Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 19
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Kings 19
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Kings 19
"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 Jehovah." — 2 Kings 19:1 (ASV)
Went into the house of the Lord. —To humble himself before Jehovah and pray for help (Compare to 2 Chronicles 32:20).
"And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz." — 2 Kings 19:2 (ASV)
And he sent Eliakim ... —See the Note on 2 Kings 3:12; and compare with 2 Kings 13:14; 2 Kings 22:14; Jeremiah 37:3. Knobel (on Isaiah) remarks that this distinguished embassy speaks for the high estimation in which the prophet stood.
The elders of the priests — i.e., the heads of the sacerdotal caste (próceres, not senes).
"And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of contumely; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth." — 2 Kings 19:3 (ASV)
Rebuke. — Rather, chastisement (Hosea 5:9). The verb means to give judgment, punish, etc. It occurs in the next verse, will reprove the words, or rather, punish for the words.
Blasphemy. — Compare Isaiah 1:4; Isaiah 5:24, where the cognate verb is used; and Nehemiah 9:18; Nehemiah 9:26, where the noun “provocations” is almost identical.
The children are come ... — With this proverb, expressive of the utter collapse of all human resources, compare the similar language of Hosea (Hosea 13:13).
"It may be Jehovah thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which Jehovah thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left." — 2 Kings 19:4 (ASV)
It may be. —The old commentator Clericus well remarks: “Non est dubitantis sed sperantis.”
And will reprove the words. —See Note on 2 Kings 19:3. The Septuagint and Vulgate read, “and to rebuke with the words which the Lord,” etc., but the Syriac and Targum agree with the Authorised Version as regards the construction.
Lift up. —Heavenwards (2 Chronicles 32:2). Or we might compare the phrase “to lift up the voice” (Genesis 27:38), and render, “to utter” (Numbers 23:7).
Thy prayer. — A prayer.
The remnant that are left. — The existing (or, present) remnant. Sennacherib had captured most of the strong cities of Judah, and the daughter of Zion was left as a hut in a vineyard (Isaiah 1:8). (Compare to Note on 2 Chronicles 32:1).
"So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah." — 2 Kings 19:5 (ASV)
So the servants ... — This verse merely resumes the narrative in a somewhat simple and artless fashion.
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