Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 20:7
And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid [it] on the boil, and he recovered.
7. Take a lump [R.V. cake ] of figs ] Except here and in Isaiah 38. ‘cake’ is the constant rendering of A.V. for this word. See 1Sa 25:18 ; 1Sa 30:12; 1Ch 12:40. The figs were closely pressed together for better keeping when they were dried, just as we find is done at the present time.
The virtue of figs made into a plaster has long been celebrated. Gerarde in his Herball (p. 1328) says, ‘Figs stamped and made into the form of a plaister soften and ripen impostumes all hot and angry swellings, and tumours behind the eares’. The boil from which Hezekiah was suffering was clearly something of this character, and confined to one spot, so that it could be treated by a poultice. It was therefore most likely some sort of carbuncle, which in certain parts of the body, as the back of the neck, can prove fatal. The conjectures some of which make the disease to be pleurisy, others the plague, contracted from the Assyrians, others, elephantiasis or leprosy, are not so probable, as none of them appear likely to have been treated by a plaster.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A lump of figs – The usual remedy in the East, even at the present day, for ordinary boils. But such a remedy would not naturally cure the dangerous tumor or carbuncle from which Hezekiah suffered. Thus the means used in this miracle were means having a tendency toward the result performed by them, but insufficient of themselves to produce that result (compare 2Ki 4:34 note).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. Take a lump of figs – and laid it on the boil] We cannot exactly say in what Hezekiah’s malady consisted. shechin signifies any inflammatory tumour, boil, abscess, c. The versions translate it sore, wound, and such like. Some think it was a pleurisy others, that it was the plague; others, the elephantiasis; and others, that it was a quinsey. A poultice of figs might be very proper to maturate a boil, or to discuss any obstinate inflammatory swelling. This Pliny remarks, Omnibus quae maturanda ant discutienda sunt imponuntur. But we cannot pronounce on the propriety of the application, unless we were certain of the nature of the malady. This, however was the natural means which God chose to bless to the recovery of Hezekiah’s health; and without this interposition he must have died.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Take a lump of figs: though the deliverance was certainly promised, yet means must be used, and those suitable; for this hath naturally a power of ripening and softening boils or sores, though that power was altogether insufficient to produce so sudden and so complete a cure. The boil seems to have been a plague-sore.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Isaiah said, take a lump of figs,…. Not moist figs, but a cake of dried figs, as the word used signifies, and so the less likely to have any effect in curing the boil:
and they took, and laid it on the boil, and he recovered; made a plaster of it, and laid it on the ulcer, and it was healed. Physicians observe u, that as such like inflammations consist in a painful extension of the fibres by the hinderance of the circulation of the blood, through the extreme little arteries, which may be mitigated, or dissipated, or ripened, by such things as are emollient and loosening, so consequently by figs; and, in a time of pestilence, figs beaten together with butter and treacle have been applied to plague of boils with great success; yet these figs being only a cake of dry figs, and, the boil not only malignant, but deadly, and the cure so suddenly performed, show that this was done not in a natural, but in a supernatural way, though means were directed to be made use of.
u Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 3. p. 620. Vid. Levin. Lemnii Herb. Bibl. Explicat. c. 19. p. 60.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7, 8) In Isaiah these two verses are given at the end of the narrative; a position in which they are obviously out of place. Probably some copyist, after accidentally omitting them where they properly belonged, added them there, with marks for insertion in their proper places, which marks were afterwards neglected by transcribers (Lowth, cited by Cheyne), perhaps because they had become obliterated.
Take a lump of figs.Figs pressed into a cake (1Sa. 25:18). Many commentators suppose the figs to be mentioned as a remedy current at the time. But surely so simple and unscientific a medicine would have been thought of, without applying to the prophet by those about Hezekiah. The plaster of figs is rather a sign or symbol of the cure, like the water of the Jordan in the narrative of Naaman (2Ki. 5:10) (Cheyne). That in antiquity figs were a usual remedy for boils of various kinds appears from the testimony of Dioscorides and Pliny.
Laid it on the boil.It is not to be supposed that Hezekiah was suffering from the plague and, in fact, the very plague which destroyed the army of Sennacherib. (See Note on 2Ki. 20:1). The word boil (shhn) denotes leprous and other similar ulcers (Exo. 9:9; Job. 2:7), but not plague, which moreover, would not have attacked Hezekiah alone, and would have produced not one swelling, but many.
And he recovered.Heb., lived. The result is mentioned here by natural anticipation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. A lump of figs Figs pressed together into a mass or poultice. The use of figs in the cure of boils or ulcers is attested by several ancient writers. Dioscorides says, they “disperse tumors,” and Pliny, they “open ulcers.”
The boil , a burning sore, an in flamed ulcer. In Hezekiah’s case, it was very probably a carbuncle.
He recovered That is, at the end of three days; but previous to his recovery he asked and received a marvellous sign of Divine interposition. See 2Ki 20:8-11. In Isa 38:9-20, we have a psalm of thanksgiving which Hezekiah sang to the Lord at his recovery.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
We can hardly say on this occasion which to admire most, the want of faith in Hezekiah, in asking a sign, or the abundant grace of the Lord in granting one by way of confirming his sacred word. Surely, Hezekiah, it was enough that the Lord promised. But, alas are we not all incredulous and unbelieving upon a thousand less occasions? I stay not to attempt explaining how this sign was accomplished. Subjects of mere curiosity, or amusement, come not within the design of this humble Commentary. I venture, however, to tell the Reader that the 15 Songs of degrees, as they are stilled, which we meet with in the book of the Psalms from the 120th (Psa 120 ) to 134th, (Psa 134 ) have been conjectured, by some to have reference to the degrees in the sun’s shade on this occasion and the lengthening the king’s life. But I only mention it; I presume not to add a single thought upon the subject.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 20:7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid [it] on the boil, and he recovered.
Ver. 7. Take a lump of figs. ] This poultice was fit enough for the carbuncle, but yet could never have cured him so soon without a miracle. See on 2Ki 20:1 .
And he recovered.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
lump = cake, or plaister.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Take a lump: 2Ki 2:20-22, 2Ki 4:41, Isa 38:21
the boil: The word shechin, from the Arabic sachana, to be hot, signifies an inflammatory tumour, or burning boil; and some think that Hezekiah’s malady was a pleurisy; others, that it was the plague; and others, the elephantiasis, a species of leprosy, as one of the Hexapla versions renders in Job 2:7. A poultice of figs might be very proper to maturate a boil, or dismiss any obstinate inflammatory swelling; but we need not discuss its propriety in this case, because it was as much the means which God chose to bless for his recovery, as the clay which Christ moistened to anoint the eyes of the blind man; for in both cases, without Divine interposition the cure could not have been effected.
Reciprocal: Lev 13:18 – a boil 2Ki 20:5 – I will heal Heb 11:34 – out of Rev 13:14 – they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 20:7. Take a lump of figs Though the deliverance was certainly promised, yet means must be used, and those suitable. The figs would help to ripen the bile, and bring it to a head, that the matter of the disease might be discharged that way. This means, however, would have been altogether insufficient of itself to effect so sudden and complete a cure, without the co-operation of the divine power, to which the kings restoration to health is chiefly to be ascribed.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
20:7 And Isaiah said, Take a {f} lump of figs. And they took and laid [it] on the boil, and he recovered.
(f) He declares that though God can heal without other medicines, he will not have these inferior means contemned.