“542. TURNED WATERS—ISAIAH 37:25-29”

Turned Waters—Isa_37:25-29

The Lord’s answer through the prophet Isaiah to the prayer of king Hezekiah, is a striking denunciation of the pride and arrogance of the Assyrian king, and comprises some particulars to which the attention of the reader may well be called.

He is represented as boasting: “I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.” Various interpretations of this have been proposed. Some think the first clause refers to his greatness, as evinced in the wells he had digged in his own country for the supply of water, on the common ground, that this was in arid countries a work so great and meritorious as to become the boast of kings. But this seems to have no special application to the expedition in which he is engaged, and to which the other examples of his greatness refer. And, besides, Assyria is by no means an arid country; and expressions which might be appropriate in regard to Arabia, Syria, or Persia, cease to be so in that land. We, therefore, greatly prefer the interpretation which takes the verse to mean, that so irresistible was the king’s force and so numerous his troops, that no difficulties or privations could retard his victorious march; where there was no water when wanted, he digged for it till it was found; and that if found where he desired it not, as in the ditches and canals around fortified places, he had speedily caused it to be exhausted—both circumstances implying great resources and innumerable hands. It is with the last fact that we are chiefly concerned, the other needing little explanation.

It was then as now usual, whenever practicable, to surround a fortified place with ditches, with canals, or with streams—diverted from their course to be brought around the fortress. Often the bend of a river was regarded as forming a suitable site, for it was then only necessary to cut a canal across the base in order to isolate it. For the same reason, islands in rivers were much liked for fortresses. Both Egyptian and Assyrian sculptures exhibit such fortresses surrounded by water; and in Scripture history, we find “the city of waters,” the capture of which seemed to Joab an exploit of prime importance, in that it ensured the taking of “the royal city,” 2Sa_12:26-27. Nothing is clearer indeed than that intervening water was regarded as rendering a place almost impregnable; and that nothing ordinarily remained, but either to starve the besieged into surrender, or to find some means of diverting or draining the waters; and this last exploit the Assyrian king seems to say that it was always in his power to do, by means of the numerous hosts at his command. From their chief city being seated on the bank of a great river, and from their country being intersected by several secondary and many third-rate streams, the Assyrians seem to have had, however, more resources against a river fortress than any other people; more than even the Egyptians, whose experience was limited to one great river and many canals. There are several sculptures representing the Assyrians engaged in warlike operations against fortresses surrounded by water. Some of the bas-reliefs give, indeed, a kind of pictorial history of an attack by the Assyrians upon a water-protected fortress, that could not be approached without constructing a bridge or dyke. Numerous boats are seen bringing the necessary materials, and on one slab is seen a fortress placed on a mountain, at the foot of which the dyke is already begun. All these boats, propelled by four or five rowers, are with few exceptions carrying squared planks, some of which, tied to the stern-post by a cord, float behind, and there are others which the boats appear to sustain in a position difficult to define. The war-boats thus laden are all turned towards the same point—the fortress to be attacked. At the foot of the mountain on which it stands a row of posts is seen, which indicates that the bridge or dyke is begun; and a similar row, placed a little above, shows the place to be reached from two points. Near the mountain are seen sailors occupied in unloading the boats of pieces of wood. Some raise them on their shoulders and put out one of their ends, while others who are on land are harnessed to a cord which is passed through a hole in the other end. All this appears to refer to a maritime rather than a river fortress, so that here the besiegers could not resort to their favorite tactic of draining the waters.

River Fortress and Boat

In another scene we observe a fortress with towers seated amid the waters, in which are three persons swimming for life towards the stronghold. One of them, and he not the hindmost, pushes on by the force of his arms, the others sustain themselves on inflated goat skins—the present, no less than the ancient, method of crossing the rivers of Mesopotamia. Well may they hasten, for on the bank are seen two Assyrian warriors in their high caps, hastening on and taking aim at the swimmers, the second of whom has already been hit in two places. The adventure is watched with animated interest by the besieged from the walls. The men in the water seem to be three prisoners who have made their escape from the enemy, and are pursued and well-nigh overtaken at the water’s edge.

Persons Swimming towards a Fortress

Captives with Hook in Lips and Nose

In the sentence passed upon this proud king, the Lord says: “Because thy rage against Me, and thy tumult is come up into mine ears; therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.” Commentators have usually explained this as a metaphor drawn from the mode of dealing with wild or refractory animals. But it now appears that it was literally the custom of the Assyrians themselves thus to treat the captives of their sword. In the sculptures we see prisoners (probably of distinction) hauled before the king by a rope fastened to rings passed through the lips and nose. In the piece we have copied from Botta’s magnificent work, the king is represented as holding a rope fastened to rings, which pass through the lips of three captives, one of whom is pierced in the eye by the spear of the king, at whose feet he kneels in supplication.

Autor: JOHN KITTO