- 116-
- 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; 109:25;
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; Isaiah
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 in the power of its captors, he would, like some of his own
captives,* be brought back the way which he had come (vers. 28, 29).
- From the Mesopotamian sculptures, it appears that in the case of distinguished
prisoners, literally a ring was passed, in Assyria, through the lower lip, and in Babylonia
through the nose, to which a thong or rope was attached, by which the prisoner was led
(comp. Rawlinson ad loc. in the Speaker's Commentary).
In its second part (vers. 30-32) the prophetic utterance turns from Sennacherib to
Hezekiah and to Judah. We cannot fail to recognize the internal connection between this
and the former utterance in Isaiah 7 in regard to the Syro-Israelitish invasion in the time
of Ahaz. Once more we have "a sign" of the certainty of promised deliverance in an event
as yet future. The absolute deliverance of Judah from the invasion of Assyria is
(^)