Isaiah 37

Isaiah 37:1

IT came to passe, &c.] 2 King. 19. 1, &c.

he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth] In sign of detestation, grief and repentance, Chap. 36. 22. Jonah 3:6.

with sackcloth] Heb. with sack. as 1 Kings 21:27. Daniel 9:3.

went into the house of the LORD] To pray, as vers. 14. 15. that he might in person himself also perform that office, which he requested in his behalf of the Prophet, vers. 4. Esther 4:16. Jonah 3:6-7.

Isaiah 37:2

Eliakim, &c.] Chap. 36. 3.

covered with sackcloth] Heb. with sacks. as 1 Chronicles 21:16. vers. 1.

unto Isaiah] To have comfort from him, and help of his prayers; the onely two remedies of Gods people in all such occurrents, to have recourse to God, and to his Ministers, Chap. 26. 16. & 33. 2.

Isaiah 37:3

a day of trouble, and of rebuke] Either of rebuke, whereby God rebuketh us for our sinnes, Job 33:19. or, of taunting and reviling, wherewith the Assyrian taunteth and revileth us, vers. 4.

blasphemy] Or, provocation. Ezekiel 35:12.

the children are come to the birth, &c.] Heb. breach. or, breaking out Chap. 66. 9. Hosea 13:13. We are in as great distresse, as a woman, that is in sore travell, and cannot be delivered; her own strength being spent; and that she goeth with, unable to work for it self, Chap. 26. 18.

Isaiah 37:4

God will hear] Take notice of, and take to heart; and by some evident sign shew that he so doth, Psalms 65:5. and Psalms 86:17. For when God deferreth to right the wrongs of his, it seems to flesh and bloud, that he doth not know, or regard them, Psalms 94:7. Chap. 40. 27.

and will reprove the words] Or, and to taunt us with words. vers. 3. Job 15:3.

lift up thy prayer] Being the Prophets office, not to comfort onely by the word, but to pray also for the people, 1 Samuel 12:23. Acts 6:4.

the remnant that is left] Heb. found. 2 Kings 25:19. Either the two tribes yet remaining, the other ten being carried away captive, 2 Kings 17:6. or, the residue of Judah, by the Assyrian not yet surprised, Chap. 36. 1. 2. vers. 32.

Isaiah 37:6

Be not afraid] Lamentations 3:57.

the servants of the King of Assyria] 2 Chronicles 32:16.

Isaiah 37:7

I will send a blast upon him] Or, put a spirit into him. Chap. 59. 19.

he shall hear a rumour] A report of the Ethiopians and Egyptians coming to invade him, vers. 9. as 2 Kings 7:6.

by the sword] Of his own sonnes, vers. 38. 2 Chronicles 32:21.

in his own land] At Niniveh, his royall citie, vers. 37.

Isaiah 37:8

Libnah] A citie of Judah, towards Egypt: thereby to stay the coming of any aid thence. See Joshua 15:42. & Joshua 19:26. and 21. 13.

Lachish] From whence he had sent him, Chap. 36. 2. a citie not farre distant from Libnah, Joshua 10:31.

Isaiah 37:9

he heard say] The report hereof diverted him from proceeding against Jerusalem, vers. 7. See the like, 1 Sam. 23. 27, 28.

Tirhakah] Or, Tarchon.

Ethiopia] Heb. Cush. Genesis 10:6.

Isaiah 37:10

Let not thy God, &c.] Chap. 36. 18, - 20. That God, whom Hezekiah perswades you to trust in, Chap. 36. 15.

deceive thee] Thus doth God suffer this wicked wretch to break forth into such horrible blasphemies before his destruction, as to tearme the God and author of all truth a deceiver.

hand] Or, power. Chap. 19. 4.

Isaiah 37:12

Gozan] A citie of the Medes; so called of a river, besides which it was seated, 2 Kings 17:6. & 2 Kings 18:11.

Haran] A citie of Mesopotamia; called also Charre, Genesis 11:31. Acts 7:4.

Rezeph] A citie of the same region, called also Rexipha.

children] Inhabitants, or natives, Chap. 11. 14.

of Eden] In which countrey the garden of Paradise was seated, Genesis 2:8. Ezekiel 27:23.

Isaiah 37:13

of Hamath, &c.] Chap. 36. 19. & 11. 11. 1 Chron. 18. 9. Jeremiah 49:23.

Sepharvaim, &c.] 2 Kings 17:24.

Isaiah 37:14

the letter] Heb. books. 2 King. 5. 5, 6, 7.

before the LORD] Before the place of Gods speciall presence, vers. 16.

Isaiah 37:16

dwellest, &c.] Psalms 80:1. 2 Samuel 6:2.

the cherubims] Which stood on the cover or lid of the Ark, called also the Propitiatrie or Mercy-seat, ?Exodus 37:6-9. a speciall pledge of Gods residence among his people: from whence he had promised to hear and help them, Exodus 25:22. Numbers 7:89. 2 Chronicles 7:15. Psal. 20. 2, 6.

thou hast made heaven and earth] See Jeremiah 10:11.

Isaiah 37:17

which hath sent] Or, and of him whom he hath sent. to wit, Rabshakeh, Chap. 36. . vers. 4.

Isaiah 37:18

nations] Heb. lands. See 2 Kings 19:17. Chap. 66. 8.

Isaiah 37:19

have cast their gods into the fire] 2 Samuel 5:21. Heb. given. Ezek. 15. 4, 6.

no gods] 2 Chronicles 13:9. Galatians 4:8.

the work of mens hands, &c.] Psalms 115:4. Chap. 40. 19, 20. & 44. 12,—17. Jeremiah 10:3-4.

Isaiah 37:20

that all the kingdomes of the earth may know, &c.] He desireth deliverance, that God may thereby be magnified, Chap. 59. 19. Psalms 83:18.

Isaiah 37:22

The virgin] The Jewish nation, inhabiting Jerusalem, which God hath as a chast virgin espoused to himself, Chap. 54. 5. Hos. 2. 19, 20. 2 Corinthians 11:2. Revelation 14:4. and hath as great a care of, as any man, or woman, of a darling daughter, Chap. 49 15. 16. Zech. 2. 5, 8.

the daughter of Zion] That dwelleth in Zion; or, the daughter of Zion, that is, Zion it self; the place for the people, Ch. 1. 8, 27. So afterward, the daughter of Jerusalem, for Jerusalem it self, or her inhabitants, Lamentations 2:13.

hath shaken her head] As thou shakedst thine hand in threatning wise at her, Chap. 10. 32. so doth she now her head in scorn and derision at thee, Psalms 22:7. Jeremiah 18:16.

at thee] Heb. after thee. when thou haddest betaken thy self to thine heels: a secret scoffe at his shamefull flight, vers. 37. 2 Chronicles 32:21.

Isaiah 37:23

against the holy One of Israel] Both in blaspheming him, and in quarelling with his Church and his Anointed, Psalms 2:1. & Psalms 74:19. & Psalms 89:51.

Isaiah 37:24

By thy servants] Heb. By the hand of thy servants. Chap. 20. 2. Jeremiah 27:3.

the tall cedars thereof, and the choice firre-trees thereof] Heb. the talnesse of the cedars; and, the choice of the firres. Jeremiah 22:7.

the forest of his Carmel] Or, the forest, and his fruitfull field. Chap. 29. 17.

Isaiah 37:25

I have digged and drunk water, &c.] He boasteth of his power and policie, that could find means to furnish such an army as his was, with all necessaries: as with water, which they wanted, Chap. 36. 12. and with the very feet of his army could drie up whole rivers; and much more such waters, as they had enclosed to relieve them in the siege, Chap. 22. 9, 11. See 1 Kings 20:10.

the besieged places] Or, fenced and closed.

Isaiah 37:26

Hast thou not heard, &c.] Or, Hast thou not heard, how I have made it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? (Heb. from dayes of antiquitie. Chap. 33. 7.) should I now bring it to be laid wast, and defenced cities to be ruinous heads?

how I have done it] That I have made the citie of Jerusalem, Psal. 78. 68, 69. Chap. 14. 32. Or, that I have done that which thou ascribest to thy self, vers. 11, - 13. Deuteronomy 32:27. thou and thine ancestors being but mine instruments, Chap. 10. 5, 15. Or, that I have long since, even from eternitie, decreed that such things should be done: as 2 Timothy 1:9. So Acts 2:23. & Acts 4:28.

that thou shouldest be to lay waste] Implying, that he built his Church, not to destroy, but to preserve it, Matthew 16:18. Or, that he had appointed him to do so to other places.

ruinous heaps] Or, heaps overgrown to wit, with grasse, weeds, shrubs, and the like, Chap. 27. 10. Jeremiah 4:7. & Jeremiah 26:18.

Isaiah 37:27

their inhabitants were of small power, &c.] Because I took their strength and courage from them, having determined to destroy them, Joshua 2:11. Or, though the state and power of other flourishing cities be but transitorie; yet my Church, herein unlike them, because I maintain it, shall continue for ever, Chap. 27. 3. Psal. 9. 6, 7. & 46. 5. & 48. 8.

of small power. &c.] Heb. short of hand. Chap. 50. 2. & 59. 1.

as the grasse of the field] Psal. 90. 5, 6. & 103. 15. Chap. 40. 6.

as the grasse on the house-tops] Psalms 129:6.

Isaiah 37:28

I know thy abode] Or, thy sitting. Genesis 24:55. Psal. 139. 2, 3.

thy going out, and thy coming in] All thy counsels, courses, and enterprises, Deuteronomy 28:6; Deuteronomy 28:19. Psalms 121:8.

Isaiah 37:29

therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, &c.] Because thou ariest thy self, as a devouring fish, or a ravenous beast, or an headstrong horse; I will take thee with mine hook, and I will bridle thee, and lead thee which way I list, Chap. 30. 28. Ezekiel 29:4. Amos 4:2.

hook in thy nose, &c.] As they use to deal with bears. and Bufanes or, as with fish, Job 41:1.

my bridle in thy lips] As they use to deal with horses and mules, Psalms 32:9. James 3:3.

turn thee back, &c.] Vers. 34.

Isaiah 37:30

Ye shall eat this yeer such as groweth of it self, &c.] He promiseth, that their ground, notwithstanding so wasted by the enemy, yet should of it self feed them for two yeers together; the yeer ensuing, being, it seemeth, a Sabbaticall yeer, Levit. 25. 20, - 22.

sow ye and reap] Return again to till your grounds without disturbance, being freed from your former foes and fears. See Jud. 6. 4. 2 Chronicles 15:5.

Isaiah 37:31

the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah] Heb. the escaping of the house of Judah, that remaineth. Chap. 4. 2. and 10. 20.

shall again take root] Those, that God had delivered from the hand of the Assyrians, should prosper and thrive, Chap. 27. 6.

Isaiah 37:32

shall go forth a remnant] Returning again to their former possessions, whence for fear of the enemy they had formerly fled, Jer. 4 4, 5.

they that escape] Heb. the escaping. Ezra 9:14.

the zeale] For his own glory, and fervent love to his people, 2 Kings 9:31. Chap. 9 7.

Isaiah 37:33

He shall not come into this citie] Heb. unto this city. For Senacherib never came before Jerusalem; though he sent men and messages thither, Chap. 36. 2. vers. 9.

nor shoot an arrow there] Or, in thither.

cast a bank] Or, discharge engine. Jeremiah 6:6.

Isaiah 37:34

By the way that he came, by the same shall he return] He shall go as he came, vers. 29. and lose all his labour: as Jeremiah 14:3.

not come into] Heb. unto.

Isaiah 37:35

I will defend this citie, &c.] 2 Kings 20:6. Chap. 38. 6.

for my servant Davids sake] 1 Kings 11:13.

Isaiah 37:36

the angel of the Lord, &c.] 2 Kings 19:35. 2 Chron. 32. 21.

went forth] From heaven. Psalms 57:3.

in the camp of the Assyrians] Lying, as some think, with Snacheib himself, before Libnah, vers. 8. Or, as others, about Jerusalem: upon report whereof, soon brought to him, he retired with the residue of his forces, vers. 36. See Chap. 30. 33.

Isaiah 37:37

Ninevch] The chief citie of Assyria, Genesis 10:11. Chap. 31. 8, 9.

Isaiah 37:38

smote him with the sword] Vers. 7.

Armenia] Heb. Ararat. Genesis 8:4.

Esar haddon] Otherwise, as some think, called Sardanapalus: under whom the Assyrian Monarchie was ruined. See mention of him, Ezra 4:2.