A. 2 Kings 20. (Continued.) and say to Hezekiah [the prince of my people], Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, [I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the 6 house of the LORD. And] I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city [for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake]. 7 And Isaiah said, C. Isaiah 38. and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. take 21 And Isaiah said, [Let them] take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaister on the boil, and he shall 22 recover. And Hezekiah said, What is the sign a cake of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he 8 recovered. And Hezekiah said [unto Isaiah],What shall be the sign that [the LORD will heal me, and that] I shall go up unto the house of the LORD [the third day]? 9 And [Isaiah said,] This shall be the sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: [shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or 10 go back ten steps? And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return 11 backward ten steps. And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD:] and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz. that I shall go up to the house of the LORD ? 7 And this shall be the sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken: 8 behold, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which is gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial whereon it was gone down. (Isaiah here inserts the song of Hezekiah.) b It is curious that whereas C. and A. have been almost identical throughout there is this slight variation in order and contents at the end. 12 13. A. 2 Kings 20. (Continuous.) (45.) At that time Berodacha-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he [had] heard that Hezekiah had been sick. And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them [all] the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah 14 shewed them not. Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, 15 even from Babylon. And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not 16 shewed them. And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of 17 the LORD, . Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store C. Isaiah 39. (Continuous.) At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he heard that he had been sick, [and 2 was recovered.] And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them. . the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and [all] the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah 3 shewed them not. Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country [unto me], 4 even from Babylon. And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen there is nothing among my treasures that I have not 5 shewed them. Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of 6 the LORD of hosts], Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store B. 2 Chron. 32. 25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, 26 and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the 27 days of Hezekiah. And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour and he provided him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner 28 of goodly vessels; storehouses also for the increase of corn and wine and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and flocks in folds. 29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in b A. y. C.. A var. lect. The For the third time in these sections C. adds § 45.- LXX reads Merodach. LXX agrees with C. ' of hosts.' I A. 2 Kings 20. (Continued.) unto this day, shall be carried to Babylon nothing shall be left, 18 saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of 19 Babylon. Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, [Is it not so,] if peace and truth shall be in my days? C. Isaiah 39. until this day, shall be carried to Babylon nothing shall be left, 7 saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of 8 Babylon. Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, if peace and truth shall be in my days. B. 2 Chron. 32. 30 abundance: for God had given him very much substance. This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. 31 And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. § 46. It seems clear that B. had before him the narrative which we have in duplicate in Kings and Isaiah; and it is probable that he knew of its existence in both documents. A. 2 Kings 21. (Continuous.) (§ 47.) Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: [and his mother's 2 name was Hephzi-bah.] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before 3 the children of Israel. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, [as did Ahab king of Israel,] and worshipped all the host of heaven, 4 and served them. And he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD said, In Jeru salem will I put my name. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts 6 of the house of the LORD. And he made his son to pass through the fire .and he practised augury, and used enchantments, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to 7 anger. And he set the graven image of Asherah, which he had made, in the house. of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for 8 ever : neither will I cause the feet of Israel to wanderd any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; if only they will observe to do [according to] all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant worshipped all the host of heaven, 4 and served them. And he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD said, In Jerusalem shall my name be [for ever]. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts 6 of the house of the LORD. He also made his sons to pass through the fire [in the valley of the son of Hinnom] and he practised augury, and used enchantments, [and practised sorcery,] and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to 7 anger. And he set the graven image of the idol b, which he had made, in the house [of God], of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers; if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the § 47. But Asherim (masc.) ver. 19. b It is noticeable that B. deliberately 15 .4 .is only used in this chapter and in Deut סמל .אשרה for סמל substitutes .להכיר .B .להניד .d A and Ezek. 8. 3, 5. • The mis-spelling, by for by, is only here; it is strange that this mistake should have been perpetuated. A. 2. Kings 21. (Continued.) 9 Moses commanded them. [But they hearkened not.] And Manasseh seduced them to do that which is evil more than did the nations, whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel. 10 And the LORD spake [by his servants the prophets, saying, 11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: 12 therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab : and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it 14 and turning it upside down. And I will cast off the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their 15 enemies; because they have done that which is evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto 16 this day. Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.] |