final retreat of Sennacherib from Palestine. His circumstances must have made him most anxious

to obtain the surrender of the Judaean capital. Accordingly, a second embassy had been dispatched

to demand it -probably before the battle of Altaku, although after the approach of the Ethiopian

army. This second summons was addressed to Hezekiah, and was in terms similar to those

previously used, although it naturally contained no longer any reference to Egypt, and was also

perhaps more directly challenging to the God of Israel (2 Kings 19:9-13).

It argues, in our view, a painful want not only of spiritual insight, but even of deeper sympathy,

when certain modern critics depreciate the act of Hezekiah in going to the Temple to spread before

Jehovah "the letters" of the Assyrian, either as mechanical or as evidence of a lower standpoint. It

was not even symbolical, but, as Delitzsch has rightly designated it, a prayer without words - a

sublime expression of faith, in entire accordance with what had preceded, and such as in certain

events of our lives we might be disposed to imitate, at least in spirit. Still more strange does it

seem to find the authenticity of the prayer with which Hezekiah accompanied this submission to

the living God, questioned on the ground that the setting aside of all other gods as powerles s,*

being the work of men's hands, and the exclusive acknowledgment of Jehovah were beyond the

spiritual range of the time. Surely this is not only arbitrarily to displace the Scriptural records, but

on the ground of it to construct a history of Israel, and then to judge events by this self-made

* As Thenius reminds us, there is monumental evidence of the cutting in pieces of the image of a

god after the taking and sacking of a city.

It was only as we would have expected when Isaiah, in the name of his God, and as His

representative, made response alike to the letter of the Assyrian and to the prayer of Hezekiah. His

utterance consists, as has been rightly observed,* of three parts.

* See Bahr ad loc.

In the first (vers. 21-28), the unconquered virgin daughter of Zion addresses to Sennacherib her

Divine comment on his boasting; the second part (vers. 29 -31) brings the Divine message to

Hezekiah and to Judah; while the third (vers. 32-34) contains the prophetic announcement of the

issue of this war. From the very outset we mark the attitude of lofty scorn* in the contrast

between the two adversaries, Sennacherib and the Holy One of Israel on high (ver. 22).

* Comp. the expression "Shaken her head," in ver. 21, with Job 16:4; Psalm 22:7; 109:2 5;

Jeremiah 18:16.

Then, in figurative language, the boast of the Assyrian is presented in vers. 23, 24, in each verse in

its twofold aspect: as regarded what he claimed to have already done, and what he declared he

would achieve in the future. There had been neither barrier nor resistance to him in the past; there

could be no hindrance nor limitation to him in the future. All had been surmounted; all would be at

his disposal. But, as against this boast of self- sufficiency, came the Divine question - here Israel's

best answer - whether the great king had never "heard" - that is, whether it had never come to his

knowledge,* nor yet entered his mind - that all his past success had been of God's appointment,

and he only the instrument of God's behest in executing pre -ordained judgments.**

* The expression does not contain any allusion to a knowledge of prophetic utterances on the part

of Sennacherib, nor is it ironical.

** Mark the gradation in ver. 26, and note similar figures in Psalm 37:2; 129:6; Isaia h 40:6-8.

But since, so far from such acknowledgment of God, Sennacherib had raised himself against the

LORD, he would experience alike his own helplessness and the Divine judgment. As a wild beast