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CHAP. XX.
1 Hezekiah hauing receiued a message of death, by prayer hath his life lengthned. 8 The Sunne goeth tenne degrees backward, for a signe of that promise. 12 Berodach Baladan sending to visite Hezekiah, because of the wonder, hath notice of his treasures. 14 Isaiah vnderstanding thereof, foretelleth the Babylonian captiuitie. 20 Manasseh succeedeth Hezekiah.
1 In those dayes was Hezekiah sicke vnto death: and the Prophet Isaiah the sonne of Amos came to him, and saide vnto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not liue.1
2 Then hee turned his face to the wall, and prayed vnto the Lord, saying;
3 I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth, and with a perfect heart, and haue done that which is good in thy sight: and Hezekiah wept sore.3
4 And it came to passe afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying:4
7 And Isaiah said, Take a lumpe of figs. And they tooke and layd it on the boile, and he recouered.
9 And Isaiah said, This signe shalt thou haue of the Lord, that the Lord will doe the thing that hee hath spoken: shall the shadow goe forward ten degrees, or goe backe tenne degrees?9
11 And Isaiah the Prophet cryed vnto the Lord, and he brought the shadow tenne degrees backeward, by which it had gone downe in the diall of Ahaz.11
12 ¶ At that time Berodach-Baladan the sonne of Baladan King of Babylon, sent letters and a present vnto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had beene sicke.12
13 And Hezekiah hearkened vnto them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the siluer, and the golde, and the spices, and the precious oyntment, 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 shewed them not.13
16 And Isaiah said vnto Hezekiah, Heare the word of the Lord.
17 Behold, the dayes come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers haue layde vp in store vnto this day, shall be caried vnto Babylon: nothing shall be left, sayth the Lord.17
19 Then said Hezekiah vnto Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and trueth be in my dayes?19
21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his sonne reigned in his stead.
View Wesley's Notes for 2 Kings Chapter 20
20:1 Those days - In the year of the Assyrian invasion. Set, &c. - Make thy will, and settle the affairs of thy family and kingdom. Not live - Such threatenings, though absolutely expressed, have often secret conditions.
20:2 Turned his face - As he lay in his bed. He could not retire to his closet, but he retired as well as he could, turned from the company, to converse with God.
20:3 In truth - Sincerely with an honest mind. I am not conscious to myself of any gross exorbitances, for which thou usest to shorten mens days. Wept - For that horror of death which is and was common to men, especially, in the times of the Old Testament, when the grace of God in Christ was not so fully manifested, as now it is: and, for the distracted condition in which the church and state were then likely to be left, through the uncertainty of the succession to the crown.
20:4 Court - Of the king's palace. This is noted to shew God's great readiness to hear the prayers of his children.
20:5 God of, &c. - I am mindful of my promise made to David and his house, and will make it good in thy person. Shalt go - To give me solemn praise for this mercy.
20:6 Fifteen years - We have not an instance of any other, who was told before - hand just how long, he should live. God has wisely kept us at uncertainties, that we may be always ready.
20:10 Go down - In an instant: for that motion of the sun is natural for the kind of it, though miraculous for the swiftness of it; but the other would be both ways miraculous.
20:11 Degrees - These degrees were lines in the dial: but whether each of these lines or degrees noted an hour, or half an hour, or a quarter of an hour, is uncertain. But the sun itself went back, and the shadow with it. This miracle was noted by the Babylonians, who, having understood that it was done for Hezekiah's sake, sent to enquire into the truth and manner of it, #2Chron 32:31|. Of Ahaz - Which Ahaz had made in the king's palace. This dial he mentions, because the truth of the miracle might be best and soonest discovered there, this dial possibly being visible out of the king's chamber, and the degrees being most distinct and conspicuous in it.
20:12 Berodach - baladan - He seems to have been the king of Assyria's vice - roy in Babylon, and upon that terrible slaughter in the Assyrian host, and the death of Sennacherib, and the differences among his sons, to have usurped absolute sovereignty over Babylon. And either himself or his son destroyed the Assyrian monarchy, and translated the empire to Babylon. Sent - Partly, for the reasons mentioned, #2Chron 32:31|, and partly, to assure himself of the assistance of Hezekiah against the Assyrians, their common enemy.
20:13 His treasures - For though his country had lately been harassed by the Assyrians, yet he had reserved all his treasures and precious things, which he and his fathers had gathered in Jerusalem. Besides, he had considerable spoils out of the Assyrian camp. Also he had many presents sent to him, #2Chron 32:23|. Shewed - Which he did through pride of heart, #2Chron 32:25|,26, being lifted up by the great honour which God had done him, in working such glorious miracles for his sake, and by the great respects rendered to him from divers princes, and now by this great Babylonian monarch. So hard a matter is it even for a good man to be high and humble.
20:17 Behold - This judgment is denounced against him for his pride; for his ingratitude, whereby he took that honour to himself which he should have given entirely to God; and for his carnal confidence in that league which he had now made with the king of Babylon, by which, it is probable, he thought his mountain to be so strong, that it could not be removed.
20:18 Thy sons - Of thy grand - children. Eunuchs - They shall be servants to that heathen monarch, whereby both their bodies will be subject to slavery, and their souls exposed to the peril of idolatry, and all sorts of wickedness.
20:19 Good is, &c. - I heartily submit to this sentence, as being both just, and merciful. True penitents, when they are under divine rebukes, call them not only just, but good. Not only submit to, but accept of the punishment of their iniquity. So Hezekiah did, and by this it appeared, he was indeed humbled for the pride of his heart.
2 Kings Chapter 20 Sidenote References (from Original 1611 KJV Bible):
1 2. Chron. 32.24. Isa. 38.1. , Hebr. giue charge concerning thine house.
3 Hebr. was a great weeping.
4 Or, city.
9 Ecclus, 48.24. isa. 38.8.
11 Heb. degrees.
12 Isai. 39.1.
13 Or, spicery. , Or, iewels. Heb. vessels.
17 Chap. 24.13. & 25.13 iere. 27.19.
19 Or, shall there not be peace and trueth? &c.
* Courtesy of Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Pennsylvania
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