Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 18:25
Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
25. Am I now come up without the Lord ] Rab-shakeh goes one step further, and with a bold assertion claims Jehovah’s support. Perhaps he thought his lie would receive some credence because he had already been able to reduce the towns all round Jerusalem. And if it did, one great stay of the king’s courage would be broken down. ‘How fearful a word was this. The rest were but vain cracks: this was a thunderbolt to strike dead the heart of Hezekiah. If Rab-shakeh could have been believed, Jerusalem could not but have flown open’ (Bp Hall). Rab-shakeh would know and use the name of the God of Israel, without regarding Him otherwise than as a local deity, just as Asshur was of Assyria.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Rab-shakeh probably tries the effect of a bold assertion, which had no basis of fact to rest upon.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 25. Am I now come up without the Lord] As Rab-shakeh saw that the Jews placed the utmost confidence in God, he wished to persuade them that by Hezekiah’s conduct Jehovah had departed from them, and was become ally to the king of Assyria, and therefore they could not expect any help from that quarter.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Without the Lord; without his consent and commission.
The Lord said unto me, to wit, by secret inspiration, or by his providence. But indeed he neither owned Gods word, nor regarded his providence; but he forged this, to strike a terror into Hezekiah and the people.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
[See comments on 2Ki 18:17]
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(25) The Lord said to me.Michaelis supposed that Sennacherib had consulted some of the captive priests of the Northern kingdom. Others think some report of the menaces of the Hebrew prophets may have reached Assyrian ears. Thenius makes Rab-shakehs words a mere inference from the success which had hitherto attended the expedition; but the language is too definite for this. In the annals of Nabunaid, the last king of Babylon, a remarkable parallel occurs. The Persian Cyrus there represents himself as enjoying the special favour of Merodach the chief god of Babylon; Merodach foretells his march upon the city, and accompanies him thither. Cyrus even declares that he has daily offered prayers to Bel and Nebo, that they might intercede with Merodach on his behalf. From all this it would appear to have been customary with invaders to seek to win the gods of hostile countries to the furtherance of their schemes of conquest. (Comp. the account of the taking of Veii in Livy, v. 21, especially the sentence beginning Veientes ignari se jam ab suis vatibus, jam ab externis oraculis proditos; and Macrob. Sat. iii. 9.) It is not impossible that there was some renegade prophet of Jehovah in the Assyrian camp. At all events, the form of the oracle, Go up against this land, and destroy it, is thoroughly authentic. Comp. the oracle of Chemosh to Mesha: And Chemosh said unto me, Go thou, seize Nebo against Israel (Moabite Stone, 1. 14). Meanwhile, Isa. 10:5 seq. shows how true was the boast of the arrogant invader, in a sense which lay far above his heathenish apprehension.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. The Lord said to me The thought in this verse is thus well paraphrased by Bahr: “So far from thy being justified in relying upon Jehovah, he is, on the contrary, on our side, and it is by his command that we are come hither to destroy Jerusalem.” It is by no means impossible, but rather probable, that Rab-shakeh had heard of, and here alludes to, such prophecies of Jehovah’s chastising Judah by the rod of Assyrian power as the one in Isa 10:5-11. It was perfectly consistent with Assyrian polytheism to believe in the truth and power of Jehovah as well as of other gods. See note on 2Ki 17:29; 2Ki 17:33.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 18:25 Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
Ver. 25. Am I now come up without the Lord? ] Without his secret impulse, as 2Sa 16:10 . The villainous gunpowder plotters pretended that God set them to work to punish this sinful nation. So the Jesuits tell the people that the devil stirred up Luther: and that God sent forth them to oppose him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Amos I now: 2Ki 19:6, 2Ki 19:22-37, 1Ki 13:18, 2Ch 35:21, Isa 10:5, Isa 10:6, Amo 3:6, Joh 19:10, Joh 19:11
Reciprocal: 2Sa 16:10 – so let him 2Ki 24:3 – Surely Isa 36:10 – General Jer 50:21 – and do
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 18:25. Am I now come up without the Lord? Without his consent and commission? The Lord hath said unto me, Go up against this land They were vain, boasting words, without any foundation for them. He neither owned Gods word, nor regarded his providence; but he forged this to strike a terror into Hezekiah and the people.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
18:25 Am I now come up without the {k} LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
(k) The wicked always flatter themselves in their prosperity, that God favours them. Thus he speaks to scare Hezekiah into thinking that by resisting him he would be resisting God.