Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 30:6
So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
6. the posts ] Lit. “the runners.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The posts went – The bearers of the letters were probably the runners who formed a portion of the kings body-guard (2Ki 10:25 note).
The kings of Assyria – Pul, Tiglath-pileser, and Shalmaneser may all be referred to in this passage (compare the marginal reference and 2Ki 17:3). The passage by no means implies that the fall of Samaria and final captivity of the Israelites had as yet taken place.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. So the posts went] ratsim, the runners or couriers; persons who were usually employed to carry messages; men who were light of foot, and confidential.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To wit, Pul and Tilgath-pilneser, who had carried their brethren away captives, 2Ki 15:19,29; 1Ch 5:26; 2Ch 28:20.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. the poststhat is, runners,or royal messengers, who were taken from the king’s bodyguard(2Ch 23:1; 2Ch 23:2).Each, well mounted, had a certain number of miles to traverse. Havingperformed his course, he was relieved by another, who had to scour anequal extent of ground; so that, as the government messengers weredespatched in all directions, public edicts were speedily diffusedthroughout the country. The proclamation of Hezekiah was followed bya verbal address from himself, piously urging the duty, and settingforth the advantages, of a return to the pure faith and institutionswhich God had delivered to their ancestors through Moses.
the remnant of you, that areescaped out of the hand of the kings of AssyriaThis impliesthat several expeditions against Israel had already been made byAssyrian invadersby Pul (2Ki15:19), but none of the people were then removed; at a laterperiod by Tiglath-pileser, when it appears that numbers among thetribes east of Jordan (1Ch 5:26),and afterwards in the northern parts of Israel (2Ki15:20), were carried into foreign exile. The invasion ofShalmaneser cannot be alluded to, as it did not take place till thesixth year of Hezekiah’s reign (2Ki 17:6;2Ki 18:9-12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah,…. Both through the kingdoms of the ten tribes of Israel, and the kingdom of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin:
and according to the commandment of the king, saying; so they were ordered by the king to say, when they delivered the letters which by the king’s commandment they carried; or this was the purport of them, as follows, especially of those that were sent to the ten tribes:
ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; from whom they had revolted, and from whose worship they had departed, by setting up and serving the calves at Dan and Bethel:
and he will return to the remnant of you that are escaped out of the hand of the king of Assyria; Pul and Tiglathpileser, who had both invaded their land, and the latter had taken many of their cities, and carried the inhabitants captive, 2Ki 15:19.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“The runners (whether soldiers of the royal body-guard, cf. 2Ch 12:10, or other royal couriers, as Est 3:13, Est 3:15, cannot be determined) went with letters from the hand of the king, … and according to the commandment of the king to say.” Tot he written invitation of the king and his princes they were to add words of exhortation: “Turn again to Jahve, … that He may return (turn Himself) to the remnant which remains to you from the hand of the kings of Assyria,” i.e., of Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(6) The posts.The runners i.e., couriers (). The Syriac uses the Latin word Tabellarii, letter- carriers, which the Arabic mistakes for folk of Tiberias! The soldiers of the body-guard seem to have acted as royal messengers.
From the king.From the hand of the king.
And according to the commandment.The construction appears to be: they went with the letters . . . and according to the kings order. The LXX. and Vulg. omit and, but the Syriac has it.
And he will return.That he may return unto the survivors that are left unto you from the hand of the hings of Assyria.
Remnant.Plth.That the word really means survivors appears from comparison of the Assyrian baltu, to be alive; bulltu, life.
The kings of Assyria.See 2Ch. 28:16; 2Ch. 28:20. The words are a rhetorical reference to Tiglath-pilesers invasion of the northern kingdom, and the depopulation of Galilee and Gilead. The chroniclers language may have been influenced also by recollection of the last fatal inroad of Shalmaneser II., in the fourth year of Hezekiah (2Ki. 18:9). (See 2Ki. 15:29.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. The posts Hebrew, the runners; probably officers of the royal bodyguard.
The remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria This passage by no means necessarily implies the downfall of the northern kingdom, nor does any thing in the history of this passover necessitate or require the conclusion of Keil, that it was held subsequent to the final captivity of the ten tribes; for Pul, and Tiglath-pileser, (1Ch 5:26,) and Shalmaneser, (2Ki 17:3,) had carried many Israelites into exile before the first year of Hezekiah’s reign.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
I admire the conduct of Hezekiah on this occasion. He not only invites his own subjects of Judah, but all Israel. For both Israel and Judah had alike revolted; and a return to the Lord God of their fathers was as much the duty and interest of Israel as of Judah.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 30:6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
Ver. 6. Ye children of Israel, turn again to the Lord. ] Hezekiah knew that the poor remnant of Israel were in great affliction: he therefore presseth them to repentance, whereby men return to God, as by sin they run from him. Afflictiones sunt lex practice Psa 119:71 Hezekiah thought it was good striking while the iron was hot.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
posts = couriers. Compare Est 3:13, Est 3:15; Est 8:10, Est 8:14. Jer 51:31. Elsewhere rendered “footmen” (1Sa 22:17), or “guard” (1Ki 14:27, 1Ki 14:28; 2Ki 10:25. 2Ki 12:10, 2Ki 12:11).
from = from the hand of: i.e. by his direction.
children = sons.
Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. See note on 1Ki 18:36 for the 5 occurrences of this expression.
the kings of Assyria. Pul and Tilgath-pilneser (2Ki 15:19. 1Ch 5:26). These escaped captives were from the large numbers which had already been removed. See note on 2Ch 30:9 and App-67.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the posts went: Ratzim, “runners,” or couriers, of the same kind as the running footmen, who were formerly, before the establishment of posts, and still are in some places, trained, and kept on purpose to convey dispatches speedily by running. Job 9:25, Est 8:14, Jer 51:31
the king: Heb. the hand of the king
turn again: Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7, Jer 4:1, Lam 5:21, Eze 33:11, Hos 14:1, Joe 2:12-14, Jam 4:8
and he will: Isa 6:13
escaped: 2Ch 28:20, 2Ki 15:19, 2Ki 15:29, 1Ch 5:26, Isa 1:9
Reciprocal: Jdg 6:35 – messengers 2Ki 23:19 – the cities 2Ch 30:10 – the posts Est 3:13 – by posts Est 8:10 – by posts Isa 28:1 – whose Jer 3:7 – Turn thou Lam 3:40 – turn Zec 1:3 – Turn
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 30:6. So the posts Hebrew, , haratsim, the runners; went with the letters Expresses were sent throughout all the tribes of Israel, with memorials, earnestly pressing the people to take this opportunity of returning to God, from whom they had revolted. Saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord, &c. In these letters Hezekiah discovers great concern both for the honour of God and for the welfare of the neighbouring kingdom, the prosperity of which he seems earnestly to have desired, though he not only received no toll, tribute, or custom from it, but it had often, and not long since, been vexatious to his kingdom. This was indeed rendering good for evil. And he will return to the remnant of you You are but a remnant, narrowly escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria, (namely, Pul and Tiglath-pileser,) who have carried your brethren away captive. And therefore it concerns you to put yourselves under the protection of the God of your fathers, that you may not be quite swallowed up: and if you turn to him in the way of duty, he will turn to you in a way of mercy.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
30:6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and {e} he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
(e) He will have compassion on them and preserve them.