Isaiah 39

Isa 39:1-8.

HEZEKIAH'S

ERROR IN THE

DISPLAY OF

HIS

RICHES TO THE

BABYLONIAN

AMBASSADOR.

1. Merodach-baladan--For a hundred fifty years before the overthrow

of Nineveh by Cyaxares the Mede, a succession of rulers, mostly viceroys

of Assyria, ruled Babylon, from the time of Nabonassar, 747 B.C. That

date is called "the Era of Nabonassar." Pul or Phallukha was then

expelled, and a new dynasty set up at Nineveh, under Tiglath-pileser.

Semiramis, Pul's wife, then retired to Babylon, with Nabonassar, her

son, whose advent to the throne of Babylon, after the overthrow of the

old line at Nineveh, marked a new era. Sometimes the viceroys of Babylon

made themselves, for a time, independent of Assyria; thus

Merodach-baladan at this time did so, encouraged by the Assyrian

disaster in the Jewish campaign. He had done so before, and was defeated

in the first year of Sennacherib's reign, as is recorded in cuneiform

characters in that monarchs palace of Koyunjik. Nabopolassar was the

first who established, permanently, his independence; his son,

Nebuchadnezzar, raised Babylon to the position which Nineveh once

occupied; but from the want of stone near the Lower Euphrates, the

buildings of Babylon, formed of sun-dried brick, have not stood the wear

of ages as Nineveh has.

Merodach--an idol, the same as the god of war and planet Mars

(Jer 50:2).

Often kings took their names from their gods, as if peculiarly under

their tutelage. So Belshazzar from Bel.

Baladan--means "Bel is his lord." The chronicle of

EUSEBIUS contains

a fragment of BEROSUS,

stating that Acises, an Assyrian viceroy, usurped

the supreme command at Babylon. Merodach- (or Berodach-) baladan

murdered him and succeeded to the throne. Sennacherib conquered

Merodach-baladan and left Esar-haddon, his son, as governor of Babylon.

Merodach-baladan would naturally court the alliance of Hezekiah, who,

like himself, had thrown off the yoke of the Assyrian king, and who

would be equally glad of the Babylonian alliance against Assyria; hence

arose the excessive attention which he paid to the usurper.

sick--An additional reason is given

(2Ch 32:31).

"The princes of Babylon sent to enquire of the wonder that was done in

the land"; namely, the recession of the shadow on Ahaz' sundial; to the

Chaldean astronomers, such a fact would be especially interesting, the

dial having been invented at Babylon.

2. glad--It was not the mere act, but the spirit of it, which provoked

God

(2Ch 32:25),

"Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him,

for his heart was lifted up"; also compare

2Ch 32:31.

God "tries" His people at different times by different ways, bringing

out "all that is in their heart," to show them its varied corruptions.

Compare David in a similar case

(1Ch 21:1-8).

precious things--rather, "the house of his (aromatic) spices"; from

a Hebrew root, to "break to pieces," as is done to aromatics.

silver . . . gold--partly obtained from the Assyrian camp

(Isa 33:4);

partly from presents

(2Ch 32:23, 27-29).

precious ointment--used for anointing kings and priests.

armour--or else vessels in general; the parallel passage

(2Ch 32:27),

"treasuries . . . for shields," favors English

Version. His arsenal.

3. What . . . whence--implying that any proposition

coming from the idolatrous enemies of God, with whom Israel was

forbidden to form alliance, should have been received with anything but

gladness. Reliance on Babylon, rather than on God, was a similar

sin to the previous reliance on Egypt

(Isa 30:1-31:9).

far country--implying that he had done nothing more than was proper

in showing attention to strangers "from a far country."

4. All--a frank confession of his whole fault; the king submits

his conduct to the scrutiny of a subject, because that subject was

accredited by God. Contrast Asa

(2Ch 16:7-10).

5. Lord of hosts--who has all thy goods at His disposal.

6. days come--one hundred twenty years afterwards. This is the first

intimation that the Jews would be carried to Babylon--the first

designation of their place of punishment. The general prophecy of

Moses

(Le 26:33;

De 28:64);

the more particular one of Ahijah in Jeroboam's time

(1Ki 14:15),

"beyond the river"; and of

Am 5:27,

"captivity beyond Damascus"; are now concentrated in this specific one

as to "Babylon"

(Mic 4:10).

It was an exact retribution in kind, that as Babylon had been the

instrument of Hezekiah and Judah's sin, so also it should be the

instrument of their punishment.

7. sons . . . from thee--The sons which Hezekiah (as

JOSEPHUS tells us) wished to have (see on

Isa 28:3,

on "wept sore") will be among the foremost in suffering.

eunuchs--fulfilled

(Da 1:2, 3, 7).

8. peace . . . in my days--The punishment was not, as in David's

case

(2Sa 24:13-15),

sent in his time. True repentance acquiesces in all God's ways and

finds cause of thanksgiving in any mitigation.