The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 315

like Bolomon'e (1 Kings vi. 20-22, 28, 30, onmstances, Sennacherib marle his second 82). To make up the " thirt:, talente of expedition, probably in B.o. 699. Regarding golrl" he wee now obliged to unclo hie own Egypt as hie main enemy, and Jndma RB of work, and etrip the doors and pillare bare. small account, he led his Rrmy by the or• Bonnocherib tells ue tho.t, besides the two dinary route into the Philietian plain, press- lorge sums of gold o.nd silver, Hezekiah ing southward, while he detach~d a moderate sent him at this time "woven cloth, scarlet, force to hold Jemealern in check, to threnten embroidered; precioue stones of large eize : it, and, if an oppm-tnnity offered, to seize it. couches of ivory; movable thrones of ivory; At the head of this force were three com• skins of buffaloes : horns of buffaloes : and manclers, who seem to have borne, all of two kinds of woods"(' Records of the Paet,' them, official titles; viz. the Tartan, or vol. i. p. 89, lines 84.-37). It was cnetomary "commander-in-chief;" the Rabse.ris, or to accompany the fixed tribute with the "chief eunuch ; " and the Rahshakeh, or more precious products of each country. "chief cnpbearer." The Tartan wu the highest of all the officials of the empire, and Vere. 17-37.-SEOOND EXPEDITION Oll' ranked next to the king. Sennacherib de- BENNAOBERIB. Thie section and oh. xix. tached this force from Lachish, which eeema form one continuous narrative, which can to have revolted, and to have been nndcr- going a second siege. And when they were only bnve been divided on acconnt of its oome up, they came and stood by the conduit great length (fifty-eight verses). The sub- of the upper pool It was, perhaps, this ject iB one throughout, viz. Sennacherib's army which Isaiah saw in vision, advancing eecond expedition against Hezekiah. The on Jerusalem from the pass of Michruash narrative flows on without a break. It con- (x. 28-82), and "shaking its hand" at tho eists of (1) an account of the embassy of city from the nortliem plateau outside tho walls-the traditional "camp of the As- Rabehakeh (eh. xviii. _17-87; xix. 1- syrians." At any rate, the "upper pool " 8) ; (2) a.n account of an insulting letter and the" fuller's field" were in this direction written by Sennacherib to Hezekiah, and (see the comment on Isa. vii. 8). Which i~ of Hezekiah's " spreading it before the in the highwe.y of the fuller's field. Lord" (eh. xix. 9-14): (8) the prayer of Ver. 18.-And when they had called to the king-i.e. when they had e.nnoanced Hezekiah, and God's answer to it by the that they had a message to deliver to the month of Isaiah (eh. xix. 15-84); (4) the king-there came out to them ; by Heze- destruction of Sennacherib's host, his flight kiah's order, doubtless. Leaming that they to Nineveh, o.nd hie murder by two of his were three of Sennacherib's highest officials, sons. The Assyrian inscriptions are abso. he sent out to them three of the chief officers of his own court. Elia.kim the son lntcly silent with respect to this expedition of Hilki.e.h, which wus over the household. nnd its result-it bein~ a fixed rule with Recently promoted to that high position, the h istoriogro.phere of Assyria to pass over instead of Shebna, according to the pro- without notice o.11 defcnt~ and disasters. phecy (Isa. x.xii. 19-22), and perhaps by tlie influenci, of Isaiah. And Shebne. the Ver. 17.-And the King of Assyria sent scribe; or, secretary-the official employed Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from to draw up documents, such as treaties, Lachfah to King Hezekiah with a great host protocols, despatches, and the lik \· He had against J'eI'Wllllem. Sennacherib appears, been removed to this inferior position, to by his great inscription, to have returned to make room for Eliakim, but had not yet Nineveh, with his Judman captives (more suffered the banishment with which Isaiah th[ln two hundred thousand in uumber) and (xxii. 18) had threatened him. Ar.d Joah h's rich booty, towards the close of the year the son of Asaph the reoorder ; or, remem- n.c. 701. In the following yeo.r he was brancer-the person whose chief duty it called into Dabylonia, where troubles had probably was to chronicle eveuts as they broken out, and Hezekiah, left to himself, occurred,and finally to draw up the memoir seems to have made up his mind to revolt, of each reign at its close. (For another and to have called iu the assistance of view, see the comment ou I Kings iv. 8.) E~ypt (Isa. xxx. 4: eh. xviii. 21 ). Sabutok Ver. 19.-And Rabshakeh said nnto them. wus probably the nominal sovereign, but Allhough the third in order of dignity, 'firhako.h, who held his court at Meroe, was Rabshakeh tool!: the word, probably because lord para.mount. An alliance wus made ; he was familiar with the H,·brew lll.uguage, o.Jl(] Lopes held out that, if Sennacherib and could spe,ik it llueutly (see ver. 26). a~u.i11 mo.rched into Judmo., Hezeldah would His being spokesmuu mado ltim appear to r:ceive effectual aid, especially i.n chariots bo the chief ambassador, and made Isaiah, and horsemen (ver. 24). Under these oir- w the parallel pB11S11ge (xxx.vi.), pas1 882 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. [on. xvm 1-3'7,