2 Reis 20
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Reis 20
NJB (MT versing) Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery Hezekiah's Life Extended Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery King Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery The Illness and Cure of Hezekiah 20:1-7 20:1-7 20:1-7 20:1 20:1-3 20:2-3 20:4-6 20:4-6 20:7-8 20:7 20:8-11 20:8-11 20:8-11 20:8-11 20:9 20:10 20:11 Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures The Babylonian Envoys Merodach-baladan's Embassy Messengers from Babylon The Babylonian Embassy 20:12-15 20:12-13 20:12-15 20:12-14a 20:12-13 20:14-19 20:14b 20:14-15 20:15 20:16-19 20:16-19 20:16-18 20:16-19 20:19 Death of Hezekiah The End of Hezekiah's Reign The End of the Reign of Hezekiah 20:20-21 20:20-21 20:20-21 20:20-21 20:20-21 Etc. CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS It is very important, when studying this section of 2 Kings, to read the parallel in 2 Chronicles 32:24-26 and Isaiah 38. 2 Kings 20 is out of chronological order. Hezekiah's sickness and recovery occurred before Sennacherib's invasion of 701 B.C. (Thiele), possibly in 714-712 B.C. It predates 2 Kings 18 and 19 except for vv. 20-21. SPECIAL TOPIC: OT HISTORICAL NARRATIVE SPECIAL TOPIC: OT HISTORIOGRAPHY COMPARED WITH NEAR EASTERN CULTURES This chapter involves two events apparently linked by YHWH's astral miracle. Hezekiah's illness and healing, vv. 1-11 the visit of emissaries from Babylon (at this time a vassal of Assyria), vv. 12-19.
2 Reis 20:1-7
20:1 "Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz" It is rather unusual to name the father of such a well known prophet. This seems to imply that the book of Isaiah may be the source of this account. SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT) ▣ "Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live" Our lives are not controlled by chance, fate, or circumstance. We are in the hands of God (cf. Matt. 6:26,27; 10:29-31)! 20:2 "he turned his face to the wall" Probably there were many people in the royal bedroom where Hezekiah lay sick. He did not want them to hear or see this intimate time with YHWH. Also note 1 Kgs. 21:4. 20:3 "Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You" This seems to imply that He was urging YHWH to answer his prayer based on his faithfulness (i.e., Neh. 5:19; 13:14,31). Yet in the context it is obvious that he is speaking to YHWH out of faith, not merit (i.e., Neh. 13:22). ▣ NASB, NKJV, LXX, Peshitta "in truth" "in faithfulness" TEV, NJB "faithfully" "sincerely" The MT has the FEMININE NOUN (BDB 54), which is such an important OT concept. See NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 429 and the important Special Topics below. SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH, AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT SPECIAL TOPIC: FAITH, BELIEVE, OR TRUST ▣ "with a whole heart" This is an idiom for complete faith, obedience, and devotion. It was first used in various phrases in Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 4:29; 6:5; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1,13,22; 19:9; 26:16; 30:2,6,10, 16,20). It then was used in the historical books for occasions and actions of certain people. Solomon ‒ 1 Kgs. 8:23 Josiah ‒ 2 Kgs. 23:3 soldiers of David ‒ 1 Chr. 12:38 David counsels Solomon ‒ 1 Chr. 28:9 the people as they brought an offering for David's plans for the temple ‒ 1 Chr. 29:9 YHWH's obedient servants ‒ 2 Chr. 6:14 used of those who repent ‒ 2 Chr. 6:38 ▣ "Hezekiah wept bitterly" He did not want to die because there was yet no male heir. In a sense, YHWH's healing was part of His promise to David in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17. Josephus, Antiq. 10.2.1, gives several reasons why he wept. severe distemper he was childless (i.e., no male heir) 20:4 "the word of the Lord came to him, saying" This was a very specific message from YHWH, given at a specific time. We do not understand how God regularly communicated with His prophets, but it is obvious this was audible and instantaneous. ▣ NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NJB, JPSOA, LXX, Peshitta "the middle court" "the citadel" The MT has "city" (BDB 746), but the Masoretic scholars suggested "courtyard." city ‒ העיר courtyard ‒ חצר There was no "middle court" related to the palace and no part of Jerusalem was called "the middle city" (AB, p. 254). 20:5 NASB, NKJV, LXX "leader" NRSV, NJB, REB "prince" TEV, JPSOA, Peshitta "ruler" The MT has the NOUN (KB 667; NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 20-21) which denotes a leader of Israel appointed by YHWH (KB 668, #4). Saul ‒ 1 Sam. 9:16; 10:1 David ‒ 1 Sam. 13:14; 16:6; 25:30; 2 Sam. 5:2; 6:21; 7:8; 1 Chr. 5:2; 11:2; 17:7; 28:4; 2 Chr. 6:5; Isa 55:4 Solomon ‒ 1 Kgs. 1:35; 1 Chr. 29:22 Jeroboam ‒ 1 Kgs. 14:7 Jehu ‒ 1 Kgs. 16:2 Hezekiah ‒ 2 Kgs. 20:5 This was a way to link Hezekiah to David (cf. 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17) or to the book of Isaiah. ▣ "I have heard your prayer" Notice the number of "I's" in vv. 5-6. YHWH is the God who hears and acts, not like the idols of the nations. ▣ "I have seen your tears" The exact reason for the tears is not stated. But probably it is related to repentance. Notice Hezekiah's prayer effected God's pronouncement. SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT) SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER ▣ "I will heal you" This healing would allow time for an heir, but oh my, what a terrible heir (i.e., Manasseh)! SPECIAL TOPIC: HEALING ▣ "On the third day" This is an idiom for a brief period of time. It implies that it took an amount of time for the cure to take full effect and for Hezekiah to feel well enough to go to the temple. 20:6 "king of Assyria" This could refer to Sargon II who invaded Palestine three times: 700 B.C.; 713 B.C.; 711 B.C. Sennacherib from chapters 18-29 ▣ "I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David's sake" God is in control both of individual destinies and national destinies. He acts on His people's behalf, first of all for Himself and His own honor and glory (cf. Ezek. 36:22-36) and secondly because of the faithfulness of those who love Him (i.e., David). See full note at 19:34. ▣ "for My own sake and for My servant David's sake" This refers to YHWH's promise to David in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17. SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT 20:7 "Take a cake of figs. . .laid it on the boil" This was a normal type of medical procedure for boils and carbuncles (NIDOTTE, vol. 4, p. 81) in Isaiah's day (i.e., Ugaritic texts and Pliny, Natural History, 22.7). God was using a means the king was familiar with to stimulate the king's faith but the cure was a supernatural divine act. This is similar to Jesus' use of saliva in the NT. ▣ NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, Peshitta "the boil" "the ulcer" "the inflamation" "the rash" "the festering sore" "the skin blister" This NOUN (BDB 1006, KB 1462-3) has several possible root meanings. שחן ‒ means to "be hot" שחף ‒ means "to flow," "creep," or "ooze" It is some type of skin issue. ▣ "and he recovered" This phrase makes unnecessary "the sign" of vv. 8-11. There seem to be two historical accounts combined. AB, pp. 256-257, suggests that Isaiah reworked an earlier account, like 2 Kings. We must acknowledge the time, person, and method of the production of the OT is unknown to moderns!
2 Reis 20:8-11
20:8 "What will be the sign" Probably Hezekiah's understanding of God's word being non-revokable, caused him to doubt whether the new message could become reality. Therefore, he asks for a special sign (BDB 16) from God that Isaiah's words in v. 1 would not come true. SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGN 20:9 Verse 9 is a question to Hezekiah. Does he want the shadow to move forward or backward? To get this the Hebrew text must be slightly emended. See the parallel in Isa. 39:8. Isaiah 39:9-20 records a beautiful poem that Hezekiah wrote about his illness and YHWH healing him. 20:10 As in the plagues of the exodus, YHWH used natural events with supernatural intensity timing locality here, the reversal of a natural event (i.e., a shadow). Also note Joshua 10:12-13. 20:11 This shows that God is in control of heavenly bodies. This was very important to the people of the ancient world who believed the stars guided their destinies. Exactly how YHWH performed this miracle is unknown and really is not significant. God acted in response to Hezekiah's prayer and His larger purposes for Israel. SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord OF HOSTS
2 Reis 20:12-15
20:12 "At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon" Hezekiah was very impressed by this deputation from Babylon (cf. Isaiah 39). ▣ "Berodach-baladan" Berodach can be spelled "Merodach (BDB 597, cf. Isa. 39:1), which is a Babylonian deity. The normal spelling of this Babylonian deity is Marduk (BDB 597). This Babylonian leader ruled Babylon twice during the Assyrian period of domination from 721 to 710 B.C. He was a rebellious leader in the vassal state of Babylon. He was deposed but 12 years later regained control for 6 months in 703 B.C. Josephus says that this letter from him to Hezekiah was for the purpose of a military alliance against Assyria (cf. Josephus, Antiq. 10.2.2). ▣ "Baladan" He (BDB 114) is known in the Assyrian record as "Yakin" because this Babylonian rebel was from the tribe of "Bit-Yakin." ▣ "for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick" From 1 Chronicles 32:31 we learn he also heard of the miraculous movement of the sun and probably sent representatives to study this unusual astral phenomenon. Babylon is the source of astronomy and astrology in the ANE. 20:13 "listened to them" "was attentive to them" NRSV, TEV, REB "welcomed them" "heard about them" LXX, Peshitta "rejoiced over them" The MT has "and he hears," which the UBS Text Project, p. 373, gives a "C" rating (considerable doubt). The parallel in Isa. 39:2 has "was pleased by their coming." MT ‒ וישמע ‒ heard LXX ‒ וישמח ‒ rejoiced, which follows Isa. 39:2 Hezekiah was prone toward trusting in foreign alliances and not in YHWH (cf. 2 Kgs. 18:21-24; Isa. 20:6; 30:2-7; 36:6). ▣ "showed them all his treasure house" See the comment in 2 Chr. 32:27-29 about Hezekiah's God-given wealth (obviously before the payment to Sennacherib in 701 B.C.). This compound term (BDB 649, "treasure" plus "house," BDB 108) occurs only here (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 109-110). The term "armory" (BDB 649, #2) also occurs only here and the parallel in Isa. 39:2. It may refer to Solomon's "House of Lebanon." See full note at 1 Kgs. 10:16-17 online).
2 Reis 20:16-19
20:17 "will be carried to Babylon" This is a precise prediction that Judah's main problem would not lie with Assyria but with Babylon! This would happen 100+ years later. 20:18 "Some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away" This refers to Manasseh (2 Chr. 33:11), Jehoiachin (2 Kgs. 24:15), and Zedekiah (2 Kgs. 25:7). ▣ "will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon" This happened to Daniel and his three friends under Nebuchadnezzar (cf. Daniel 1). SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF NEO-BABYLON 20:19 This reflects a statement of self-interest (cf. Isa. 39:8), but in context, it is an affirmation by Hezekiah that YHWH is Holy and that His word of judgment is appropriate. ▣ "peace" This is the term shalom (BDB 1022, KB 1532) which denotes the presence of good and not evil. The terms "peace," "truth," and "justice" often occur together (cf. 2 Kgs. 8:16-19). SPECIAL TOPIC: PEACE (OT) ▣ "truth" This is the term emeth (BDB 54, KB 68). It denotes faithfulness. SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH, AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT, II. B.
2 Reis 20:20-21
20:20 "he made the pool and the conduit" This refers to the Siloam tunnel (cf. 2 Chr. 32:30). It was a tunnel dug through 1700 feet of solid rock, with workmen starting at two ends and meeting in the middle. An inscription in the tunnel, found in 1880, described its construction. It was a major architectural feat which assured water for Jerusalem even during a siege. ▣ Josephus, Antiq. 10:3.1, says Hezekiah lived 54 years reigned 29 years 20:21 "Manasseh" This was the most evil king that Judah ever had. He was born during the extra 15 years that YHWH gave Hezekiah to live. Through his idolatry YHWH brought the deserved judgment on Judah. Manesseh himself turned back to faith in YHWH on his deathbed!