Page 112
ESAY XXIII. & ESAY XL, XLI, &c. to the end of the Book.
THE prophesying of Esay is concluded by the Title of his Book in the times of Hezekiah [though the Hebrews of old have held, that he lived and died in the days of Manasseh, and was sawn asunder by him. The Epistle to the Hebrews may seem to speak to that, Heb. 11. 37.] therefore according to the Chronology of the title of the Book in the first verse of it, these Chapters that are set after the Story of Hezekiahs four∣teenth year, or after the Story of the destruction of the Assyrians, and Hezekiahs recovery, are all to be allotted to the fifteen years of his pro∣longed life, since there is no direction to lay all of them, or any of them in any time else, &c.
The three and twentieth Chapter also falleth under the same time, even towards the latter end of Hezekiahs reign, when the King of As∣syria had now taken Babel. This is apparent by ver. 13. spoken of a little before; for there the Lord threatneth Tyrus by the example of Babel;* 1.1 that City had been founded by the Assyrian * 1.2 for his Ships and Ship-men to traffick upon Euphrates, as Tyrus was built on the Sea for the like purpose, but now the Assyrian had brought that to ruine, and so should the case of Tyrus be by the Babilonians. Nebuchad-nezzar destroyed Tyrus, Ezek. 29. 18.
Now the reason why this Chapter, that fell so late in Hezekiahs time, is yet laid in that place where it is, is this: because the Prophesies against those Countries which lay so together, might lye also together, and threatnings and denunciations of Judgments might come as it were all in one body: For it may be observed, that very much of this Book that lieth before the Story of Sennacherib is threatning and terrour, and the most of the Book that lieth after is comfort and promises. Only upon mention and promise of Cyrus, Chap. 44. & 45. there is a grievous threatning of Babylon, which ere long grew great, Chap. 46. & 47. for Cyrus was to destroy it.