Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 19:4
It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up [thy] prayer for the remnant that are left.
4. It may be ] The Hebrew word introduces expressions of uncertainty but yet of hope. Cf. Num 23:3 where Balaam says to Balak, ‘ Peradventure the Lord will come and meet me’; and Jos 14:12 where Caleb entreats for the possession of Hebron, in hope to drive out the Anakim, ‘ If so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out’. Hezekiah is sending to the only source of hope.
and will reprove R.V. [ rebuke ] the words ] The verb is cognate with the noun rendered ‘rebuke’ in the previous verse. The ground on which Hezekiah pleads that God should interpose is not that he and his people have deserved such mercy, but that in what they suffer God’s name and honour are blasphemed.
wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are [R.V. is ] left ] The cities round about had been for the most part reduced by Sennacherib’s army. The feeble remnant is Jerusalem and its people. For these Hezekiah entreats Isaiah to intercede. The king knew from the experience of his father’s reign how Isaiah had been chosen by God as His messenger. His prayer therefore he thinks will be of much efficacy. As to send to a mighty king by one who has near access to him is the surest way of making a want known, and obtaining relief.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Will hear – i. e., will show that he has heard – will notice and punish.
The living God – See 1Sa 17:26 note.
And will reprove the words – Rather, will reprove him for the words.
The remnant – i. e., for the kingdom of Judah, the only remnant of Gods people that was now left, after Galilee and Gilead and Samaria had all been carried away captive.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. The remnant that are left] That is, the Jews; the ten tribes having been already carried away captive by the kings of Assyria.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It may be; he speaks doubtfully, because he knew not whether God would not deliver them all up into the Assyrians hand, as he and his people deserved. But sometimes this is not a word of doubt, but of good hope; as Num 22:33; Jos 14:12.
The Lord thy God, to whom thou art dear and precious. He saith not our God, because he seemed to have forsaken and rejected them; and they by their designs had forfeited all their interest in him.
Will hear, i.e. will show by his actions that he hath heard them with just indignation.
Will reprove the words, or rather, will reprove him (an ellipsis of the pronoun, which is frequent in the Hebrew tongue) for the words, as the Syria, and Arabic, and Chaldee render it.
Lift up thy prayer for the remnant: this he mentions as an argument to stir up Isaiah to pray, and to move Gods compassion towards them; that they were but a small remnant, either of Gods people, of whom ten tribes were now lost; or of the kingdom of Judah, which had been greatly wasted and depopulated in the days of Ahaz, and now lately by this Assyrian, 2Ki 19:13.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. the living God“Theliving God” is a most significant expression taken in connectionwith the senseless deities that Rab-shakeh boasted were unable toresist his master’s victorious arms.
2Ki 19:6;2Ki 19:7. COMFORTEDBY ISAIAH.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[See comments on 2Ki 19:1]
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Perhaps Jehovah thy God will hear the blasphemies of the living God on the part of Rabshakeh. : hear, equivalent to observes, take notice of, and in this case punish. : the living God, in contrast to the gods of the heathen, who are only lifeless idols (cf. 1Sa 17:26, 1Sa 17:36). is not to be taken in connection with , as if it stood for , “and to scold with words” (Luth., Ges., etc.), but is a perf. rel. or a progressive perfect (Ewald, 234, a.), and the continuation of : “and will chastise (punish, sc. him) for the words which He has heard.” “therefore lift up prayer (to heaven) for the (still) existing remnant, sc. of the people of God;” nearly all Judah having come into the power of Sennacherib since the carrying away of the ten tribes.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(4) It may be.The old commentator Clericus well remarks: Non est dubitantis sed sperantis.
And will reprove the words.See Note on 2Ki. 19:3. The LXX. and Vulg. read, and to rebuke with the words which the Lord, &c, but the Syriac and Targum agree with the Authorised Version as regards the construction.
Lift up.Heavenwards (2Ch. 32:2). Or we might compare the phrase to lift up the voice (Gen. 27:38), and render, to utter (Num. 23:7.)
Thy prayer.A prayer.
The remnant that are left.The existing (or, present) remnant. Sennacherib had captured most of the strong cities of Judah, and the daughter of Zion was left as a hut in a vineyard (Isa. 1:8). (Comp. Note on 2Ch. 32:1.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. The remnant that are left Jerusalem and its besieged inhabitants. The word rendered left is better rendered found. The thought is, the remnant that are still to be found, those still in existence.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4 .
Yet again take root Literally, add root; that is, strike out new roots, and thereby take firmer hold downward into the soil.
Bear fruit upward Not only striking its roots deep in the earth, but its upspringing boughs yielding bountiful harvests. The general sense of this verse is, that Judah shall survive and vigorously flourish.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 19:4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up [thy] prayer for the remnant that are left.
Ver. 4. It may be. ] We nothing doubt of it, but are well assured he will, for he is a jealous God, and thou canst do much with him. Be pleased to improve thine interest for us in this exigence.
Wherefore lift up thy prayer.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
all. Some codices, with Syriac, omit “all”.
reproach = disparage, taunt, or flout.
lift up thy prayer. Hezekiah’s “Songs of the degrees” witness to this prayer in his distress. See Psa 120:1; Psa 130:1, Psa 130:2. App-67.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the Lord: Gen 22:14, Deu 32:36, Jos 14:12, 1Sa 14:6, 2Sa 16:12
whom the king: 2Ki 18:17-35
reprove: 2Ki 19:22, 1Sa 17:45, Psa 50:21, Psa 74:18
lift up: 2Ch 32:20, Psa 50:15, Jer 33:3, Eze 36:37, Rom 9:27, Jam 5:16, Jam 5:17
the remnant: 2Ki 17:5, 2Ki 17:6, 2Ki 18:13, 2Ch 28:5, 2Ch 28:6, Isa 8:7, Isa 8:8, Isa 10:6
left: Heb. found
Reciprocal: Num 12:2 – And the Jos 3:10 – living 1Sa 17:26 – reproach 1Ki 17:20 – he cried 2Ki 19:16 – which hath sent 2Ki 19:30 – the remnant that 2Ki 19:31 – For 2Ki 21:14 – the remnant Ezr 9:8 – a remnant Psa 77:2 – In the Isa 37:4 – to reproach Isa 37:23 – Whom hast Jer 23:36 – of the Jer 42:9 – unto Joe 2:14 – Who Amo 5:15 – it may Act 14:15 – the living 1Ti 3:15 – the living Heb 12:22 – of the Rev 7:2 – living
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 19:4. It may be, &c. He speaks doubtfully, because he knew not whether God would not deliver them all up into the hands of the Assyrians, as he knew he and his people deserved. That the Lord thy God To whom thou art dear and precious, and who will regard thy petitions: will hear all the words of Rab-shakeh Will show by his actions that he hath heard them with just indignation. Hezekiah does not say our God, because God seemed to have forsaken and rejected them; and they, by their sins, had forfeited all their interest in him. And will reprove the words Or rather, will reprove him for the words, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee render it. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant For Judah, which is but a remnant, now the ten tribes are gone: for Jerusalem, which is but a remnant, now the defenced cities of Judah are taken.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
19:4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up [thy] prayer for the {c} remnant that are left.
(c) Meaning, for Jerusalem which only remained of all the cities of Judah.