Chapter 19

1 Hezekiah mourning sendeth to Isaiah to pray for them. 6 Isaiah comforteth them. 8 Sennacherib, going to encounter Tirhakah, sendeth a blasphemous letter to Hezekiah. 14 Hezekiah’s prayer. 20 Isaiah’s prophecy of the pride and destruction of Sennacherib, and the good of Zion. 35 An angel slayeth the Assyrians. 36 Sennacherib is slain at Nineveh by his own sons.

1. Rent his clothes. Hezekiah thus expressed his distress at the prospects of a terrible siege facing Jerusalem. At any moment Jerusalem might be expected to bear the full brunt of Assyrian attack. The words of Sennacherib’s envoys were not idle threats. Reliefs from the palaces of Nineveh and Khorsabad reveal the terrible cruelties of Assyria against places taken by siege. Unspeakable horrors were ahead if the siege of Jerusalem should begin in earnest. In his deep distress the king clothed himself in sackcloth and made his way to the Temple to place the matter before the Lord.

2. The priests. Hezekiah sent his emissaries, clothed in garments of mourning, to Isaiah so that the prophet might also unite with him in earnest intercession before God. According to 2 Chron. 32:20 both king and prophet prayed earnestly before God. This is the first reference in Kings to the prophet Isaiah, whose vision of God, that encouraged him for the tasks ahead, came in the year that King Uzziah died (Isa. 6:1). The work of this mighty prophet was carried on through the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Isa. 1:1). Thus Isaiah had had a long period of ministry before being introduced in the record of Kings. The historical accounts preserved in Kings are usually brief, and many items are omitted. Such books as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel reveal many details of great interest and importance not found in the book of Kings.

3. Day of trouble. For many years Isaiah had been predicting such a time as this. It was one of the greatest crises that Judah had ever faced, and, without divine intervention, the situation might well bring the nation to its final ruin.

Strength to bring forth. A striking figure emphasizing the terrible extremity. Most of Judah had already fallen before Assyrian might, and now the invaders threatened the capital.

4. God will hear. The Assyrian envoy had reproached and belittled the great God of heaven, placing Him on a par with the gods of the nations round about. God’s honor was at stake, and for His own name’s sake He might be expected to intervene in behalf of Judah.

Living God. For other instances of this title see, for example, Deut. 5:26; Joshua 3:10; 1 Sam. 17:26; Ps. 42:2; 84:2; Jer. 10:10; 23:36; Dan. 6:26; Hosea 1:10. The expression designates Jehovah as the One in whom is life original, unborrowed, and underived.

The remnant. Israel was gone, most of Judah was gone. The last remnant in Jerusalem stood in danger of being quickly wiped out.

6. Be not afraid. Only a short time before, Hezekiah admonished his people with these same words (2 Chron. 32:7). Now this same admonition came to him from God. The human tendency is to fear in an hour of crisis, but the Lord in His mercy sends messages of encouragement (see Num. 14:9; Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18; Isa. 43:1, 5; Luke 12:32).

7. Send a blast. Literally, “I will put a spirit in him.” The meaning of this passage is not clear. Perhaps what is meant is that God would place upon Sennacherib a spirit of trembling and fear, an impulse that would turn him from his thoughts of conquest and send him home in utter terror and dismay. The forecast is perhaps purposely vague, the Lord may not have desired at this time to reveal details.

Fall by the sword. See on v. 37.

8. Libnah. Probably to be identified with Tell esРSaЖfi. For its location, see on ch. 8:22.

9. Tirhakah king of Ethiopia. Tirhakah, sometimes spelled Taharka, became king of Egypt about 690b.c. He was an Ethiopian (Nubian) who occupied the throne with his brother Shabataka, who ruled Egypt from about 700 to 684. After the death of Shabataka, Tirhakah reigned alone till 664. He belonged to the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, when Egypt was ruled by a line of Ethiopian kings. On the synchronism of Tirhakah with the campaign against Jerusalem see on ch. 18:13.

Sent messengers. Sennacherib hoped to bring about the capitulation of Hezekiah before the Egyptians would strike.

10. Deceive thee. The previous message was to the people, not to let Hezekiah deceive them (ch. 18:29). But the people had made no reply. Now the message was to the king whose confidence in God, Sennacherib was endeavoring to undermine.

11. To all lands. Assyria was at the height of its military career. Tiglath-pileser had conquered Babylon and made himself king of that land, Shalmaneser had destroyed the nation of Israel, Sargon had devastated countries in every direction, and now Sennacherib was following in Sargon’s footsteps.

Destroying them utterly. Sennacherib was endeavoring to strike terror to the heart of Hezekiah by setting before him the terrible punishment meted out to those who dared withstand the Assyrian arms. By surrendering now he could at least hope for some measure of clemency from Sennacherib.

12. My fathers. For a long period past, Sennacherib’s forefathers have been universally successful in war, with the gods of the nations being powerless to resist them. The places mentioned in this verse are all in the neighborhood of ancient Haran, the home of Abraham in northern Mesopotamia, which had long since fallen under Assyrian dominion.

Gozan. This was a city on the northern Khabur, 90 mi. (144 km.) east of Haran. Exiles from Samaria were placed in Gozan (ch. 17:6). In 808 the campaign of the year was against this city (Guzana). The site of Gozan is now known as Tell Halaf.

Haran. The ancient home of Abraham, after he left Ur (see on Gen. 11:31). It is mentioned as having come under Assyrian domination as early as the reign of Adadnirari I, 1305–1273.

Rezeph. The Assyrian Rasappa. Probably the modern RusaЖfe, northeast of Palmyra. It is mentioned in the inscriptions of Adadnirari III, 810–782.

Eden. This area is mentioned with Haran in Eze. 27:23, and the “house of Eden” is referred to in Amos 1:5. Some have identified Eden with the land lying on both sides of the Euphrates, southwest of Haran and southeast of Carchemish. It is frequently referred to in the Assyrian inscriptions under the name of BйµtРAdini.

Thelasar. Probably TilРashurri, or “hill of Assur,” in northern Syria, in the bend of the Euphrates, honored by the name of the Assyrian god.

13. Of Hamath. For the identification of the sites referred to in this verse see on ch. 18:34. In that reference the helplessness of the gods of these cities is emphasized. Now in addressing Hezekiah, the emphasis is upon the fact that the kings of these cities are no more.

14. Received the letter. The Assyrian envoys probably presented their message both orally and in writing—orally to Hezekiah’s envoys, since Hezekiah would himself probably not come out to see them, and in writing, so that the letter itself might be delivered to the king.

Spread it. As if the message was addressed as much to the God of Israel as to the king.

15. Between the cherubims. This refers to the holy Shekinah, the miraculous glory that symbolized the personal presence of God and that appeared above the mercy seat between the two cherubim (see Ex. 25:22; 29:43; Lev. 16:2; 1 Sam. 4:4).

Thou alone. Hezekiah in his prayer acknowledged God as the only God, the Lord of all heaven and earth, whom Sennacherib had boldly defied. This was a protest against the letter of Sennacherib, in which he treated Jehovah as only one among the many insignificant gods of Western Asia, who had proved so helpless before the Assyrians.

16. See: and hear. Hezekiah was jealous of the honor of his God and felt that the Lord in justice to Himself could not but take vengeance upon this arrogant heathen king.

18. No gods. The fact that both the nations and their gods had been destroyed by Assyrian might was not strange, for these gods were not gods at all but only images made by the hands of men. The contrast between Jehovah and false gods forms a prominent part of the teaching of the second half of the book of Isaiah (see Isa. 41:24; 44:8–10).

19. Thou art the Lord God. Literally, “Thou Jehovah alone art God.” The present emergency offered a remarkable opportunity for God to manifest His presence and power before the nations of earth. The fame of Assyria’s might had gone out through all the earth. By God’s saving Jerusalem from Sennacherib, Assyria would be humbled and the nations would know that Jehovah was supreme.

20. I have heard. Hezekiah was not left in doubt concerning the answer to his prayer. The prophet Isaiah immediately conveyed to him the message that God had heard his petition and that judgment would be sent upon the Assyrians.

21. The virgin. Jerusalem withstood every effort of the Assyrians against her, and did not allow herself to become defiled. This personification of Jerusalem as a woman is a common figure (see Isa. 23:12; 52:2; Lam. 2:13; Micah 4:10).

Shaken her head. A gesture of scorn among the Hebrews (see Ps. 22:7; 109:25; Matt. 27:39).

22. The Holy One of Israel. This is a favorite phrase with Isaiah. He uses it 27 times in his book. It appears only five times in the rest of the Bible (Ps. 71:22; 78:41; 89:18; Jer. 50:29; 51:5).

23. Hast said. Isaiah here expresses the thoughts that were in Sennacherib’s heart. The Assyrian king was extremely self-confident that with his numerous chariots he would be able to conquer any region he chose and that his armies could trample down all opposition and overcome all obstacles that might stand in the way.

The tall cedar trees. This phrase may be applied both literally and figuratively. The Assyrians planned to cut down the beautiful cedars of Lebanon for their own use. Figuratively, the phrase means the complete devastation of the entire country, with the ruin of the nation’s stately palaces and proud inhabitants (see Isa. 2:12–17; 10:33, 34).

24. Digged and drunk. The meaning seems to be that Sennacherib feels himself able to cope with any difficulty. Mountains do not stop him, he climbs over them. Deserts do not stop him, he crosses them, digging his own wells for water. Rivers do not delay him, they dry up underneath his feet.

Rivers of besieged places. Perhaps a reference to Egypt. Egypt was beyond the desert and was cut up by many canals. Sennacherib was making the boast that these would prove no obstacle to him, they would simply vanish before him.

25. I have done it. The Lord is now giving His answer to the Assyrian king. After all Sennacherib’s boasting as to what he would do, the Lord asks him if he has not heard that Jehovah has the destiny of nations under His control, and that every nation occupies its place only as permitted to do so by Him (see PK 535, 536). At that time the Assyrians were His tool for the carrying out of His purposes (see Isa. 10:5–15).

26. Of small power. The success of the Assyrian arms was by divine permission. Assyria might have become a powerful influence for good in the world if the nation had followed the reform that resulted from the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:5–10). When the Ninevites turned from their temporary repentance to their former idolatry and on to the conquest of the world, they made certain the doom of Assyria as a nation.

28. Hook in thy nose. Mesopotamian sculptures reveal that the Assyrians at times used the utmost barbarity in the treatment of their prisoners. A relief of Esarhaddon depicts Taharka of Egypt and Baalu of Tyre with rings in their noses and with cords leading to the hand of the conqueror. Manasseh may have been taken to Assyria in some such way as this (see 2 Chron. 33:11).

29. A sign. The Lord gave many signs through the prophet Isaiah (2 Kings 20:9–11; Isa. 7:11, 14; 8:18; 20:2, 3). During the remainder of the current year the people would be able to find enough to eat from the aftergrowth in the field; he next year (probably sabbatical), they would also be able to obtain sufficient food from the regrowth; and in the following year they would resume the usual sowing and reaping. Normal agricultural activities had been interrupted by the presence of the Assyrian armies in the land.

30. The remnant. This expression indicates the extent of the devastation wrought as a result of the Assyrian invasion of Judah.

31. Shall go forth. Much of Judah had been thoroughly devastated by the Assyrian armies. Probably large numbers had flocked to Jerusalem to escape Sennacherib’s onslaught. Now from this city a remnant would go forth to repopulate and restore the land. Isaiah, Micah, and Jeremiah frequently use the term “remnant” (see Isa. 10:20; 11:11; 14:22; 46:3; Jer. 23:3; 31:7; 40:11, 15; 42:2; 43:5; 44:14; Micah 2:12; 4:7; 5:7, 8).

32. With shield. Assyrian shields are conspicuous in ancient sculpture. Soldiers engaged in siege warfare were protected by enormous shields and thus were able to approach close to the walls of a city under attack (see plate facing p. 64).

Cast a bank. Frequent representations of such banks or ramps are shown in Assyrian reliefs. They were thrown up against the walls to enable battering-rams to approach the upper and weaker portions of the defenses.

34. Defend this city. See Isa. 31:5; 37:35; 38:6.

Mine own sake. God’s honor was at stake, since Sennacherib had openly defied God.

35. That night. That is, the night following the day in which Isaiah’s prophecy was delivered.

Smote. “All the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria” (2 Chron. 32:21). Perhaps most of the army that had been sent to take Jerusalem was slain.

When they arose. The apparent incongruity of the latter part of this verse disappears when it is observed that the subject of the sentence is indefinite and general, as if the sentence read, “when people rose up.” That is, when those who were left of the army rose up the next morning all of their comrades (the 185,000 that the angel had slain) had become corpses.

36. Departed. Sennacherib was with the army guarding the approaches from Egypt when the judgment occurred (see PK 361). In terror and shame he quickly made his departure, returning to Assyria and leaving Hezekiah in peace to restore his land.

37. His sons smote him. Assyrian and Babylonian records confirm the assassination of Sennacherib at the hands of his sons.

Land of Armenia. Assyrian texts support the detail that the murderers of Sennacherib and a large rebellious faction fled to “Ararat,” in the regions of Armenia to the north.

Reigned in his stead. According to Assyrian records Esarhaddon came to the throne in 681, and reigned till 669.

It was during the reign of Esarhaddon that Assyria attained its greatest extent and power. After one unsuccessful campaign, he conquered Egypt. In spite of the fact that no human being had ever held the power that was now his, signs of impending danger troubled him. Seeking to divide his potential enemies, he concluded a treaty with the Scythians against the Cimmerians, but eventually died on his way south to put down a revolt in Egypt.

Ellen G. White comments

1–37PK 354–366

1, 3–7PK 354

10–19PK 355

20–22PK 359

23–30PK 360

31–35PK 361

35   GC 512

37        PK 361