Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 18:14
And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
14. to Lachish ] On the situation and previous history of Lachish, see on 2Ki 14:19. It was very close to Askelon, which is mentioned in the inscriptions as one of the places against which Sennacherib’s expedition was specially directed. It is stated (2Ch 32:9) that at this time Sennacherib besieged Lachish with all his power. So that it must have been a stronghold of some importance and perhaps a place likely to be of advantage in checking the approach of forces from Egypt, which were sure to be invited by those whom the Assyrians were attacking.
I have offended ] It seems most natural to gather from this that Hezekiah had begun his movement for rebellion without any provocation from Assyria. The compact between Ahaz and Tiglath-pileser he would no doubt find galling, but his confession of a fault shews that he had attempted to withdraw his homage merely because he thought himself strong enough to do so. ‘What, do we mince that fact which holy Hezekiah himself censures? The comfort of liberty may not be had with an unwarranted violence. Holiness cannot free us from infirmity. It was a weakness to do that act which must be soon undone, with much repentance and more loss’ (Bp Hall).
three hundred talents of silver ] On the value of the talent of silver and of gold, see on 2Ki 5:5. The amount exacted on this occasion is not so great as that taken by Pul from Menahem, which was a thousand talents of silver. But in the previous reign Ahaz (2Ki 16:8) had paid large sums to Assyria, so that Judah must at this time have been drained of resources, and even the king of Assyria could not have what was not there.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Return from me – Or retire from me, i. e., withdraw thy troops.
Three hundred talents … – According to Sennacheribs own account, the terms of peace were as follows:
(1) A money payment to the amount of 800 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold.
(2) the surrender of the Ekronite king.
(3) a cession of territory toward the west and the southwest, which was apportioned between the kings of Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
I have offended, to wit, against thee, i.e. I have given thee occasion of warring against me, whereof I now repent. Or his ill success might make him think that he had sinned against God in this action, and might make him willing to submit to him, though God graciously prevented it. Of a talent of gold see on Exo 25:39.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14-16. Hezekiah . . . sent toLachish, saying, . . . that which thou puttest on me will IbearDisappointed in his expectations of aid from Egypt, andfeeling himself unable to resist so mighty a conqueror who wasmenacing Jerusalem itself, Hezekiah made his submission. The paymentof 300 talents of silver, and 30 talents of gold351,000broughta temporary respite; but, in raising the imposed tribute, he wasobliged not only to drain all the treasures of the palace and thetemple, but even to strip the doors and pillars of the sacred edificeof the gold that adorned them.
2Ki18:17-37. SENNACHERIBBESIEGES JERUSALEM.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish,…. A city in the tribe of Judah, about twenty miles from Jerusalem, towards the southwest q; which the king of Assyria was now besieging, 2Ch 32:9 at first Hezekiah made provision to defend himself, and encouraged his people not to be afraid of the king of Assyria, 2Ch 32:1, but understanding he had taken his fortified cities, and made such progress with his arms, he was disheartened, and sent an embassy to him to sue for peace; judging it more advisable to buy it than to expose his capital to a siege; in which he betrayed much weakness and distrust of the power and providence of God:
saying, I have offended; not the Lord, but the king of Assyria by rebelling against him, or refusing to pay the yearly tribute to him; he owned he had acted imprudently, and had given him, just occasion to invade his land:
return from me; from his land, from proceeding to Jerusalem, which he seemed to have a design upon, and go back to his own country with his army, and make no further conquests:
that which thou puttest on me I will bear; what mulct or fine he should lay upon him, or tribute he should impose upon him, or whatever he should demand of him, he would submit to:
and the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold; to be paid to him directly; which, according to Brerewood r, amounted to 247,500 pounds.
q Bunting’s Travels, &c. p. 99. r De Ponder. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(14) Lachish.Um-Lkis, in the south-west corner of Judah, close to the Philistine border, and near the high road from Juda and Philistia to Egypt. The fortress was important to Sennacherib, as it commanded this route. In fact, Sennacheribs chief aim was Egypt, as appears from 2Ki. 19:24, and Herodotus (ii. 141), and it was necessary for him to secure his rear by first making himself master of the fortresses of Judah, which was in league with Egypt. (See Note on 2Ch. 32:9.)
I have offended.Literally, I have sinned. The term sin is constantly used of revolts in the Assyrian inscriptions.
That which thou puttest on me.In the way of tribute. A similar phrase occurs on the monuments.
Three hundred talents of silver, and thirty-talents of gold.Sennacherib says: Eight hundred talents of silver, and thirty of gold, estimating the silver by the light Babylonian talent, which was to the heavy Palestinian talent in the ratio of eight to three. The sum mentioned is about a seventh less than that exacted by Pul from Menahem (2Ki. 15:19).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Sent to Lachish Which city Sennacherib was at the time besieging. On its location see at Jos 10:3. It is said in 2Ch 32:9 that he “laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him.” Layard found what he regarded as a representation of this siege on the slabs which he exhumed at Nineveh, and which bear the following inscription: “Sennacherib, the mighty king, king of the country of Assyria, sitting on the throne of judgment before the city of Lachish I give permission for its slaughter.” The cut on the opposite page is supposed to represent Lachish, defended by double walls, with bulwarks and towers, and resisting the attack of the Assyrians. Comp. note on 2Ki 19:8.
I have offended This humiliation and submission of Hezekiah doubtless grew out of a feeling of his inability to cope with so formidable a power as Assyria. According to 2Ch 32:2-6 he prepared himself for a siege by strengthening the fortifications of Jerusalem, and manufacturing arms in abundance, and stopping the fountains and streams outside of the city to prevent their being used by the besieging army. But for all this he trembled when he saw the principal cities of his kingdom fallen into the hands of that power that had so recently carried Israel into captivity.
Three hundred talents of silver About five hundred thousand dollars.
Thirty talents of gold The gold talent of the Hebrews is supposed to have been worth fifty-six thousand nine hundred dollars, and thirty such talents would equal one million seven hundred and seven thousand dollars. Accordingly the whole amount demanded of Hezekiah was over two millions of dollars.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 18:14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
Ver. 14. And Hezekiah king of Judah sent. ] This showed his weakness and pusillanimity. Had he still kept up his trust in God, this had never been done; but the best have their frailties, and the strongest faith may sometimes seem to fail; adeo nihil est in nobis magnum, quod non potest minui.
Return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear.] Hezekiah held it good policy to make his enemy a golden bridge to go over: so to be rid of him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sent. Sennacherib had not approached Jerusalem yet.
I have offended. See 2Ki 18:7.
three hundred talents. The Assyrian inscriptions say 800, the exact equivalent of 300 Hebrew (silver) talents. See note on “twenty” (2Ki 15:27).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I have offended: 2Ki 18:7, 1Ki 20:4, Pro 29:25, Luk 14:32
Reciprocal: Jos 10:3 – Lachish Jos 15:39 – Lachish 2Ki 10:5 – We are thy servants 2Ki 15:20 – stayed not 2Ki 17:3 – and Hoshea 2Ki 17:4 – brought 2Ki 18:20 – rebellest 2Ki 19:8 – Lachish 2Ki 23:33 – put Isa 10:27 – his burden Isa 33:8 – he hath broken Isa 33:18 – receiver Jer 34:7 – Lachish Mic 1:13 – Lachish Mic 1:14 – give Nah 1:11 – one Rom 1:31 – covenantbreakers
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 18:14. Hezekiah sent to the king of Assyria, saying, I have offended Namely, against thee, in revolting, and denying the usual tribute. I have given thee occasion to make war against me, of which I now repent, and am ready to make the satisfaction that shall be demanded. Where, says Henry: was Hezekiahs courage? Where his confidence in God? Why did he not advise with Isaiah, before he sent this sneaking message? Three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold About two hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling, a vast sum, not however to be paid annually, but as a present ransom. To raise this sum he was forced, not only to empty the public treasures, (2Ki 18:15,) but to take the gold plates off from the doors of the temple, and from the pillars, being driven, as he judged, by hard necessity to make this use of these sacred things, to prevent the enemy from burning the city and temple. No doubt Hezekiah designed to restore this treasure in full, as soon as he should be able.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
18:14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, {d} I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
(d) As his zeal was before praised, so his weakness is here set forth, that no one should glory in himself.