Thomas Aquinas Commentary Isaiah 36:1-22

"Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them. And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller`s field. Then came forth unto him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder. And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? I say, [thy] counsel and strength for the war are but vain words: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me? Behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him. But if thou say unto me, We trust in Jehovah our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar? Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. How then canst thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master`s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? And am I now come up without Jehovah against this land to destroy it? Jehovah said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews` language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall. But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? [hath he] not [sent me] to the men that sit upon the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you? Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews` language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you: neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern; until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who are they among all the gods of these countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Jehovah should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king`s commandment was, saying, Answer him not. Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh." — Isaiah 36:1-22 (ASV)

1. 1.

   And it came to pass in the fourteenth year. Here the author recounts, as a historical account, the destruction of the Assyrians.

   First, he presents the events of the history.

   Second, he presents certain things prompted by the history: in those days Hezekiah was sick even to death (Isaiah 38:1).

   The first of these is divided into two parts:

   1. The offense which Assyria committed against the Jews is presented.
   2. The punishment they received from God, where it says, and the angel of the Lord went out (Isaiah 37:36).

   Now, Assyria offended Israel in three ways:

   1. By wars.
   2. By messengers: and the king of the Assyrians sent the Rabshakeh (Isaiah 36:2).
   3. By letters, where it says: and he heard say about Tirhakah (Isaiah 37:9).

   Against all: he shall laugh at every strong hold (Habakkuk 1:10).

2. 2.

   And the king of the Assyrians sent the Rabshakeh. Here he shows how Assyria offended the Jews by threatening them through messengers.

   First, the meeting of the messengers is presented.

   Second, their discussion: and the Rabshakeh said to them (Isaiah 36:4).

   Third, their departure from each other: and Eliakim went in (Isaiah 36:22).

   Concerning the first point, he does two things.

   1. The messenger of the Assyrians is described: the Rabshakeh, whom some say was the son of Isaiah, and others a Samaritan. by the conduit, about which, see above (Isaiah 7:3).
   2. The messengers of the Jews are described: and there went out to him Eliakim, who succeeded Shebna, who had surrendered the lower part of the city to the Assyrians, as noted above (Isaiah 22:15–25); Shebna, not the one mentioned previously; the recorder, the king's secretary, who committed deeds to writing for the king to remember—hence he is called a recorder (from the Latin comminiscor).From con (= with) + memini (= remember).
3. 3.

   And the Rabshakeh said to them. Here the discussion of the messengers is presented. Concerning this, he presents two things:

   1. The opening speech of the Rabshakeh to the Jewish messengers.
   2. His speech to the others, where it says, then the Rabshakeh stood (Isaiah 36:13).

   Concerning the first point, he does three things.

   1. The address of the Rabshakeh himself is presented, in which he intends to establish the weakness of Hezekiah’s ability to resist. He does this by ruling out help from the Egyptians: Look, you trust upon this broken staff of a reed. This was said mockingly, because there are many reeds in Egypt. He speaks the truth when he says that the Egyptians were like such reeds: you have been a staff of a reed (Ezekiel 29:6). But it is false that Hezekiah trusted in them. He also rules out divine help: but if you will answer me: we trust in the Lord our God: is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away? What Hezekiah did for the sake of religion, the Rabshakeh twists into an act of sacrilege: beware lest you offer your burnt offerings in every place that you shall see (Deuteronomy 12:13). And he rules out their own strength: and now surrender yourselves. It is as if to say: "You have neither horses nor horsemen, so that you could resist the armies of one prince." See above: he has rejected the cities (Isaiah 33:8). He also establishes the power of Sennacherib to fight based on a divine command. See above: I will give him a charge against the people of my wrath (Isaiah 10:6).
   2. The response of the Jewish officials is presented: and Eliakim, and Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh. They spoke quietly, not in the hearing of the people, so that they would not be troubled by what was said: in the blessingBenedictione. Vg.: bonis. of the just, the city shall rejoice (Proverbs 11:10).
   3. The Rabshakeh’s mockery of their response is presented: and the Rabshakeh said to them; urine of their feet, which flowed down to their feet: they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung (Lamentations 4:5).
4. 4.

   Then the Rabshakeh stood, and cried out with a loud voice in the Jewish language. Here his address to the people is presented.

   1. His arrogant words are presented, in which he frightens them with threats: he shall not be able to deliver you. (Compare to Judith 5:27: who is this, that says the children of Israel can resist king Nebuchadnezzar?). He entices them with promises: thus said the king; a blessing, that is, a pact, which will be turned to your blessing; or, "bless me as your lord." Till I come, from Egypt, to a land, specifically, of the Medes: God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn and wine (Genesis 27:28). And he provokes them with examples: neither let Hezekiah trouble you. (Compare to Daniel 11:36: he shall be lifted up, and shall magnify himself).
   2. The silence of the people who heard him is presented: he that deceivesDecipit. Vg.: despicit. DR: “despiseth.” his friend, is mean of heart: but the wise man will hold his peace (Proverbs 11:12); answer not a fool according to his folly (Proverbs 26:4). for the king had commanded, saying: answer him not, so that he would not multiply his blasphemous words or deceive the people.
5. 5.

   And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, went in. Here the departure of the messengers from each other is presented.

   First, the return of the Jewish officials to Hezekiah.

   Second, the return of the Rabshakeh to Sennacherib, where it says, and the Rabshakeh returned (Isaiah 37:8).

   Concerning the first point, he does two things:

   1. The return of the messengers and their report of the Rabshakeh's blasphemy is presented.
   2. The prayer of Hezekiah is presented: and it came to pass, when king Hezekiah had heard it, that he rent his garments (Isaiah 37:1). He did this because of the blasphemy he heard, for this was the custom of the Jews, as is seen in Matthew 26:65.