Ver. 1. Woe to thee that spoilest.] Minatur vastationem vastatori Sennacherib, vel Antichristo, quem praesignat. Sennacherib and Antichrist are here threatened. And thou wast not spoiled.] Thou abusest thy present peace, and the riches of God’s goodness and patience toward thee, to fall foul upon others unprovoked. And dealest treacherously.] This some understand of Sennacherib. See 2 Kings 18:14,17. Others of Shebna and other traitors in Jerusalem, who dealt underhandedly with the enemy against Hezekiah, and might haply meet with the like meed as he did who betrayed the Rhodes to the Turks, who flayed him and salted him. Or at least as Charles IV’s agents did from Philip, Duke of Austria, who paid them the sum he promised them, but in counterfeit money, saying that false coin is good enough for such false knaves as they had showed themselves to be. Thou shalt be spoiled.] Of kingdom, and life, and all, by thy treacherous sons. (Isaiah 37:38) “ Siquis quod fecit patitur, iustissima lex est. ” See Judges 7:11. [See Trapp on “Jud 7:11”] And fear thou God, who loveth to retaliate, to pay wicked men home in their own coin, to fill them with their own ways, to overshoot them in their own bow, &c. Vae ergo vastatoribus: one time or other God will be even with such. Oecolam. Ibid.
Ver. 2. O Lord, be gracious unto us.] Brevicula sed pulchra precatio, a short but sweet prayer of the prophet, teaching thereby the people to put the promise in suit, and to do it effectually, using a thong of strong arguments, as here is much in few. Be thou their arm.] Here the Church seemeth to pray for her children, as they before had prayed for her. Plena eat affectibus haec precatio. Every morning.] Heb., In the mornings—that is, speedily, seasonably, continually, and for Christ’s sake, Voce enim “matutinis” allusum adiuge sacrificium (Exodus 29:39-41) Scultet., Piscat.
Ver. 3. At the noise of the tumult the people fled,] i.e., The Assyrian soldiers shall flee at the coming of the angel, with a hurry noise in the air for greater terror; but he shall give them their passport. This their confidence was the fruit of prayer. At the lifting up of thyself.] If God do but “arise” only, “his enemies shall be scattered; and all that hate him shall flee before him.” (Psalms 68:1) [See Trapp on “Ps 68:1”] A voce angeli. -Vulg.
Ver. 4. And your spoils shall be gathered.] The spoil of the Assyrian’s camp now become yours. [as 1 Samuel 30:20] Like the gathering of caterpillars.] Quae ad hominum concursum omnes repente disperguntur, which are soon rid, when men set themselves to destroy them.
Ver. 5. The Lord is exalted.] He hath made him a name, gained abundance of honour. For he dwelleth on high.] Whence he can pour down plagues at his pleasure on his proud enemies, and fill Zion with judgment and righteousness.
Ver. 6. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times.] Thy times, O Hezekiah; but especially, O Christ. Or, the stability of thy times and strong safeguard shall thy wisdom and knowledge be. “By his knowledge”—that is, by faith in him—“shall my righteous servant” (Jesus Christ) “justify many”; (Isaiah 53:11) but these are also sanctified by him. The fear of the Lord is their treasure; they “hold faith and a good conscience, which some, having put away, concerning faith, have made shipwreck.” (1 Timothy 1:19) [See Trapp on “1Ti 1:19”] The fear of the Lord is his treasure.] The spirit of this holy fear rested upon Christ, (Isaiah 11:2) and good Hezekiah was eminent for it, not for civil prudence only. This was flos regis, the fairest flower in all his garland; this is solidissima regiae politiae basis, as one saith, the best policy, and the way to wealth. Paradin. in Symbol.
Ver. 7. Behold their valiant ones.] Or, Their heralds, messengers. Heb., Hen Erelam, behold their Erel, or their Ariel (Isaiah 29:1,2) -that is, their altar, shall they (i.e., the Assyrians) cry without, sc., in mockery, twitting the Jews with their sacrifices as no way profitable to them. So the profane Papists, when they murdered the poor Protestants at Orleans, sang in scorn, Judge and revenge my cause, O Lord. Others, Have mercy on us, Lord. And when in the late persecution in Bohemia various godly nobles and citizens were carried to prison in Prague, the Papists insultingly cried after them, Why do ye not now sing, “The Lord reigneth?” The ambassadors of peace.] That went for peace, having for their symbol Pacem te poscimus omnes, We all demand peace from you, but could not effect it. Weep bitterly.] So that they might be heard before they entered the city. Vide quam vivide, See here how lively things are set forth, and what a lamentable report these ambassadors make of the state of the country, and the present danger of losing all. Mr Clarke’s Eng. Martyrol.