2 Kings 20

2Ki 20:1-7.

HEZEKIAH'S

LIFE

LENGTHENED.

1. In those days was Hezekiah sick--As his reign lasted twenty-nine

years

(2Ki 18:2),

and his kingdom was invaded in the fourteenth

(2Ki 18:13),

it is evident that this sudden and severe illness must have occurred in

the very year of the Syrian invasion. Between the threatened attack and

the actual appearance of the enemy, this incident in Hezekiah's history

must have taken place. But according to the usage of the sacred

historian, the story of Sennacherib is completed before entering on

what was personal to the king of Judah (see also

Isa 37:36-38:1).

Set thine house in order--Isaiah, being of the blood royal, might have

access to the king's private house. But since the prophet was

commissioned to make this announcement, the message must be considered

as referring to matters of higher importance than the settlement of the

king's domestic and private affairs. It must have related chiefly to

the state of his kingdom, he having not as yet any son (compare

2Ki 20:6

with 2Ki 21:1).

for thou shall die, and not live--The disease was of a malignant

character and would be mortal in its effects, unless the healing power

of God should miraculously interpose.

2. he turned his face to the wall--not like Ahab

(1Ki 21:4),

in fretful discontent, but in order to secure a better opportunity for

prayer.

3. remember now how I have walked before thee, &c.--The course of

Hezekiah's thoughts was evidently directed to the promise made to David

and his successors on the throne

(1Ki 8:25).

He had kept the conditions as faithfully as human infirmity admitted;

and as he had been all along free from any of those great crimes by

which, through the judgment of God, human life was often suddenly cut

short, his great grief might arise partly from the love of life, partly

from the obscurity of the Mosaic dispensation, where life and

immortality had not been fully brought to light, and partly from his

plans for the reformation of his kingdom being frustrated by his death.

He pleaded the fulfilment of the promise.

4. afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court--of the royal

castle.

5. Thus saith . . . the God of David thy father--An immediate answer

was given to his prayer, containing an assurance that the Lord was

mindful of His promise to David and would accomplish it in Hezekiah's

experience, both by the prolongation of his life, and his deliverance

from the Assyrians.

on the third day--The perfect recovery from a dangerous sickness,

within so short a time, shows the miraculous character of the cure (see

his thanksgiving song,

Isa 38:9).

The disease cannot be ascertained; but the text gives no hint that the

plague was raging then in Jerusalem; and although Arab physicians apply

a cataplasm of figs to plague-boils, they also do so in other cases, as

figs are considered useful in ripening and soothing inflammatory

ulcers.

2Ki 20:8-20.

THE

SUN

GOES

TEN

DEGREES

BACKWARD.

8-11. Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What will be the sign that the Lord

shall heal me--His recovery in the course of nature was so unlooked

for, that the king asked for some token to justify his reliance on the

truth of the prophet's communication; and the sign he specified was

granted to him. The shadow of the sun went back upon the dial of Ahaz

the ten degrees it had gone down. Various conjectures have been formed

as to this dial. The word in the original is "degrees," or "steps," and

hence many commentators have supposed that it was a stair, so artfully

contrived, that the shadows on the steps indicated the hours and course

of the sun. But it is more probable that it was a proper instrument,

and, from the Hebrews having no term to designate it, that it was one

of the foreign novelties imported from Babylon by Ahaz. It seems to

have been of such magnitude, and so placed in the court, that Isaiah

could point to it, and the king see it, from his chamber. The

retrogression of the sun's shadow on the dial was miraculously

accomplished by the omnipotent power of God; but the phenomenon was

temporary, local, confined to the notice, and intended for the

satisfaction, only of Hezekiah and his court.

12-19. Berodach-baladan--

(Isa 39:1),

the first king of Babylon mentioned in sacred history; formerly its

rulers were viceroys of the Assyrian monarchs. This individual threw

off the yoke, and asserting his independence, made with varying

success, a long and obstinate resistance [RAWLINSON, Outlines]. The message of

congratulation to Hezekiah, was, in all likelihood, accompanied with

proposals for a defensive alliance against their common Assyrian enemy.

The king of Judah, flattered with this honor, showed the ambassadors

all his treasures, his armory and warlike stores; and his motive for

this was evidently that the Babylonian deputies might be the more

induced to prize his friendship.

13, 14. the silver, and the gold--He paid so much tribute to

Sennacherib as exhausted his treasury (compare

2Ki 18:16).

But, after the destruction of Sennacherib, presents were brought him

from various quarters, out of respect to a king who, by his faith and

prayer, saved his country; and besides, it is by no means improbable

that from the corpses in the Assyrian camp, all the gold and silver he

had paid might be recovered. The vain display, however, was offensive

to his divine liege lord, who sent Isaiah to reprove him. The answer he

gave the prophet

(2Ki 22:14)

shows how he was elated by the compliment of their visit; but it was

wrong, as presenting a bait for the cupidity of these rapacious

foreigners, who, at no distant period, would return and pillage his

country, and transfer all the possessions he ostentatiously displayed

to Babylon, as well as his posterity to be court attendants in that

country--(see on

2Ch 32:31).

19. Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken--indicating a

humble and pious resignation to the divine will. The concluding part of

his reply was uttered after a pause and was probably an ejaculation to

himself, expressing his thankfulness, that, though great afflictions

should befall his descendants, the execution of the divine judgment was

to be suspended during his own lifetime.

20. pool and a

conduit--(See on

2Ch 32:30).