John Calvin on Isaiah 36:22

22. Then came Eliakim. We now see that Eliakim and the other ambassadors were not silent as if they either approved of the impiety of Rabshakeh, or through dread of danger connived at such blasphemies; for they tear their garments, and in that manner give visible display how highly they are offended at those wicked slanders. I except Shebna, who was destitute of piety, and was only driven by shame to assume the dress of mourning along with others as a matter of form. It was customary among the Jews and other eastern nations, when they viewed anything with strong abhorrence, to tear their garments; for those nations, having much greater warmth of temperament than we have who inhabit cold countries, display greater vehemence in gesture, deportment, dress, and other outward signs. Here it ought also to be observed, that they who took no notice of the insults offered to them as private individuals, whenever they hear reproaches uttered against God, “tear their garments;” for they who are ready to take offense at an insult offered to them in their private, capacity, where patience was needed, and who are unmoved when they learn that the name of God is dishonored, give evidence that they have no zeal or piety.

CHAPTER 37

Isaiah 37:1-38

1. And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

1. Factum est autem ut, hoc audito, rex Ezechias scinderet vestimenta sua, et sacco opertus veniret in domum Iehovae.

2. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

2. Simul misit Eliacim praefectum palatii; et Sobnam cancellarium, et seniores sacerdotes, saccis opertos, ad Isaiam filium Amoz, prophetam.

3. And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

3. Qui dixerunt illi: Sic dicit Ezechias: Dies angustiae et increpationis et blasphemiae dies hic, quia filii venerunt ad partum, neque est vis pariendi.

4. It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.

4. Si forte audiet Iehova Deus tuus verba Rapsacae, quem misit rex Assur dominns ejus, ad maledicendum Deo viventi, et arguendum ver. bis, quae audivit Iehova Deus tuus. Tu ergo levabis orationem pro reitquiis quae adhuc extant.

5. So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

5. Venerunt servi regis Ezechiae ad Isaiam.

6. And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

6. Et dixit illis Isaias: Sic dicetis domino vestro: Sic dicit Iehova, Ne timeas a verbis quae audiisti quae mihi exprobrarunt servi regis Asstir.

7. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

7. Ecce apponam illi ventum; audiet enim rumorem, et revertetur in terrain suam; et faciam ut cadat gladio in terra sua.

8. So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.

8. Reversus autem Rapsaces invenit regem Assur oppugnantem Lobnam. Audivit enim profectum a Lachis.

9. And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, He is come forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,

9. Audiens autem a Thirhaka rege Æthiopiae, egressus est, ut pugnet contra to; ex quo audivit, misit nuntios ad Ezechiam, dicens:

10. Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

10. Sic dicetis Ezechiae regi Iuda: Non to decipiat Deus tuus, in quo tu confidis, dicens: Non tradetur Ierusalem in manum regis Assur.

11. Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?

11. Ecce tu audiisti quae fecerunt reges Assur universis terris, quomodo vastaverunt eas; et tu liberaberis?

12. Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar?

12. An liberaverunt dii gentium, quos perdiderunt patres mei, Gozam, et Harum, Rezeph, et filios Edom, qui fuerunt in Bithlassar?

13. Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?

13. Ubi rex Amath, rex Arpad, rex civitatis Sepharvaiim, Hena et Ira?

14. And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.

14. Accepit Ezechias literas e manu nuntiorum, et legit eas, et ascendit in domurn Iehovae, et expandit eas coram Iehova.

15. And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying,

15. Tum oravit Ezechias ad Deum, dicens:

16. O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.

16. Iehova exercituum, Deus Israel, qui habitas inter cherubin: tu ipse Deus solus super omnia regna terrae; tu fecisti ccelos et terrain.

17. Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.

17. Inclina Iehova aurem tuam, et audi; aperi Iehova oculos tuos et vide; et audi cuneta verba Sennacherib, qui misit ad exprobrandum Deo vivo.

18. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries,

18. Sane Iehova, perdiderunt reges Assur cunctas terras terrain, inquam, eorum,

19. And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.

19. Posueruntque deos earum in ignem, quoniam non sunt dii, sed opus manuno hominis, lignum, et lapis; ideo perdiderunt cos.

20. Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.

20. Et nunc Iehova Dens noster, serra nos e mann ejus; ut cognoscant omnia regna terrae quod tu Iehova es solus.

21. Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:

21. Tunc misit Isaias filius Amoz ad Ezechiam, dicens: Sic dicit Iehova Deus Israel; Quoniam me precatus es de Sennacherib rege Assur;

22. This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

22. Hoc est verbum quod loquutus est Iehova de eo: Sprevit to, subsannavit to, virgo filia Sion; movit post to caput filia Ierusaleto.

23. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

23. Quem probris affecisti? et quem contumeliose aggressus es? Super quem exaltasti vocem tuam, et in sublime extulisti oculos tuos? nempe, super sanctum Israelis.

24. By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir-trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.

24. In manu servorum tuorum exprobrasti Domino ac dixisti: Ego in multitudine curruum meorum ascendam in excelsa montium, ad latera Libani, succidam summa cedrorum ejus, electas ejus abietes; tum veniam ad summum extremitatis, sed sylvam ejus campestrem, (vel, planitiei ejus.)

25. I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.

25. Fodiam, et bibam aquas; exsiccabo planta pedum meorum cunctos lacus obsidionis.

26. Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps.

26. Annon audiisti quod a longinquo tempore fecerim eam; a diebus antiquis formaverim ipsam? Nunc vero adducerem earn, ut sit in desolationem, in acervos ruinarum, quemadmodum urbes munitas.

27. Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb; as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.

27. Nam incolae earurn manu fuerunt mutilati, territi et confusi sunt; facti sunt tanquam gramen agri, olus viride, herba tectorum, quae ante maturitatem exarescit.

28. But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.

28. Sessionem tuam, exitum tuum, et introitum tuam novi, et iracundiam tuam contra me.

29. 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.

29. Quoniam iratus es contra me; ideo tumultus tuns ascendit in auras mens. Itaque ponam hamum (vel, circulum) meum in narem tuam, et framum meum in labia tua; et reducam to per viam ubi venisti.

30. And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.

30. Hoc autem erit tibi signum: Comedes hoc anno quae sponte nascuntur, secundo etiam sponte provenientia, in tertio vero anno seminabiris et metetis, et plantabitis vineas, et comedetis fructum earurn.

31. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:

31. Et adjiciet quod servatum erit e domo Iuda, quodque residuum erit, radicem jacere deorsum, et fructum proferre seorsum.

32. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

32. Nam e Ierusalem egredientur reliquiae, et quod serratum erit e monte Zion. Zelus Iehovae exercituum hoc faciet.

33. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.

33. Propterea sic dicit Iehova de rage Assur: non ingredietur urbem hanc, neque projiciet illuc sagittam, et non occupabit eam clypeo munitus, neque fundet contra earn ballstam.

34. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.

34. Per viam qua venit revertetur, neque ingredietur urbem hanc dicit Iehova.

35. For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

35. Et protector ero super hanc urbem, ut servem eam, propter me et propter David servum meum.

36. Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

36. Et egressus angelus Iehovae percussit in castris Assyriorum centum octaginta quinque millia; et cum mane surrectum esset, ecce omnes cadavera mortuorum.

37. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.

37. Tum profectus abiit, et reversus est Sennacherib rex Assur, et habitavit in Nineve.

38. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

38. Et accidit quum adoraret in templo Nisroch deum suum (vel, dei sui,) Adrammelech et Sarrezer filii ejus percusscrunt eum gladio, fugeruntque in terram Armeniae, et regnavit Essaradon filius ejus pro eo.