodging-place, [into] the forest of its fruitful field.
24 I have digged, and have drunk strange waters, And with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the streams of Matsor.
25 Hast thou not heard long ago that I have done it? And that from ancient days I formed it? Now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest lay waste fortified cities [into] ruinous heaps.
26 And their inhabitants were powerless, They were dismayed and put to shame; They were [as] the growing grass, and [as] the green herb, [As] the grass on the housetops, and grain blighted before it be grown up.
27 But I know thine abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, And thy raging against me.
28 Because thy raging against me and thine arrogance is come up into mine ears, I will put my ring in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, And I will make thee go back by the way by which thou camest.
29 And this [shall be] the sign unto thee: They shall eat this year such as groweth of itself, And in the second year that which springeth of the same; But in the third year sow ye and reap, And plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof.
30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah Shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward;
31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, And out of mount Zion they that escape: The zeal of Jehovah [of hosts] shall do this.
32 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor cast a bank against it.
33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, And shall not come into this city, saith Jehovah.
34 And I will defend this city, to save it, For mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
35 And it came to pass that night, that an angel of Jehovah went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead bodies.
36 And Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and abode at Nineveh.
37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer [his sons] smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
22 Whom have you defied and blasphemed? and against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? [even] against the Holy One of Israel.
23 By your messengers you have defied the Lord, and have said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars of it, and the choice fir trees of it; and I will enter into his farthest lodging-place, the forest of his fruitful field.
24 I have dug and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt.
25 Haven't you heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? now have I brought it to pass, that it should be yours to lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps.
26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as grain blasted before it is grown up.
27 But I know your sitting down, and your going out, and your coming in, and your raging against me.
28 Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance is come up into my ears, therefore will I put my hook in your nose, and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way by which you came.
29 This shall be the sign to you: You shall eat this year that which grows of itself, and in the second year that which springs of the same; and in the third year sow you, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of it.
30 The remnant that has escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion those who shall escape: the zeal of Yahweh shall perform this.
32 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come to this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it.
33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and he shall not come to this city, says Yahweh.
34 For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
35 It happened that night, that the angel of Yahweh went forth, and struck in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred eighty-five thousand: and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.
36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and lived at Nineveh.
37 It happened, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place.
22 Against whom have you said evil and bitter things? against whom has your voice been loud and your eyes lifted up? even against the Holy One of Israel.
23 You have sent your servants with evil words against the Lord, and have said, With all my war-carriages I have come up to the top of the mountains, to the inmost parts of Lebanon; its tall cedars will be cut down, and the best trees of its woods; I will come up into his highest places, into his thick woods.
24 I have made water-holes and taken their waters, and with my foot I have made all the rivers of Egypt dry.
25 Has it not come to your ears how I did it long before, purposing it in times long past? Now I have given effect to my design, so that by you strong towns might be turned into masses of broken walls.
26 This is why their townsmen had no power, they were broken and put to shame; they were like the grass of the field and the green plant, like grass on the house-tops.
27 But I have knowledge of your getting up and your resting, of your going out and your coming in.
28 Because your wrath against me and your words of pride have come up to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my cord in your lips, and I will make you go back by the way you came.
29 And this will be the sign to you: you will get your food this year from what comes up of itself; and in the second year from the produce of the same; and in the third year you will put in your seed and get in the grain and make vine-gardens and take of their fruit.
30 And those of Judah who are still living will again take root in the earth and give fruit.
31 For from Jerusalem those who have been kept safe will go out, and those who are still living will go out of Mount Zion: by the fixed purpose of the Lord of armies this will be done.
32 For this cause the Lord says about the king of Assyria, He will not come into this town, or send an arrow against it; he will not come before it with arms, or put up an earthwork against it;
33 By the way he came he will go back, and he will not get into this town, says the Lord.
34 For I will keep this town safe, for my honour, and for the honour of my servant David.
35 And that night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death in the army of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand men; and when the people got up early in the morning, there was nothing to be seen but dead bodies.
36 So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, went back to his place at Nineveh.
37 And it came about, when he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to death with the sword; and they went in flight into the land of Ararat. And Esar-haddon his son became king in his place.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 19
Commentary on 2 Kings 19 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 19
Jerusalem's great distress we read of in the foregoing chapter, and left it besieged, insulted, threatened, terrified, and just ready to be swallowed up by the Assyrian army. But in this chapter we have an account of its glorious deliverance, not by sword or bow, but by prayer and prophecy, and by the hand of an angel.
2Ki 19:1-7
The contents of Rabshakeh's speech being brought to Hezekiah, one would have expected (and it is likely Rabshakeh did expect) that he would call a council of war and it would be debated whether it was best to capitulate or no. Before the siege, he had taken counsel with his princes and his mighty men, 2 Chr. 32:3. But that would not do now; his greatest relief is that he has a God to go to, and what passed between him and his God on this occasion we have here an account of.
2Ki 19:8-19
Rabshakeh, having delivered his message and received no answer (whether he took this silence for a consent or a slight does not appear), left his army before Jerusalem, under the command of the other generals, and went himself to attend the king his master for further orders. He found him besieging Libnah, a city that had revolted from Judah, ch. 8:22. Whether he had taken Lachish or no is not certain; some think he departed from it because he found the taking of it impracticable, v. 8. However, he was now alarmed with the rumour that the king of the Cushites, who bordered upon the Arabians, was coming out against him with a great army, v. 9. This made him very desirous to gain Jerusalem with all speed. To take it by force would cost him more time and men than he could well spare, and therefore he renewed his attack upon Hezekiah to persuade him tamely to surrender it. Having found him an easy man once (ch. 18:14), when he said, That which thou puttest on me I will bear, he hoped again to frighten him into a submission, but in vain. Here,
2Ki 19:20-34
We have here the gracious copious answer which God gave to Hezekiah's prayer. The message which he sent him by the same hand (v. 6, 7), one would think, was an answer sufficient to his prayer; but, that he might have strong consolation, he was encouraged by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, Heb. 6:18. In general, God assured him that his prayer was heard, his prayer against Sennacherib, v. 20. Note, The case of those that have the prayers of God's people against them is miserable. For, if the oppressed cry to God against the oppressor, he will hear, Ex. 22:23. God hears and answers, hears with the saving strength of his right hand, Ps. 20:6.
This message bespeaks two things:-
2Ki 19:35-37
Sometimes it was long ere prophecies were accomplished and promises performed; but here the word was no sooner spoken than the work was done.