Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XIX.

Vers. 3. THis is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy.] That is, this is a day wherein the poore people of God are in great trouble, wherein the Lord hath testified his displeasure against us, and rebuked us for our sinnes, and wherein the proud enemy hath blasphemed Gods name.

For the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.] That is, such as is the condition of a woman in travell, when the child is come to the very birth, and then her strength fails her, that she cannot be delivered; such is our condition: our sorrow is extreme, our danger desperate; as being brought to such extremities, that unlesse help come presently, we are sure to perish, and no power or ability we have to help our selves; so that unlesse God do miraculously help us, we must needs perish, both prince and people: and in such extremities God is wont to come in to the help of his poore distressed people.

Vers. 4. It may be the Lord thy God will heare all the words of Rabshakeh, &c.] That is, it may be he will manifest that he hath heard them by punishing him for them.

Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.] That is, pray ear∣nestly unto God, for those few that are left of the people of God: he calls them a remnant, first, with respect to the captivity of the ten tribes who were carried away into a strange land; and so onely Judah and Benjamin were left: secondly, with respect to the havock that had been made amongst the people of Judah, both in the dayes of Ahaz his father, and now also by Sennacherib in many of their cities which he had taken; and for these he desires him to lift up a prayer; that is, to pray fervent∣ly: for in fervent prayer the soule of a man mounts up as it were to heaven, and

is above all thinking of earthly things, according to that of David, Psal. 25.1. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Vers. 7. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, &c.] That is, I will drive him out of the kingdome, even as the dust or chaffe is driven by a blast of wind; and thus the Lord shews how unable the Assyrian should be to stand against his indignation not∣withstanding he thought his power could not be resisted. What this blast was wherewith the Assyrian was driven out of the land, may be probably gathered by that which is related afterward: it may be meant either of the report of the king of Ethiopia's arming against him, or of the slaughter which was made by the Angel in his army, vers. 35. or of the fear and terrour wherewith he was stricken of God up∣on those occasions, or of all these together: and so likewise for the rumour that is mentioned in the next words, and he shall heare a rumour, &c. it may be mean•• both of the rumour that the king of Ethiopia was come out against him, vers. 9. and of the rumour of the slaughter made in the Assyrian army, perhaps the tumult, and shreeking, and grones that were then amongst them.

Vers. 8. So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah.] Rabshakeh finding that the inhabitants of Jerusalem would not yield to open their gates unto him, went presently to Sennacherib to Libnah; either to inform him of their resolution, or rather to conferre with him concerning the army of Tir∣hakah the Arabian, or Ethiopian king, whereof it seems he had heard. Whether he raised the siege, and went away with that army he carried against Jerusalem, chap. 18.17. it is not expressed. The threatning letters which Sennacherib immediately sent to Hezekiah, by terrifying him to make him yield, is a probable argument that Rabshakeh had left his army still before Jerusalem, under the command of the other captains, and onely went himself to Sennacherib, to consult with him concerning their affairs.

Vers. 9. And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to sight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah.] And with∣all he gave them letters written to Hezekiah, containing in effect the same message, vers. 14. and the reason why he thus sought by all means to terrifie Hezekiah, was to make him yield presently to him, that if it were possible he might be possessed of Je∣rusalem, before they should heare of the coming of the Ethiopian army; and that the rather, because that citie would be the most convenient place for him to retreat unto with his army, if need were to shelter themselves against the Ethiopians.

Vers. 14. And Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it be∣fore the Lord.] That is, he spread Sennacheribs letter before the altar, the signe of Gods presence amongst them; and this he did, partly, to quicken his own spirit, and to strengthen his own faith in prayer, by the sight of that blasphemous writing; and partly, by that outward signe, to imply what he desired of God; namely, that God would take notice of, and revenge the horrible blasphemies of that daring wretch, against his great and glorious name.

Vers. 16. And heare the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproch the living God.] That is, the messenger that brought his letter.

Vers. 21: This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him, The virgin, the daughter of Sion hath despised thee, &c.] That is, the inhabitants of Sion & Jeru∣salem

shall laugh thee to scorn. The people inhabiting any citie, or countrey, are in the Scripture usually called the daughter of that citie or countrey, Psal. 45.12. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift: Psal. 137.8. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed: because they have been bred, born, and nourished the••e, and have lived under the defence & government thereof, and ought to be faith∣full and obedient to the government under which they live; whence naturally all nations are wont to stile their countrey, their mother, 2. Sam. 20.19. Thou seekest to destroy a citie, and a mother in Israel: and they are called the virgin daughter of Sion, not so much because they were not now defiled with idolatry, which is spiritu∣all fornication (for even heathen people are so called Isa. 47.1. Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin-daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Caldeans: Jer. 46.11. Go up into Gilead, and take balme; O vir∣gin the daughter of Egypt: and where had been grosser idolatry, then amongst the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the dayes of Ahaz?) nor because she had never yet been subdued and brought under the command of any forrain prince (for after they were under the Babylonian command, they are still called so, Lam. 1, 15. the Lord hath troden the virgin the daughter of Judah, as in a winepresse, and 2.13. What thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equall to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Sion?) but rather, because of their con∣stant abode in those places; for in that regard they might most fitly be resembled to a virgin daughter that lives with her mother; tenderly and delicately brought up by her: yea, perhaps in this place this phrase is used also to imply the weaknesse of Je∣rusalem at this time.

Vers. 23. By thy messengers thou hast reproched the Lord.] By this circumstance doth the Prophet aggravate the insolent pride of Sennacherib: that he set his servants to blaspheme the holy name of God.

With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, &c.] That is, the strongest places of the kingdome I have subdued, and passed through as a conquerour, even those that seemed to them most inaccessible; and am now come to the sides of Lebanon, that is, their chief citie and strength, the citie Je∣rusalem: and hereby is intimated that nothing could or should stand in the way of his armies; that as he had hitherto, so he would still subdue the land before him, take possession of their forts and castles, cut down the tall cedar trees, and the choice firre trees, that is, destroy there Princes, Nobles, and great men, enter the lodgings of his borders, and into the forrest of his Carmel; that is, possesse himself of their frontier towns, and all the fruitfull and pleasant places of their countrey; even as conquerours in a land subdued are wont to do, as they go along, what they please themselves.

Vers. 24. I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.] That is, when I have come in places most destitute of water, it hath been no hindrance to me, because even there I have digged up strange waters, that is, fountains, & waters, where never any were seen be∣fore; & on the other side where cities have been environed with great & deep waters, no sooner have I set my foot there to besiege them, but with the multitude of my souldiers I have dried them up. Thus he boasts, that nothing could be a let to his nu∣merous army, and laughs to scorn Hezekiahs policie in cutting of the waters, 2. Chron. 32.3.

Vers. 25. Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? &c.] As if the Lord should have said, Thou boast∣est of the conquest of many nations, but didst thou never heare that there is a God in heaven that ruleth the world, by whose providence and decree all such things are done: surely thus it is with thee, now have I brought it to passe, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps; that is, that which I before deter∣mined, I have now by thee brought to passe, using thee as my scourge to punish the wickednesse of men, and to turn their strong fenced cities into ruinous heaps; which agrees with that which the Prophet saith elsewhere, Isaiah 10.5, 6. O Assy∣rian, the rod of mine anger, and the staffe in their hand is mine indignation, I will send him against an hypocriticall nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire in the streets: there is indeed another translation of these words, which is set in the margin of our Bibles, Hast thou not heard how I have made it long ago, and formed it of ancient times, should I now bring it to be laid waste, and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps? and according to this translation the meaning may be, that God had long ago and of ancient times made and formed the Israe∣lites to be his peculiar people, and had planted them in the land of Canaan, which he had provided for their inheritance (a thing so famously known, that Sennacherib must needs have heard of it) and that therefore it was not likely that God would now suffer him wholly to lay waste their countrey, and to turn their cities into ruinous heaps: but the first exposition doth farre best agree with the scope of the Lords up∣braiding the pride of Sennacherib, in boasting of what he had done to so many nations.

Vers. 26. Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismaied and confounded, they were as the grasse of the field, &c.] That is, because I gave them up into thy power, therefore they were soon and easily destroyed.

Vers. 27. But I know thy abode, and thy going out, &c.] That is, I know all thy counsels and enterprizes; there is nothing thou doest advise upon, or determine, nothing thou doest attempt or accomplish, but it is known to me; yea, thou doest nothing but what I have determined shall be done: and this is fully that which David acknowledgeth concerning himself, Psalm. 139.2, 3. Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afarre off, thou compassest my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my wayes.

Vers. 29. And this shall be a signe unto thee, Ye shall eat this yeare such things as grow of themselves, &c.] That is, though ye have been hindred from sowing and planting this yeare, by reason of the Assyrians that have invaded your land; yea, though there be no sowing nor planting the next yeare, (to wit, either because it was the sabbath yeare, the yeare of the lands rest; or because the Assyrians left not the countrey till seed time was past) yet there shall be sufficient that shall grow of it self of the scattered seeds of corne that fell upon the earth; and hereby some inferre, that the Assyrians continued a time in the land, even after this promise was made to Hezekiah by the prophet Isaiah, at least, till the seed time of the second yeare was past: and a very miraculous passage this was, that for three years they should live of that which grew of it self; nor is it any wonder that the Lord gives

that for a signe to strengthen their faith, which was not accomplished till the Assy∣rians had left the land: we see the like Exod. 3.12. And he said, Certainly I will be with thee, and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee, when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. (Concerning which, see the note there.)

Vers. 30. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah, shall yet a∣gain take root downward▪ &c.] Because though they should at present be delivered from the Assyrians, they might fear that being brought to such a poore number, their na∣tion would never be able long to subsist; this promise is added concerning future times, to wit, that that small remnant of them which had escaped the sword of the Assyrians, should like a thriving flourishing tree, grow and prosper, and replenish the land again, as in former times.

Vers. 31. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion.] That is, that poore remnant that now for fear of the Assy∣rians, is shut up within the walls of Jerusalem, shall go forth thence (the enemies being fled) and shall again replenish the land.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.] The Lords zeal for his own glory, the fervent love he beares to his people, and his just indignation against the enemy, shall move him to do this, however his people have deserved no such favour at his hands.

Vers. 32. He shall not come into this citie, nor shoot an arrow there, &c.] It is evident that Rabshaketh came up against Jerusalem with a great army, chap. 18.17. if he removed his army thence when he went to Sennacherib to Libnah, vers. 8. (which perhaps he did, having heard of the Ethiopian that was coming against them) then the meaning of this place is clear, that notwithstanding the threatning letters he had sent, he should not return again to lay siege unto Jerusalem; but if the army of Rabshakeh lay still before Jerusalem, then the meaning of these words may be, that though the army of Rabshakeh had blockt up Jerusalem, and waited for the coming of Sennacheribs army, who was happely gone against the Egyptian and Ethiopian army, intending then with their joynt forces to assault Jerusalem; yet he should never cast a bank against it, but should return the way he came, which accordingly came to passe, vers. 35. as was formerly prophecyed by Isaiah, chap. 14.25. I will break the Assyrian in my land▪ and upon my mountains tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burthen depart from off their shoulder.

Vers. 34. For I will defend this citie to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant Davids sake.] That is, because of my promise made to David concerning the perpetuity of his throne, which had respect chiefly to Christ the sonne of David, of whom David was a type.

Vers. 35. And it came to passe that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, &c.] That is, that very night, after the Prophet had sent this message to Hezekiah concerning the deliverance of Jerusalem, or that night when the Lord performed this which the prophet had foretold, the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians, one hundred fourescore and five thousand; and amongst others the captains and leaders of his camp, perhaps even Rabshakeh amongst the

rest who had lately belched forth such execrable blasphemies against the God of Israel, 2. Chron. 32.21. And the Lord sent an Angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders, and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria, &c.

Vers. 36. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, &c.] With shame of face, 2. Chron. 32.21. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. &c. the book of Tobit also telleth us, that at his return, he in a rage slew many of the Is∣raelites in Nineveh, Tobit 1.18. but of this we find no mention in any of the ca∣nonicall books of Scripture.

Vers. 37. And Esar-haddon his sonne reigned in his stead.] Who in the begin∣ning of his reigne, sent new troops out of Syria into Samaria, to fortifie the colony therein planted by his grandfather Shalmaneser▪ Ezra 4.2.