Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 37:16
O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest [between] the cherubims, thou [art] the God, [even] thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
16. The prayer opens with a solemn invocation of Jehovah, first as God of Israel, and second as the only true God and Creator of all things.
that dwellest between (or, art enthroned upon) the cherubims ] Cf. 1Sa 4:4; 2Sa 6:2; Psa 80:1. The Cherubim may have been originally symbolic representations of the storm-cloud (see Psa 18:10) and hence bearers of the Divine Presence (Ezekiel 1); but the reference here is undoubtedly to the two figures over the ark in the Temple; Jehovah, therefore, is addressed as the God of the Temple.
thou art the God alone ] Thou art ( He that is) God alone. The sole divinity of Jehovah is here presented as a theological consequence of the doctrine of creation, a fundamental idea in the teaching of ch. 40 ff. Although the doctrine of creation was held in Israel from the earliest times, it seems to have been by slow degrees that its full religious significance was apprehended.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
O Lord of hosts – (See the note at Isa 1:9).
That dwellest between the cherubims – On the cherubim, see the note at Isa 14:13. The reference here is doubtless to the fact that the symbol of the divine presence in the temple the Shechinah (from shakan, to dwell, to inhabit; so called because it was the symbol of Gods dwelling with his people or inhabiting the temple) – rested on the cover of the ark in the temple. Hence, God is frequently represented as dwelling between the cherubim Exo 25:22; Psa 80:1; Psa 99:1. On the whole subject of the cherubim, the reader may consult an article in the Quarterly Christian Spectator for September 1836.
Thou art the God – The only God Isa 43:10-11.
Even thou alone – There is none besides thee – a truth which is often affirmed in the Scriptures Deu 32:39; Psa 86:10; 1Co 8:4.
Thou hast made heaven and earth – It was on the ground of this power and universal dominion that Hezekiah pleaded that God would interpose.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
16. dwellestthe Shekinah, orfiery symbol of God’s presence, dwelling in the temple withHis people, is from shachan, “to dwell” (Exo 25:22;Psa 80:1; Psa 99:1).
cherubimderived bytransposition from either a Hebrew root, rachab, to”ride”; or rather, barach, to “bless.”They were formed out of the same mass of pure gold as the mercy seatitself (Ex 25:19, Margin).The phrase, “dwellest between the cherubim,” arose fromtheir position at each end of the mercy seat, while the Shekinah, andthe awful name, JEHOVAH,in written letters, were in the intervening space. They are soinseparably associated with the manifestation of God’s glory, thatwhether the Lord is at rest or in motion, they always are mentionedwith Him (Num 7:89; Psa 18:10).(1) They are first mentioned (Ge3:24) “on the edge of” (as “on the east” maybe translated) Eden; the Hebrew for “placed” isproperly to “place in a tabernacle,” which implies thatthis was a local tabernacle in which the symbols of God’s presencewere manifested suitably to the altered circumstances in which man,after the fall, came before God. It was here that Cain and Abel, andthe patriarchs down to the flood, presented their offerings: and itis called “the presence of the Lord” (Ge4:16). When those symbols were removed at the close of that earlypatriarchal dispensation, small models of them were made for domesticuse, called, in Chaldee, “seraphim” or “teraphim.”(2) The cherubim, in the Mosaic tabernacle and Solomon’s temple, werethe same in form as those at the outskirts of Eden: compound figures,combining the distinguishing properties of several creatures: the ox,chief among the tame and useful animals; the lion among the wildones; the eagle among birds; and man, the head of all (the originalheadship of man over the animal kingdom, about to be restored inJesus Christ, Ps 8:4-8,is also implied in this combination). They are, throughout Scripture,represented as distinct from God; they could not be likenesses of Himwhich He forbade in any shape. (3) They are introduced in the thirdor gospel dispensation (Re 4:6)as “living creatures” (not so well translated”beasts” in English Version), not angels, but beingsclosely connected with the redeemed Church. So also in Eze 1:5-25;Eze 10:1-22. Thus,throughout the three dispensations, they seem to be symbols of thosewho in every age should officially study and proclaim the manifoldwisdom of God.
thou aloneliterally,”Thou art He who alone art God of all the kingdoms”;whereas Sennacherib had classed Jehovah with the heathen gods, heasserts the nothingness of the latter and the sole lordship of theformer.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim,…. Or, “the inhabitant of the cherubim” l; which were over the mercy seat, the residence of the Shechinah, or Majesty of God, the symbol of the divine Presence in the holy of holies; a title which the God of Israel, the Lord of armies in heaven, and earth bears, and distinguishes him from all other gods, and which several titles carry in them arguments to strengthen faith in prayer; being “the Lord of hosts”, he was able to do whatsoever was desired, and more abundantly; being “the God of Israel”, their covenant God, it might be hoped and expected he would protect and defend them; and sitting “between the cherubim”, on the mercy seat, great encouragement might be had that he would be gracious and merciful, and hear and help:
thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; this is opposed to the conceit of Sennacherib, that he was only the God of the Jews, and had no concern with other kingdoms and nations; whereas all belong to him, and him only; they are all under his jurisdiction and dominion, and at his will and control:
thou hast made heaven and earth; and so has an indisputable right to the government of the whole world, and to the disposal of all things in it.
l “cherubim inhabitator”, Forerius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
16. Thou alone art God over all the kingdoms of the earth. Not only does he assert God’s almighty power, but likewise maintains the authority which he exercises over the whole world. And these statements are made by the pious king for the purpose of strengthening himself in the faith which he entertained about the providence of God, by which he governs the world and every part of it. All believers ought above all to believe this, that they may not think that they pray in vain. Nor would the prayer of the king have had so much efficacy if he had only said, “Incline thine ear, O Lord,” or something of that sort, as when he believes that the Lord takes care of his works. He persuades himself that God will undertake that cause. If it belongs to God to rule and govern the whole world, he will not permit this tyrant to act in this insolent manner without restraining his insolence; for Sennacherib claims for himself what belonged to God, and at length would not pass unpunished.
The statement, that all the kingdoms of the earth are under the power and authority of God, applies especially to the present subject. Yet while this title always belongs to God alone, that he “rules over all kingdoms,” Still the Prophet does not deny that kings also, and princes, and magistrates hold their dominion, but so as to be subject to God, and to owe to him all their power and authority. In like manner, when Paul asserts that government belongs to God alone, (1Ti 6:15,) he does not overthrow princes and magistrates, but shews that all, how great and powerful soever they may be, depend on God alone, that they may not imagine themselves to be his equals or companions, but may acknowledge him as their Lord and Prince. Thus will kings, therefore, retain their authority, if they keep an intermediate position between God and men, and do not wish to rise higher.
Thou hast made heaven and earth. Hezekiah draws the same inference from creation itself; for it is impossible that God, who is the Creator of heaven and earth, should forsake his work; on the contrary, he governs by his providence the human race, which is the chief part of the world. It would be absurd to confine creation within such narrow boundaries as if it were a proof of a sudden and transitory exercise of the power of God; but we must extend it to perpetual government. Hence it is evident that tyrants who wish to rule at their pleasure rob God of his honor, and therefore are justly punished for their insolence.
O Jehovah of hosts, God of Israel, who dwellest between the Cherubim. Here are other titles employed by Hezekiah for the confirmation of his faith. And, first, by calling him “Jehovah of hosts,” he again extols his power. But when he adds “God of Israel,” he brings him near, and on familiar terms; for it was no ordinary token of love to take that nation under his protection. Such is also the import of “sitting between the cherubim;” as if he had said, “Thou hast here placed thy seat, and promised that thou wilt be the protector of those who call upon thee before the ark of the covenant. Relying on this promise, I flee to thee as my guardian.”
Hezekiah had in view, I have no doubt, the form of the ark, which was surrounded by two cherubim. Others interpret Cherubim to mean angels, as if it were said, that God reigneth in heaven and sitteth among the angels. But this interpretation is unsuitable; for he is said to “sit between the cherubim,” on account of the form of the ark, which was constructed in this manner. (Exo 25:18.) We know that it was a symbol of the presence of God, though his power was not confined to it; and Hezekiah, by mentioning it, intended to express his firm belief that God was present with him, and had designed to gather a people to himself by spreading, so to speak, his wings over them. There being a wide distance between God and us, Hezekiah embraced that token of adoption. Yet there was nothing gross or earthly in his conceptions of God, as superstitious men would desire to bring him down from heaven, but, satisfied with the promise which he had received, he expresses his firm belief that we do not need to go far to seek the grace of God.
This mode of expression, therefore, deserves our attention, and teaches us, that while we gradually ascend to heaven by the light of the word which leads the way, still, in order to obtain assistance, we must not think of God as absent; for he has chosen his dwelling in the midst of us. Since his majesty far exceeds heaven and earth, we must not limit him within the capacity of our understanding; and yet, as he has revealed himself to us by the word, we may comprehend him in proportion to the small ability and measure of our understanding, not that we may bring him down from his heavenly throne, but that our understandings, which are naturally feeble and sluggish, may approach to him by degrees; for it is proper that we should strive to approach to his loftiness, since he invites us by the Word and sacraments. If we are skillful interpreters, the spiritual knowledge of God will always flourish among us; we shall not give the name of God to stones, or wood, or trees; there will be nothing earthly or gross in our conceptions of him; but the nearer he comes down to us, the more earnestly shall we labor to make a proper use of those aids which he holds out, that our minds may not grovel on the earth; since God accommodates himself to our weakness for no other reason than that the sacraments may serve to us the purpose of ladders, (52) which superstition abuses for a contrary purpose.
(52) D’escheles.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) That dwellest between the cherubims.A like phrase in Psa. 18:10 refers, apparently, to the dark thunder-clouds of heaven. Here, probably, the reference is to the glory-cloud which was the symbol of the Divine presence, and which rested, when it manifested itself, between the cherubim of the ark (Num. 7:89), those figures also symbolising the elemental forces of the heavens. (Comp. Psa. 68:33.)
Thou art the God, even thou alone.The absolute monotheism of the faith of Israel is placed in strong antithesis to the polytheism of Rabshakeh (Isa. 37:12). (Comp. Jer. 10:11, and Isaiah 40-42)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
LORD of Hosts. See note on Isa 1:9, and 1Sa 1:3.
God of Israel. See note on Isa 29:23.
dwellest: or, sittest enthroned.
the. Hebrew He, the [God]. Compare 1Ki 18:39.
God. Hebrew. Elohim.(with Art.) = the [true] God.
made heaven and earth. Note the reference to this in Hezekiah’s “Songs of the Degrees” (Psa 121:1, Psa 121:2; Psa 123:1; Psa 124:8; Psa 134:3; and App-67(v)).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Lord: Isa 6:3, Isa 8:13, 2Sa 7:26, Psa 46:7, Psa 46:11
dwellest: Exo 25:22, 1Sa 4:4, Psa 80:1, Psa 99:1, Heb 4:16
thou art: Isa 37:20, Isa 43:10, Isa 43:11, Isa 44:6, Isa 45:22, Isa 54:5, 1Ki 18:32, 2Ki 5:15, Psa 86:10, Rev 11:15-17
thou hast: Isa 40:28, Isa 44:24, Gen 1:1, Psa 146:6, Jer 10:10-12, Joh 1:3, Col 1:16
Reciprocal: 1Ki 6:23 – two cherubims 1Ki 8:6 – under the wings 1Ch 13:6 – that dwelleth Neh 9:6 – even thou Psa 124:8 – General 1Co 8:4 – there is
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
37:16 O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that {l} dwellest [between] the cherubim, thou [art] the God, [even] thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
(l) He grounds his prayer on God’s promise, who promised to hear them from between the Cherubims.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Hezekiah began his prayer-did Isaiah witness it?-by acknowledging Yahweh’s uniqueness. Yahweh was not like the gods of the nations but the only true God, who dwelt among His people, the Creator who rules and determines everything. Theologically this confession climaxes the whole first part of the Book of Isaiah. Hezekiah asked the living God to pay attention to the reproachful blasphemies of the Assyrian king. He acknowledged the Assyrians’ superiority over the nations they had overrun, but he ascribed this to the fact that those nations had only gods of wood and stone to defend them. Finally, he asked God to deliver Jerusalem so the nations would know that Yahweh alone was God. In short, he prayed for the glory of God.
"Like all true prayer, Hezekiah’s is preoccupied with God: who he is (16); his honour (17); his uniqueness (18-19); and the revelation of his glory to the world (20).
". . . The heart of prayer is not its petitionary content but the acknowledgment of God." [Note: Motyer, p. 281.]
"Hezekiah’s prayer (Isa 37:15-20) is saturated with biblical theology and is not unlike the prayer of the church in Act 4:24-31." [Note: Wiersbe, p. 45.]
God responded to Hezekiah’s prayer by giving Isaiah a message for the king. The prophet first explained what God would do (Isa 37:21-29). Then he gave the king a sign that He would indeed do it (Isa 37:30-35).