2KI 19

2 Kings 19:7

WEB

Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he will hear news, and will return to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”’”

BSB

Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.’”

KJV

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.

Matthew Henry

Verses 1–7

2 Kings 19:1–7

The contents of Rabshakeh's speech being brought to Hezekiah, one would have expected (and it is likely Rabshakeh did expect) that he would call a council of war and it would be debated whether it was best to capitulate or no. Before the siege, he had taken counsel with his princes and his mighty men, Ch2 32:3. But that would not do now; his greatest relief is that he has a God to go to, and what passed between him and his God on this occasion we have here an account of.

I. Hezekiah discovered a deep concern at the dishonour done to God by Rabshakeh's blasphemy. When he heard it, though at second hand, he rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth, Kg2 19:1. Good men were wont to do so when they heard of any reproach cast on God's name; and great men must not think it any disparagement to them to sympathize with the injured honour of the great God. Royal robes are not too good to be rent, nor royal flesh too good to be clothed with sackcloth, in humiliation for indignities done to God and for the perils and terrors of his Jerusalem. To this God now called, and was displeased with those who were not thus affected. Isa 22:12-14, Behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, though it was a day of trouble and perplexity in the valley of vision (Kg2 19:5), which refers to this very event. The king was in sackcloth, but many of his subjects were in soft clothing.

II. He went up to the house of the Lord, according to the example of the psalmist, who, when he was grieved at the pride and prosperity of the wicked, went into the sanctuary of God and there understood their end, Psa 73:17. He went to the house of God, to meditate and pray, and get his spirit into a sedate composed frame, after this agitation. He was not considering what answer to return to Rabshakeh, but refers the matter to God. "Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me." - Herbert. In the house of the Lord he found a place both of rest and refuge, a treasury, a magazine, a council-chamber, and all he needed, all in God. Note, When the church's enemies are very daring and threatening it is the wisdom and duty of the church's friends to apply to God, appeal to him, and leave their cause with him.

III. He sent to the prophet Isaiah, by honourable messengers, in token of the great respect he had for him, to desire his prayers, Kg2 19:2-4. Eliakim and Shebna were two of those that had heard the words of Rabshakeh and were the better able both to acquaint and to affect Isaiah with the case. The elders of the priests were themselves to pray for the people in time of trouble (Joe 2:17); but they must go to engage Isaiah's prayers, because he could pray better and had a better interest in heaven. The messengers were to go in sackcloth, because they were to represent the king, who was so clothed.

1. Their errand to Isaiah was, "Lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left, that is, for Judah, which is but a remnant now that the ten tribes are gone - for Jerusalem, which is but a remnant now that the defenced cities of Judah are taken." Note, (1.) It is very desirable, and what we should be desirous of when we are in trouble, to have the prayers of our friends for us. In begging to have them we honour God, we honour prayer, and we honour our brethren. (2.) When we desire the prayers of others for us we must not think we are excused from praying for ourselves. When Hezekiah sent to Isaiah to pray for him he himself went into the house of the Lord to offer up his own prayers. (3.) Those who speak from God to us we should in a particular manner desire to speak to God for us. He is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, Gen 20:7. The great prophet is the great intercessor. (4.) Those are likely to prevail with God that lift up their prayers, that is, that lift up their hearts in prayer. (5.) When the interests of God's church are brought very low, so that there is but a remnant left, few friends, and those weak and at a loss, then it is time to lift up our prayer for that remnant.

2. Two things are urged to Isaiah, to engage his prayers for them: - (1.) Their fears of the enemy (Kg2 19:3): "He is insolent and haughty; it is a day of rebuke and blasphemy. We are despised. God is dishonoured. Upon this account it is a day of trouble. Never were such a king and kingdom so trampled on and abused as we are: our soul is exceedingly filled with the contempt of the proud, and it is a sword in our bones to hear them reproach our confidence in God, and say, Where is now your God? and, which is worst of all, we see not which way we can help ourselves and get clear of the reproach. Our cause is good, our people are faithful; but we are quite overpowered with numbers. The children are brought to the birth; now is the time, the critical moment, when, if ever, we must be relieved. One successful blow given to the enemy would accomplish our wishes. But, alas! we are not able to give it: There is not strength to bring forth. Our case is as deplorable, and calls for as speedy help, as that of a woman in travail, that is quite spent with her throes, so that she has not strength to bear the child. Compare with this Hos 13:13. We are ready to perish; if thou canst do any thing, have compassion upon us and help us." (2.) Their hopes in God. To him they look, on him they depend, to appear for them. One word from him will turn the scale, and save the sinking remnant. If he but reprove the words of Rabshakeh (that is, disprove them, Kg2 19:4) - if he undertake to convince and confound the blasphemer - all will be well. And this they trust he will do, not for their merit's sake, but for his own honour's sake, because he has reproached the living God, by levelling him with deaf and dumb idols. They have reason to think the issue will be good, for they can interest God in the quarrel. Psa 74:22, Arise O God! plead thy own cause. "He is the Lord thy God," say they to Isaiah - "thine, whose glory thou art concerned for, and whose favour thou art interested in. He has heard and known the blasphemous words of Rabshakeh, and therefore, it may be, he will hear and rebuke them. We hope he will. Help us with thy prayers to bring the cause before him, and then we are content to leave it with him."

IV. God, by Isaiah, sent to Hezekiah, to assure him that he would glorify himself in the ruin of the Assyrians. Hezekiah sent to Isaiah, not to enquire concerning the event, as many did that sent to the prophets (Shall I recover? or the like), but to desire his assistance in his duty. It was this that he was solicitous about; and therefore God let him know what the event should be, in recompence of his care to do his duty, Kg2 19:6, Kg2 19:7. 1. God interested himself in the cause: They have blasphemed me. 2. He encouraged Hezekiah, who was much dismayed: Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard; they are but words (though swelling and fiery words), and words are but wind. 3. He promised to frighten the king of Assyria worse than Rabshakeh had frightened him: "I will send a blast upon him (that pestilential breath which killed his army), upon which terrors shall seize him and drive him into his own country, where death shall meet him." This short threatening from the mouth of God would do execution, when all the impotent menaces that came from Rabshakeh's mouth would vanish into air.

Cross-references: 2Chr 32:3 · 2Kgs 19:1 · Isa 22:12 · 2Kgs 19:5 · Ps 73:17 · 2Kgs 19:2 · Joel 2:17 · Gen 20:7 · 2Kgs 19:3 · Hos 13:13 · 2Kgs 19:4 · Ps 74:22 · 2Kgs 19:6 · 2Kgs 19:7

Hebrew interlinear

בּוֹ֙boprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · sing

H2005

הֵןhên/hane/

prt — lo!, if

Derivation: a primitive particle;

lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if

KJV: behold, if, lo, though.

הֵן

demonstr.adv — lo!

הֵן 100 demonstr.adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

H5414

נָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/

v — give, put, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.

נָתַן

vb — give

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

1. give

2. Put, set

3. Make, constitute

Niph. 82

1. be given

2. Be put, set

Hoph.

1.

a. be given, bestowed

b. = be given to one for wife

2. be put upon

H7307

רוּחַrûwach/roo'-akh/

n-f — wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, region of the sky, spirit

Derivation: from 7306;

wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)

KJV: air, anger, blast, breath, × cool, courage, mind, × quarter, × side, spirit(-ual), tempest, × vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).

רוּחַ

n.f — breath

רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit

1. breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)

2. wind (117 t.)

3. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)

4. spirit of the living, breathing being

5. spirit as seat of emotion

6. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts

7. rarely of the will

8. רוּחַ esp. of moral character

9. spirit of God (94 t.)

H8085

שָׁמַעshâmaʻ/shaw-mah'/

v — hear, tell

Derivation: a primitive root;

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

KJV: × attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

שָׁמַע

vb — hear

שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear

Qal 1052

1. subj. pers. hum.

2. י׳ (God) subj.

Niph. 42

1. be heard, of voice, sound

2. be heard of

3. be regarded, obeyed

4. = (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.

Pi. he caused the people to hear

Hiph. 63

1. of man

2. י׳ subj.

H8052

שְׁמוּעָהshᵉmûwʻâh/shem-oo-aw'/

n-f — heard, announcement

Derivation: feminine passive participle of 8074;

something heard, i.e. an announcement

KJV: bruit, doctrine, fame, mentioned, news, report, rumor, tidings.

שְׁמוּעָה

n.f — report

שְׁמוּעָה n.f. report

1. report

2. = mention

H7725

שׁוּבshûwb/shoob/

v — turn, return, retreat, again

Derivation: a primitive root;

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again

KJV: ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) × again, (cause to) answer ( again), × in any case (wise), × at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, × certainly, come again (back), × consider, continually, convert, deliver (again), deny, draw back, fetch home again, × fro, get (oneself) (back) again, × give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, × needs, be past, × pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, × surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.

שׁוּב

vb — turn back

שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return

Qal 683;—turn back, return:

1. turn back

2. return, come or go back

3. esp. return unto

4.

a. of dying

b. of revival from death

5. fig. of human relations:

a. return to leader, king

b. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)

c. turn, i.e. resort to

d. return to a physical condition

e. abs. = change course of action

6. fig., specif. of spiritual relations:

a. turn back from God = apostatize

b. of י׳, turn away

c. turn back to God (= seek penitently)

d. abs. repent

e. turn back from evil

f. of י׳

g. of י׳, return (to shew favour)

7. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):

8. denoting repetition, etc.

9. trans.

Pō‛l.

1. bring back

2.

a. fig. restore, refresh

b. restore, repair

3. lead away (enticingly)

4. shew turning = apostatize

Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back

1.

a. bring back into bondage

b. put back

c. = draw back

d. = give back, restore

e. = relinguish

f. = give in payment, requital

g. bring one back (from dead)

2.

a. bring back heart

b. = refresh

3. bring back words of people

4.

a. bring back (in retribution) upon

b. pay as recompense

5. turn back, backward = repel, defeat

6.

a. turn away face

b. late, turn toward, acc. face

7. turn against

8. bring back to mind, take into consideration

9.

10. = shew a turning away from your idols (i.e. turn away)

11. reverse, revoke = repel, defeat

Hoph. my money has been returned

H776

אֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/

n-f — earth, land

Derivation: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm;

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

KJV: × common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × natins, way, + wilderness, world.

אֶ֫רֶץ

n. f — earth

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

1.

a. earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

b. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

c. earth = inhabitants of earth

2. land =

a. country, territory

b. district, region

c. trial territory

d. piece of ground

e. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

f. = inhabitants of land

g. used even of Shᵉʼôl

3.

a. ground, surface of ground

b. soil, as productive

4. אֶרֶץ in phrases

a. people of the land

b. in measurements of distance

c. the country of the plain, level or plain country

d. land of the living

e. end(s) of the earth

5. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

H5307

נָפַלnâphal/naw-fal'/

v — fall

Derivation: a primitive root;

to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)

KJV: be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (× hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, × surely, throw down.

נָפַל

vb — fall

נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie

Qal 366

1. fall, by accident

2.

a. Esp. of violent death

b. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

c. fig. = experience calamity

d. fall, of a city

3.

a. Fall prostrate

b. fall = prostrate oneself before

c. fall upon one's neck, in embrace

4.

a. Fall upon = attack

b. desert or fall away to, go over to

5. Fig., of deep sleep

6. Other idiomatic uses

7. = lie; = lie prostrate

Hiph.

1. cause to fall

2. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

3. Esp. of casting lot

4. Fig., let drop, cause to fail

5. cause deep sleep to fall

6. Other idioms

Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself

H2719

חֶרֶבchereb/kheh'-reb/

n-f — drought, cutting, destructive, knife, sword

Derivation: from 2717;

drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement

KJV: axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.

חֶ֫רֶב

n.f — sword

חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)

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