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"all that was in mine heart, thy children "of the fourth generation shall sit on "the throne of Israel." 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel, with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. 32. In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael (i) smote them in all the coasts of Israel; 33. From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, (which is by the river Arnon) even Gilead and Bashan. 34. Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 35. And Jehu slept (k) with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead. 36. And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria, was twenty and eight years.

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(m) v. 3. "Father," i. e. ancestor, forefather."

(n) v. 4. "He removed, &c." For a fuller detail of Hezekiah's conduct and zeal, see 2 Chron, xxix, xxx, xxxi.

(o)" The high places," and "the "groves." Places of idolatrous worship. "Groves" were against the express injunction, (Deut. xvi. 21.) "Thou shalt "not plant thee a grove of trees near unto "the altar of the Lord thy God, which "thou shalt make thee."

(p) "The brazen serpent, &c." made by God's command at the time of the

the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father (m) did. 4. He removed (n) the high places (0), and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen (p) serpent that Moses had made: (for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it:) and be called it Nehushtan (q). 5. He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none (r) like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. before him. 6. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which

the LORD commanded Moses. the LORD was with him, and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. 8. He smote the Philistines even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. 9. And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, (which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel) that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria (s) and be sieged it. 10. And at the end of three years they took it, even in the sixth year of Hezekiah (that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel) Samaria was taken. 11. And the king of Assyria did carry away (t) Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Haber

fiery serpents, that whoever should look upon it might live. See Numb. xxi. 7, 8, 9

(g) "Nehushtan;"" a mere bit of "brass;" a serpent of brass; a thing of no value; contemptuously, to disparage it.

(r) v. 5. "None, &c." i. e. at the time this part of the history was written: he was surpassed by Josiah, of whom it is said, (post, 606.-2 Kings xxiii. 25.) that "like unto him was there no king before "him, that turned to the Lord with all his "heart, &c."

(s) v. 9. "Samaria." The capital of the kings of Israel.

(t) v. 11. "Carry away Israel." Before Christ 721. This terminated the kingdom of Israel; and from this captivity the people never returned. After this period, the kingdom of Judah (including the tribes

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"confidence is this wherein thou trust-
"est? 20. Thou sayest, (but they are
"but vain words,) I have counsel and
"strength for the war. Now on whom
"dost thou trust, that thou rebellest
"against me? 21. Now behold, thou
"trustest upon the staff of this bruised
"reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a
"man lean, it will go into his hand,
"and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of
Egypt unto all that trust on him.
"22. But if ye say unto me,
" We
"trust in the LORD our God:" is not
"that he, whose high places and whose
"altars Hezekiah hath taken away,

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"lem, "Ye shall worship before this "altar in Jerusalem ?" 23. Now there"fore, I pray thee, give pledges to my "lord the king of Assyria, and I will "deliver thee two thousand horses, if "thou (a) be able on thy part to set "riders upon them. 24. How then "wilt thou turn away the face of "one (b) captain of the least of my "master's servants, and put thy trust

by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: 12. Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them. 13. Now in the fourteenth (u) year of king Hezekiah, did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them. 14. And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, "I have offended, return from me: that which "thou puttest on me, I will bear." And the king of Assyria appointed" and hath said to Judah and Jerusa unto Hezekiah king of Judah, three hundred (x) talents of silver, and thirty talents (y) of gold. 15. And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house. 16. At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. 17. And the king of Assyria sent (z) Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem: And they went up and came to Jerusalem: And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field. 18. And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder. 19. And Rab-shakeh said unto them, "Speak ye now to "Hezekiah, "Thus saith the great "king, the king of Assyria, "What

of Judah and Benjamin, and probably some families of the other tribes) was the only remaining kingdom; and the people belonging to it were called "Jews."

(u) v. 13. "Fourteenth year." Before Christ 713.

(x) v. 14. "Three hundred talents of "silver." Rather more than 100,000l. (y)" Thirty talents of gold." Above 160,000l.

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on Egypt for chariots and for horse66 men? 25. Am I now come up with"out the LORD against this place to "destroy it? The LORD said to me, "Go up against this land, and destroy "it." 26. Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, "Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language,

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(for we understand it) and talk not "with us in the Jews language, in the "ears of the people that are on the "wall." 27. But Rab-shakeh said unto them, "Hath my master sent me to "thy master and to thee, to speak these "words! hath he not sent me to the "men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink

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(z) v. 17. "Sent Tartan." In about three years after Hezekiah's submission.

(a) v. 23. "If thou be able." An insinuation of the weakness to which Judah was reduced!

(b) v. 24. "One captain." Such is your condition, that you cannot stand even against a single captain of Sennacherib's forces.

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"their own piss with you?" 28. Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews language, and spake, saying, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. 29. Thus "saith the king, "Let not Hezekiah "deceive you, for he shall not be "able to deliver you out of his hand: "30. Neither let Hezekiah make you "trust in the LORD, saying, "The "The "LORD will surely deliver us, and "this city shall not be delivered into "the hand of the king of Assyria. ❝ 31. Hearken not unto Hezekiah: for "thus saith the king of Assyria, "Make "an agreement with me by a present and ❝ come out to me, and then eat ye every "man of his own vine, and every one "of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one "the waters of his cistern: 32. Until "I come and take you away, to a land "like your own land, a land of corn " and wine, a land of bread and vine"yards, a land of oil-olive, and of "honey, that ye may live and not die: " and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when "he persuadeth you, saying, "The "LORD will deliver us." 33. Hath "any of the gods of the nations de"livered at all his land out of the hand "of the king of Assyria? 34. Where "are the gods of (c) Hamath, and "of (d) Arpad? where are the gods of "Sepharvaim; Hena, and Ivah? have "they delivered Samaria out of mine "hand? 35. Who are they among

all the gods of the countries, that "have delivered their country out of

(c) v. 34. "The gods of the nations." It was a persuasion amongst the heathens, that there were many gods, and that different gods presided over different nations.

(d) Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, "Henah, and Ivah." "Places Sennacherib had subdued."

(e) v. 1. Almost verbatim with Isaiah xxxvii. post. Before Christ 710.

(g) "It," i. e. "the account he received "of Rabshakeh's message in the preceding chapter."

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(h) v. 3. "The children, &c." Probably a proverb for great weakness: "in as feeble

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a state as that of a woman who has

"mine hand, that the LORD should "deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand? 36. But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, "Answer "him not." 37. Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah which 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 Rab-shakeh.

CHAP. XIX.

AND (e) it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it (g), that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. 2. And he sent Eliakim which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3. And they said unto him, "Thus saith Hezekiah, "This day is a day of trouble, and of "rebuke, and blasphemy: for the chil"dren (h) are come to the birth, and "there is not strength to bring forth "4. It may be the LORD thy God will "hear all the words of Rab-shake, "whom the king of Assyria his master "hath sent to reproach the living God: "and will reprove the words which the "LORD thy God hath heard: where "fore lift up thy prayer for the re"nant (i) that are left." 5. So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6. And Isaiah said unto them, "Thus shall ye say to your master.

"bearing, but has not strength to bring "forth." In Isaiah lxvi. 9. God is represented as saying, "Shall I bring to the "birth, and not cause to bring forth?" meaning, probably, that whatever he has begun he has power to complete.

(i) v. 4. The remnant," i. e. "the "Jews." The ten tribes, the subjects of the kings of Israel, had been carried into captivity only about twelve years; and in the time of Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, the Edomites had "smitten Judah, and carried "away captives," and "the Philistines "also had taken some of their cities and "villages, and the Lord had brought Israel

accomplished her full time for child-low. 2 Chron. xxviii. 17 to 19."

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"Thus saith the LORD, "Be not "afraid of the words which thou hast "heard, with which the servants of "the king of Assyria have blasphemed 66 me. 7. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, "and shall return to his own land; "and I will cause him to fall by "the sword in his own land." 8. So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah : for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9. And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia (k), "Behold, he is come out to fight against "thee:" he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying, 10. Thus shall ye "speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, 66 saying, "Let not thy God in whom "thou trustest deceive thee, saying, "Jerusalem shall not be delivered into "the hand of the king of Assyria. "11. Behold, thou hast heard what "the kings of Assyria have done to all "lands, by destroying them utterly: and "shalt thou be delivered? 12. Have "the gods of the nations delivered them "which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and "the children of Eden which were in "Thelasar? 13. Where is the king of "Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and "the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of "Hena, and Ivah?" 14. And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, "O LORD God of Is"rael, which dwellest between the che"rubims, thou art the God, even thou " alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth, "thou hast made heaven and earth. "16. LORD, bow down thine ear, and "hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and

(k) v. 9. "Ethiopia," or "Cush," in Arabia. 1 Sbuckf. 167. Hamm, on 87th Psalm. 1 Wall. 261.

() v. 25. What is stated as Sennacherib's insult ends with v. 24.—God's answer begins with this verse (v. 25.) "Whatever thou "hast done, has been my work thou hast "been nothing but an instrument of mine "to accomplish my purposes." In Is. x. 5.

"see and hear the words of Senna"cherib, which hath sent him to re"proach the living God. 17. Of a "truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria "have destroyed the nations, and their “lands, 18. And have cast their gods "into the fire: for they were no gods, "but the work of men's hands, wood "and stone: therefore they have de"stroyed them. 19. Now therefore, O "LORD our God, I beseech thee, save "thou us out of his hand, that all the

kingdoms of the earth may know that "thou art the LORD God, even thou only." 20. Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus saith the "LORD God of Israel, That which thou "hast prayed to me against Senna"cherib king of Assyria, I have heard. "21. This is the word that the LORD "hath spoken concerning him, "The "virgin, the daughter of Zion hath

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despised thee and laughed thee to "scorn, the daughter of Jerusalem hath "shaken her head at thee. 22. Whom "hast thou reproached and blasphemed? "and against whom hast thou exalted "thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on "high? even against the holy One of "Israel. 23. By thy messengers thou "hast reproached the LORD, and hast "said, "With the multitude of my "chariots I am come up to the height "of the mountains, to the sides of Le"banon, and will cut down the tall "cedar-trees thereof, and the choice "fir-trees thereof: and I will enter into "the lodgings of his borders, and into "the forest of his Carmel. 24. I have

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"shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities « into ruinous heaps. 26. Therefore (m) "their inhabitants were of small power, "they were dismayed and confounded, "they were as the grass of the field "and as the green herb, as the grass on "the house-tops, and as corn blasted "before it be grown up. 27. But I "know thy abode (n), and thy going "out, and thy coming in, and thy rage

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year

against me (o). 28. Because thy rage "against me and thy tumult is come up "into mine ears, therefore I will put my "hook (p) in thy nose, and my bridle in “ thy lips, and I will turn thee back "by the way by which thou camest." "29. And this shall be a sign unto "thee (q), Ye shall eat (r) this "such things as grow of themselves, "and in the second year that which "springeth of the same, and in the third "year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof. "30. And the remnant that is escaped ❝of the house of Judah, shall yet again "take root downward, and bear fruit "upward. 31. For out of Jerusalem "shall go forth a remnant, and they (s) "that escape out of mount Zion: the "zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. "32. Therefore thus saith the LORD "concerning the king of Assyria, "He "shall not come into this city, nor shoot 66 an arrow there, nor come before it

(m) v. 26. "Therefore, &c." Why? because it was God's work, and Sennacherib his tool.

(n) . 27. " Thy abode, &c. i. e. (probably) "all thy ways, and acts, and mo❝tives."

(o) "Thy rage against me," i. e. "thy "disregard of my commands and power, "thy attempts against my people."

(p) v. 28. "Put my hook, &c." i.e. " treat "thee as man does an animal under his "controul: lead thee like a beast where"ever I think fit."

(g) . 29. " Thee," i. e. Hezekiah. v. (r)"Shall eat, &c." i. e. (perhaps) "shall "find what groweth of itself' sufficient "for your sustenance both this year and "the next, and in the third year ye shall "have full opportunity to sow, reap, &c." The second year was the sabbatical, or seventh year, which, according to Lev. xxv. 4. was to be “ a Sabbath of rest unto

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"with shield, nor cast a bank against it. "39. By the way that he came, by the 66 same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. "34. For I will defend this city to save

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it, for mine own sake, and for my "servant David's sake." 35. And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians, an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose (t) early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went, and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 37. And it came to pass as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia; and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

CHAP. XXIII.

AND the king (u) sent (x), and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah, and of Jerusalem. 2. And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book (y) of the covenant which was

"the land, a Sabbath for the Lord;" and the injunction for that year was, "thou "shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy "vineyard."

(s) v. 31. "They that escape," i. e. "some that shall escape;" the same as "remnant."

(t) v. 35. "When they arose," i.e. “at “ the time of rising." This signal deliver. ance is made the subject of many thanksgivings in the Psalms.

(u) v. 1. " The King," i. e. “ Josiah, " son of Amon, grandson of Manasseh, and great grandson of Hezekiah.

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(x) Sent." B. C. 624.

(y) v. 2. "The book of the covenant, i. e." the five books of Moses." They had probably been disregarded during the idolatrous reigns of Manasseh and Amon. Manasseh reigned 55 years, and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the abominations of the heathen, and

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