---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse 2 Kings 18:1. Now - in the third year of Hoshea — See the note on 2 Kings 16:1, where this chronology is considered. Verse 2 Kings 18:3. He did that"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/2-kings/18"
---

Verse [2 Kings 18:1](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/1). ***Now - in the third year of Hoshea*** — See the note on [2 Kings 16:1](../../../kjv/2-kings/16/1), where this chronology is considered.

Verse [2 Kings 18:3](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/3). ***He did*****that which was*****right in the sight of the Lord*** — In [2 Chronicles 29:1-36](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/29/1-36) of the second book of Chronicles, we have an account of what this pious king did to restore the worship of God. He caused the priests and Levites to cleanse the holy house, which had been shut up by his father Ahaz, and had been polluted with filth of various kinds; and this cleansing required no less than *sixteen* days to accomplish it. As the passover, according to the law, must be celebrated the *fourteenth* of the *first* month, and the Levites could not get the temple cleansed before the *sixteenth* day, he published the passover for the *fourteenth* of the *second* month, and sent through all Judah and Israel to collect all the men that feared God, that the passover might be celebrated in a proper manner. The concourse was great, and the feast was celebrated with great magnificence. When the people returned to their respective cities and villages, they began to throw down the idol altars, statues, images, and groves, and even to abolish the high places; the consequence was that a spirit of piety began to revive in the land, and a general reformation took place.

Verse [2 Kings 18:4](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/4). ***Brake in pieces the brazen serpent.*** — The history of this may be seen in [Numbers 21:8](../../../kjv/numbers/21/8); [Numbers 21:9](../../../kjv/numbers/21/9); see the notes there.
We find that this brazen serpent had become an object of idolatry, and no doubt was supposed to possess, as a *telesm* or *amulet*, extraordinary virtues, and that incense was burnt before it which should have been burnt before the true God.
***And he called it Nehushtan.*** — נהשתן. Not one of the *versions* has attempted to *translate* this word. *Jarchi* says, "He called it Nechustan, through contempt, which is as much as to say, *a brazen* *serpent*." Some have supposed that the word is compounded of נחש *nachash*, to *divine*, and תן *tan*, a *serpent*, so it signifies *the divining serpent*; and the *Targum* states that it was the *people*, not Hezekiah, that gave it this name. נחש *nachash* signifies to *view, eye attentively, observe*, to *search, inquire* *accurately*, c. and hence is used to express *divination, augury*. As a *noun* it signifies *brass* or *copper, filth, verdigris*, and some *sea animal*, [Amos 9:3](../../../kjv/amos/9/3); see also [Job 26:13](../../../kjv/job/26/13), and [Isaiah 26:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/26/1). It is also frequently used for a *serpent*; and most probably for an animal of the genus *Simia*, in [Genesis 3:1](../../../kjv/genesis/3/1), where see the notes. This has been contested by some, ridiculed by a few, and believed by many. The objectors, because it signifies a *serpent* sometimes, suppose it must have the same signification *always*! And one to express his contempt and show his *sense*, has said, "Did Moses hang up an *ape* on a pole?" I answer, No, no more than he hanged up *you*, who ask the contemptible question. But this is of a piece with the conduct of the people of *Milan*, who show you to this day the brazen serpent which Moses hung up in the wilderness, and which Hezekiah broke in pieces *two thousand five hundred* years ago!
Of serpents there is a great variety. Allowing that נחש *nachash* signifies a *serpent*, I may ask in my turn, What kind of a serpent was it that tempted Eve? Of what species was that which Moses hung up on the pole, and which Hezekiah broke to pieces? Who of the *wise men* can answer these questions? Till this is done I *assert*, that the word, [Genesis 3:1](../../../kjv/genesis/3/1), c., does *not* signify a serpent of *any kind* and that with a creature of the genus *Simia* the whole account best agrees.

Verse [2 Kings 18:5](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/5). ***He trusted in the Lord*** — See the character of this good king:
1. *He trusted in the Lord God of Israel*;
2. He *clave to the* *Lord*;
3. He was steady in his religion; he *departed not from* *following the Lord*;
4. He *kept God's commandments*. And what were the consequences?
1. The *Lord was with him*;
2. *He prospered* *whithersoever he went*.

Verse [2 Kings 18:8](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/8). ***From the tower of the watchmen*** — See the same words, [2 Kings 17:9](../../../kjv/2-kings/17/9). It seems a proverbial mode of expression: he reduced every kind of fortification; nothing was able to stand before him.

Verse [2 Kings 18:9](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/9). ***In the fourth year*** — This history has been already given, [2 Kings 17:3](../../../kjv/2-kings/17/3), &c.

Verse [2 Kings 18:17](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/17). ***The king of Assyria sent Tartan, c.*** — Calmet has very justly remarked that these are not the names of *persons*, but of *offices*. *Tartan*, תרתן tartan or *tantan*, as in the parallel place in Isaiah, in the Greek version, signifies he who *presides* over the *gifts* or *tribute* chancellor of the exchequer.
***Rabsaris*** — רב סריס, the *chief of the eunuchs*. *Rab-shakeh*, רב שקה master or *chief* over the *wine cellar*; or he who had the care of the *king's drink*.
***From Lachish*** — It seems as if the Assyrian troops had been *worsted* before Lachish, and were obliged to raise the siege, from which they went and sat down before *Libnah*. While Sennacherib was there with the Assyrian army, he heard that *Tirhakah*, king of Ethiopia, had invaded the Assyrian territories. Being obliged therefore to hasten, in order to succour his own dominions, he sent a considerable force under the aforementioned officers against Jerusalem, with a most *fearful* and *bloody manifesto*, commanding Hezekiah to pay him tribute, to deliver up his kingdom to him, and to submit, he and his people, to be carried away captives into Assyria! This manifesto was accompanied with the vilest *insults*, and the highest *blasphemies*. God interposed and the evils threatened against others fell upon himself.
Manifestoes of this kind have seldom been honourable to the senders. The conduct of Rab-shakeh was unfortunately copied by the Duke of Brunswick, commander-in-chief of the allied army of the centre, in the French revolution, who was then in the plains of Champagne, August 27,1792, at the head of *ninety thousand* men, *Prussians, Austrians*, and *emigrants*, on his way to Paris, which in his manifesto he threatened to reduce to ashes! This was the cause of the dreadful massacres which immediately took place. And shortly after this time the blast of God fell upon him, for in Sept. 20 of the same year, (three weeks after issuing the manifesto,) almost all his army was destroyed by a fatal disease, and himself obliged to retreat from the French territories with shame and confusion. This, and some other injudicious steps taken by the allies, were the cause of the ruin of the royal family of France, and of enormities and calamities the most extensive, disgraceful, and ruinous, that ever stained the page of history. From all such revolutions God in mercy save mankind!
***Conduit of the upper pool*** — The aqueduct that brought the water from the *upper* or *eastern reservoir*, near to the valley of *Kidron,* into the city. Probably they had seized on this in order to distress the city.
***The fuller's field.*** — The place where the washermen stretched out their clothes to dry.

Verse [2 Kings 18:18](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/18). ***Called to the king*** — They wished him to come out that they might get possession of his person.
***Eliakim - over the household*** — What we would call lord chamberlain.
***Shebna the scribe*** — The king's *secretary*.
***Joah - the recorder.*** — The writer of the public *annals*.

Verse [2 Kings 18:19](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/19). ***What confidence is this*** — מה הבטחן הזה *ma habbittachon* *hazzeh*. The words are excessively insulting: *What little, foolish,* *or unavailing cause of confidence is it, to which thou trustest*? I translate thus, because I consider the word בטחון *bittachon* as a *diminutive*, intended to express the utmost contempt for Hezekiah's God.

Verse [2 Kings 18:21](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/21). ***The staff of this bruised reed*** — Egypt had already been greatly *bruised* and *broken*, through the wars carried on against it by the Assyrians.

Verse [2 Kings 18:22](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/22). ***Whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken**********away*** — This was artfully malicious. Many of the people sacrificed to Jehovah on the *high* places; Hezekiah had removed them, ([2 Kings 18:4](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/4)), because they were incentives to idolatry: Rab-shakeh insinuates that by so doing he had offended Jehovah, deprived the people of their religious rights, and he could neither expect the blessing of God nor the cooperation of the people.

Verse [2 Kings 18:23](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/23). ***I will deliver thee two thousand horses*** — Another insult: Were I to give thee *two thousand* Assyrian horses, thou couldst not find riders for them. How then canst thou think that thou shalt be able to stand against even the *smallest division of* *my troops*?

Verse [2 Kings 18:25](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/25). ***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.

Verse 26. ***Talk not with us in the Jews' language*** — The object of this blasphemous caitiff was to stir up the people to *sedition*, that the city and the king might be delivered into his hand.

Verse 27. ***That they may eat their own dung*** — That they may be duly apprised, if they hold on Hezekiah's side, Jerusalem shall be most straitly besieged, and they be reduced to such a state of *famine* as to be obliged to eat their own excrements.

Verse 28. ***Hear the word of the great king - of Assyria*** — This was all intended to cause the people to revolt from their allegiance to their king.

Verse 32. ***Until I come and take you away*** — This was well calculated to stir up a seditious spirit. Ye cannot be delivered; your destruction, if ye resist, is inevitable; Sennacherib will do with you, as he does with all the nations he conquers, lead you captive into another land: but if you will surrender without farther trouble, he will transport you into a land as good as your own.

Verse 34. ***Where*****are*****the gods of Hamath*** — Sennacherib is greater than any of the gods of the nations. The Assyrians have already overthrown the gods of Hamath, Arpad, Hena, and Ivah; therefore, Jehovah shall be like one of them, and shall not be able to deliver Jerusalem out of the hand of my master.
The impudent blasphemy of this speech is without parallel. Hezekiah treated it as he ought: it was not properly against *him*, but against the LORD; therefore he refers the matter to Jehovah himself, who punishes this blasphemy in the most signal manner.

Verse 36. ***Answer him not.*** — The blasphemy is too barefaced; *Jehovah* is insulted, not *you*; let him avenge his own quarrel. See the [2 Kings 19](../../../kjv/2-kings/19).

Verse [2 Kings 18:37](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/37). ***Then came Eliakim - and Shebna - and Joah - to Hezekiah with*****their*****clothes rent*** — It was the custom of the Hebrews, when they heard any blasphemy, to rend their clothes, because this was the greatest of crimes, as it immediately affected the majesty of God, and it was right that a religious people should have in the utmost abhorrence every insult offered to the object of their religious worship. These three ambassadors lay the matter before the *king* as God's *representative*; he lays it before the *prophet*, as God's *minister*; and the prophet lays it before God, as the people's *mediator*.

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