Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 36

In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah — Of his reign, 709 B.C.

That Sennacherib — Sennacherib was the son and successor of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria. He began to reign A.M. 3290, or 714 B.C., and reigned, according to Calmet, only four years; according to Prideaux, eight years; and according to Gesenius, eighteen years. The immediate occasion of this war against Judah was that Hezekiah had shaken off the yoke of Assyria, under which his father Ahaz and the nation had suffered so much from Tiglath-pileser or Shalmaneser (2 Kings 18:7). The design of this celebrated expedition appears to have been to reduce Judea to subjection again, as well as to carry his conquests into Egypt. He ravaged the country, took the strong towns and fortresses, and then prepared to lay siege to Jerusalem itself.

Hezekiah, however, as soon as the army of Sennacherib had entered Judea, prepared to put Jerusalem into a state of complete defense. At the advice of his counselors, he stopped the waters that flowed in the neighborhood of the city, which might furnish refreshment to a besieging army; built up the broken walls; enclosed one of the fountains within a wall; and prepared shields and darts in abundance to repel the invader (2 Chronicles 32:2–5).

Sennacherib, seeing that all hope of easily taking Jerusalem was taken away, apparently became inclined to listen to terms of accommodation. Hezekiah sent to him to propose peace and to ask the conditions on which he would withdraw his forces. He confessed his error in not paying the tribute stipulated by his father and his willingness to pay now what Sennacherib demanded. Sennacherib demanded three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. Hezekiah paid this by exhausting the treasury and by stripping even the temple of its gold (2 Kings 18:13–16). It was evidently understood in this treaty that Sennacherib was to withdraw his forces and return to his own land. However, he ultimately disregarded this treaty (see the note at Isaiah 33:8).

He seems, however, to have granted Hezekiah some respite and to have delayed his attack on Jerusalem until his return from Egypt. He prosecuted this war with Egypt at first with great success and with a fair prospect of conquering that country.

However, having laid siege to Pelusium and having spent much time before it without success, he was eventually compelled to raise the siege and retreat. When Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, came to the aid of Sevechus, the reigning monarch of Egypt, and advanced to the relief of Pelusium, Sennacherib was compelled to raise the siege and retreated to Judea. Here, having taken Lachish and disregarding his agreement with Hezekiah, he sent an army to Jerusalem under Rabshakeh to lay siege to the city. This is the point in the history of Sennacherib to which the passage before us refers (see Prideaux’s “Connection,” vol. 1, pp. 138–141; Josephus, Antiquities 10.1; Gesenius, in loc.; and Robinson’s Calmet).

All the defended cities — All the towns on the way to Egypt and in the vicinity of Jerusalem (see the notes at Isaiah 10:28-32).

And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh - In (2 Kings 18:17), it is said that he sent Tartan, and Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh. In regard to Tartan, see the note at (Isaiah 20:1). It is probable that Rabshakeh only is mentioned in Isaiah because the expedition may have been mainly under his direction, or more probably because he was the principal speaker on the occasion to which he refers.

From Lachish - This was a city in the south of the tribe of Judah, and was southwest of Jerusalem (Joshua 10:23; Joshua 15:39). It was situated in a plain, and was the seat of an ancient Canaanite king. It was rebuilt and fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:9). It was in some respects a border town, and was a defense against the incursions of the Philistines. It was therefore situated between Jerusalem and Egypt, and was in the direct way of Sennacherib in his going to Egypt, and on his return. It lay, according to Eusebius and Jerome, seven Roman miles from Eleutheropolis toward the south. No trace of the town, however, is now to be found (see Robinson’s “Bib. Researches,” vol. ii. pp. 388, 389).

With a great army - Sennacherib remained himself for a time at Lachish, though he followed not long after. It is probable that he sent forward a considerable portion of his immense army, retaining only so many forces as he judged would be necessary to carry on the siege of Lachish. In (2 Chronicles 32:9), it is said that Sennacherib, while he sent his servants to Jerusalem, laid siege to Lachish and all his power with him; but this must mean that he retained with him a considerable part of his army, and doubtless all that contributed to his magnificence and splendor. The word power in (2 Chronicles 32:9), means also dominion (see the margin), and denotes all the insignia of royalty: and this might have been retained while a considerable part of his forces had been sent forward to Jerusalem.

And he stood - He halted; he encamped there; He intended to make that the point of attack.

By the conduit ... - (See the notes at Isaiah 7:3)

Then came forth to him - Isaiah has here omitted what is recorded in 2 Kings 18:18, namely, that Rabshakeh and his companions ‘called to the king,’ and as a result of that, Hezekiah probably sent out Eliakim.

Eliakim, Hilkiah’s son, who was over the house - Regarding Eliakim and his character, see the notes at Isaiah 22:20-25.

And Shebna the scribe - This may have been some other man than the one mentioned in Isaiah 22:15. He is there said to have been ‘over the house,’ and it is stated that he would be degraded from that office and succeeded by Eliakim. It is possible, however, that Hezekiah retained him as scribe or as secretary (see the analysis of Isaiah 22:15-25).

And Joah, Asaph’s son, the recorder - The “chronicler;” the officer entrusted with keeping the state records. The Hebrew word means ‘the remembrancer;’ one by whose means former events might be recalled and remembered, perhaps an officer who would be called a historiographer.

What confidence—what is the ground of your confidence? On what do you trust? The appellation ‘great king’ was the customary title of the kings of the Persians and Assyrians.

I say, sayest thou - In 2 Kings 18:20, this is ‘thou sayest;’ and thus many manuscripts read it here, and Lowth and Noyes have adopted that reading. So the Syriac reads it. But the sense is not affected whichever reading is adopted. It is designed to show to Hezekiah that his reliance, either on his own resources or on Egypt, was vain.

But they are but vain words - Margin, as Hebrew, ‘A word of lips;’ that is, mere words; vain and empty boasting.

On whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? - Hezekiah had revolted from the Assyrian power, and had refused to pay the tribute which had been imposed on the Jews in the time of Ahaz (2 Kings 18:7).