Ve!'!<. 27--30.-The greatness of Hezekiah. I. Hrs WEALTH. 1. Large. "Much riches" (ver. 27); "very much substance" (ver. 29). In this ho resembled Solomon (eh. ix. 22) and Jehoshaphat (eh. xvii. 5). 2. Varied. (1) Precious metals. "Gold, llilver, precious stones." (2) Flocks and herds. "All manner of beasts and flocks" (ver. 28). Of. the wealth of Abraham (Gen. xiii. 2) and Lot (Gen, xiii. 5). (3) Mis- cellaneous articles. Spices, shields, goodly vessels. (4) Field produce. Corn and wine and oil (ver. 28). II. His WORKS. 1. Treasuries. For his gold, silver, precious stones; for spices, shields, and goodly vessels. 2. Storehouses. For his corn, wine, and oil. 3. Stalls. For his beasts and herds. 4. Folds. For his flocks. 6. Oities-i.e. either watch- towers for his shepherds (eh. xxvi. 10) or dwelling-places for his herds and beasts. 6. Reservoirs. Containing water for the use of the inhabitants, especially in the time of a siege (ver. 30). ill. Hrs HONOUR. 1. In life. (1) By Jehovah, who had exalted and prospered him in all his undertakings, public and private, military and commercial (ver. 30). (2) By his subjects, who trusted, obeyed, revered, and loved him. (3) By foreign princes and peoples, who brought presents to him in Jerusalem (ver. 23). 2. At death. (1) By his people-all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem-who buried him in the cbiefest, or in the ascent, of the sepulchres of the sons of David; i.e. in a special grave prepared for him and succeeding kings, and did him honour, most likely by burning spices (eh. x:vi. 14; xxi. 19). (2) By God, who gave him a son to reign in his stead. His throne passed not to a stranger, but continued in the line of David's house, according to the promise. 3 . .After death. By receiving a double, yea, a threefold memorial: (1) in the vision of Isaiah the prophet ; (2) in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel ; and (3) in the chronicles of the kings of Judah. LEssoNs. 1. The best wealth-grace. 2. The noblest deeds-works of faith. 3. The highest honour-salvation and glory.-W.
Ver. 31.-Hezekiah's mistake. L lTs OCCA.BION. "In connection,;with the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon." 1. The senders of this embassy. "The princes or Babylon;" more particularly Berodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, King of Babylon (2 Kings xx. 12); or Merodach-Baladan (Isa. xxxix. 1)-undoubtedly the correct form, "Merodach has given a son." Three bearers of this name in the cuneiform inscriptions. The first, a king of South Chaldea and son of Jakin, with whom Tiglath-Pileser II. bad warlike dealings (G. Smith, 'Assyrian Discoveries,' p. 256); the second, also a son of Jakin and King of the Chaldeans, whom Sargon defeated, dethroning him and burning his city of Dur-jak.in, B.c. 710-9 (' Records,' etc., vii. 46-49); and the third, a King of Babylonia, whom Sennacherib overthrew in the vicinity of Kish (' Records,' etc., i. 25; G. Smith, 'Assyrian Discoveries,' p. 297). 'l'he Merodach-Baladan who sent ambassadors to Hezekiah was not the first, unless all three were the same person, but the son and successor of the first (Schrader). The sole question is whether the second and the third were the same, and, if not, which of them it was that despatched envoys to Heze- kiah. Schrader ciistinguishes the two because the Bible describes Hezekiah's Merodach- Baladan as the son of Baladan; while the monuments designate Sargon's as the son of Jak.in ('Die Keilinscbriften,' p. 342); but Sayce (' Fresh Light,' p. 135) identifies the two, aud explains "the son of Bala<ian" (2 Kings xx. 12; Isa. xx.xix. 1) as due to the error of a copyist, like "Berodacb" for "Merodach." An absolute decision is meanwhile impossible. 2. The date of the embassy. (1) The sacred narrative appears to connect it with Hezek.iah's sickness, and this again with Sennacherib's invasion (Ewalt!, Schrader, Delitzsch). But if Hezekiab's sickness occurred after the invasion, the arrival of the ambassadors must have taken place before it, as otherwise he could not have shown them the treasures of the palace which, prior to their coming, had been despoiled to appee.se Seunacberib. (2) Hence the opinion has gained ground that, as Hezekiah's bir-k.neSI! must have occurred about the time of Sargon's invasion of Judrea, the missioQ cu. xxxn. 1-33.) THE SECOND DOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 401