2 Kings 20:13

2Ki 20:13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and [all] the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

Ver. 13. And Hezekiah hearkened unto them.] Ad quos intentus, Ezechiah? He was taken and tickled with their company and courtship, gratifying them in that they came about, and proud of the honour they had done him. {2Ch 32:25; 2Ch 32:31} As there be white teeth in the blackest blackamoor, so there is a black bill in the whitest swan - a rotten kernel or two in the fairest pomegranate, &c.

And showed them the house of his precious things.] Superbe simul et stulte. This was proudly and foolishly done; for now gold thirsty Babylon knew where to have her draught, where to fetch a fat and fit booty. By the imperial law {a} of the Romans, the exporting of wine, oil, and other delicious liquors was flatly forbidden, and this reason given, Ne Barbare gustu illecti promptius invaderent fines Romanorum, Lest the barbarians tasting thereof, should be the rather drawn thereby to invade the Roman empire, as the Gauls did when once they had tasted of the grapes that grew in Italy. {b} Of the Chinese it is reported that they suffer not any foreigner to come into the heart of their kingdom, but only to trade with them on the seacoasts. It was doubtless impoliticly done at best by Hezekiah, to show these strangers his wealth and treasure: yea, it was sinfully done of him - had his storehouse been as rich as the earth - to be lifted up with those heavy metals. {c}

The silver and the gold.] Which he had partly by the spoil of Sennacherib’s camp, and partly by the many gifts brought by all nations unto him, as the world’s wonder for the sun’s going backward for his sake.

And the spices.] Galen {d} writeth that in his time cinnamon was very rare and hard to be found, except in the storehouses of great princes.

{a} Leg. l.

{b} Plutarch, in Camillo.

{c} Boter., in Catalog. Imper.

{d} Lib. i. Antidot.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 20:13. Hezekiah hearkened unto them, &c. — He was so pleased, or rather, transported with joy, at the honour the king of Babylon had done him, that he not only gave his ambassadors a gracious audience, and granted them a league and amity, but ordered his officers to show them all the rarities and precious things which he had in his treasures, with his spices, costly ointments, and the house of his armour — For though his country had been lamentably harassed and plundered by the king of Assyria, and he had endeavoured to appease him with large sums of money and other gifts; yet he had reserved much gold and silver, and many curiosities and valuable things, which he and his fathers had gathered in Jerusalem. Besides, no doubt, he had got considerable spoils out of the Assyrian camp. Also many presents had been sent him since the stroke from heaven on Sennacherib’s army, and his own miraculous recovery from sickness, and the astonishing sign which God had previously given him of it. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, which Hezekiah showed them not — In this he was influenced by pride of heart and vain ostentation, (2Ch 32:25-26,) being lifted up, it seems, by the great honour God had done him, in working such glorious miracles for his sake, and by the great respect rendered to him by divers princes, and now by this great Babylonian monarch. So hard a matter it is even for a good man to be high and humble. Although no particular mention is made of Hezekiah’s showing these strangers the temple, yet, as it was by far the most sumptuous and splendid building in Jerusalem, and the greatest curiosity in his dominions, there can be no doubt but it was shown them, as far as it was permitted to heathen, who were not proselytes to the Jewish religion, to see it; but whether he took any pains to make them acquainted with the great Being who was worshipped there, and who, by his almighty power, had wrought the miracles which had excited their attention, or with his laws, and the ordinances of his service, may well be doubted. Although, certainly, he had a very fair opportunity of doing this, and of demonstrating to them the unreasonableness and folly of idolatry in all its branches, and especially of their worship of the sun, which the late miracle had shown to be no more than the creature and servant of the God of Israel.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Being moved with ambition and vain glory, and also because he seemed to rejoice in the friendship of him that was God’s enemy and an infidel.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

the silver, and the gold--He paid so much tribute to Sennacherib as exhausted his treasury (compare Kg2 18:16). But, after the destruction of Sennacherib, presents were brought him from various quarters, out of respect to a king who, by his faith and prayer, saved his country; and besides, it is by no means improbable that from the corpses in the Assyrian camp, all the gold and silver he had paid might be recovered. The vain display, however, was offensive to his divine liege lord, who sent Isaiah to reprove him. The answer he gave the prophet (Kg2 22:14) shows how he was elated by the compliment of their visit; but it was wrong, as presenting a bait for the cupidity of these rapacious foreigners, who, at no distant period, would return and pillage his country, and transfer all the possessions he ostentatiously displayed to Babylon, as well as his posterity to be court attendants in that country--(see on Ch2 32:31).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 13. Hezekiah hearkened unto them] Instead of וישמע vaiyishma, he hearkened, וישמח vaiyismach, he rejoiced or was glad, is the reading of twelve of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., the parallel place, Isa 39:2, the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, Arabic, some copies of the Targum, and the Babylonian Talmud.

All the house of his precious things] Interpreters are not well agreed about the meaning of the original נכתה nechothoh, which we here translate precious things, and in the margin spicery or jewels. I suppose the last to be meant.

There was nothing in his house] He showed them through a spirit of folly and exultation, all his treasures, and no doubt those in the house of the Lord. And it is said, 2Ch 32:31, that in this business God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart; and this trial proved that in his heart there was little else than pride and folly.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(13) Hearkened unto.—A scribe’s error for “was glad of them” (Isaiah, and many MSS. and the versions here).

The silver, and the gold.—This, as well as the phrase in 2Ki_20:17, “that which thy fathers have laid up,” appears to contradict 2Ki_18:15-16. Schrader regards this as an indication that Hezekiah’s illness and the embassy of Merodach-baladan belong to the time preceding Sennacherib’s invasion. Thenius, however, supposes that Hezekiah simply gave all the money in his treasury to Sennacherib’s envoys, and stripped off the gold plating of the Temple before them that they might suppose his resources exhausted, when, in fact, he had not touched his real treasures, which were concealed in subterranean chambers. Thenius also refers to the “credible” statement of the chronicler, that presents were made to Hezekiah from all quarters after the retreat of Sennacherib (2Ch_32:23). Professor Robertson Smith agrees with Schrader in referring the embassy of Merodach-baladan to the years 704-703 B.C.

The precious ointment.—The fine oil (Cheyne). Perfumed oil used for anointing.

All that was found in his treasures.—See 2Ch_32:27-28. Storehouses beyond the precincts of the palace, and beyond Jerusalem. (Comp. the phrase “in all his dominion,” which alludes to the resources of Hezekiah in the country, statistics of which he might show to the envoys.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. And Hezekiah hearkened unto them] In Isaiah we read he ‘was glad of them’, and there is no doubt that is the correct reading. The LXX. gives ἐχάρη, he rejoiced, in this passage. The difference in the Hebrew words is very slight. Here we have ישמצ, in Isaiah ישמח.

and shewed them all the house of his precious things] On the margin both A.V. and R.V. give ‘spicery’ instead of ‘precious things’; and the word (with a very slight difference of form) is used in that sense in Gen_37:25; Gen_43:11. But here as the house seems to have contained the various things which follow after, silver and gold as well as spices, perhaps the more general rendering is to be preferred. The storehouse which at first had its name from the aromatic treasures bestowed there, came in time to be used, without change of name, for the keeping of other things that were valuable.

precious ointment] R.V. oil. This is the more usual rendering. The stores would be of pure oil more likely than of manufactured ointment.

and all the house of his armour] R.V. omits ‘all’, which is not in the Hebrew text here, though it is in Isaiah. Hence the Massoretes have put it as a various reading on the margin of this verse.

The house of armour was no doubt ‘the house of the forest of Lebanon’, which Solomon built as an armoury, see notes on 1Ki_7:2; 1Ki_10:17.

nothing … that Hezekiah shewed them not] He was clearly desirous to produce an impression of his wealth and consequent power. This proud spirit the Chronicler (2Ch_32:25) describes thus, ‘Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him: for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem’.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them - The Jewish king lent a favorable ear to the proposals of the ambassadors, and exhibited to them the resources which he possessed, in order to induce them to report well of him to their master.

All the house of his precious things - literally, the “spice-house;” the phrase had acquired the more generic sense of “treasure-house” from the fact that the gold, the silver, and the spices were all stored together.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Rejoiced, at being honoured by so great a prince, (Menochius) who afterwards defeated Asarhaddon. (Tirinus) --- Hebrew, "hearkened unto them." But the sense of the Vulgate is preferable, and the construction of the original seems to require it, as it is also understood by the Septuagint and Syriac, and by Isaias xxxix. 2. --- Spices. Hebrew, "precious things," (Montanus) "treasures," (Chaldean; Syriac) "cabinet" of jewels, &c. (Vatable) --- Vessels, or armour, and all this fine furniture. St. Jerome says, that Ezechias also displayed before them the treasures of the temple, which chiefly drew upon him God’s displeasure. (Calmet) --- He might be guilty only of a venial sin of vanity and of ingratitude: (Menochius) and God took occasion, from this offence to admonish the king of the impending ruin. (Du Hamel)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Hearkened unto them, i.e. granted their desires of a league and amity with them.

The silver and the gold, & c.; for though his country had lately been harassed by the Assyrians, yet he had reserved all his treasures and precious things which he and his fathers had gathered in Jerusalem. Besides, he had considerable spoils out of the Assyrian camp. Also he had many presents sent to him, 2Ch 32:23, which doubtless were things of considerable worth.

Nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not; which he did through vain ostentation and pride of heart, 2Ch 32:25,26, being lifted up by the great honour which God had done him, in working such glorious miracles for his sake, and by the great respects and presents rendered to him from divers princes and people, and now by this great Babylonian monarch. So hard a matter is it even for a good man to be high and humble.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. Hezekiah hearkened unto them — Many manuscripts and versions here read, was glad of them, or rejoiced over them, (ישׂמח עליהם,) as in Isa_39:2; but this is no sufficient proof that our text is corrupt. שׁמעis, indeed, seldom construed with על, but examples are to be found in chapter 2Ki_22:13, and Gen_41:15. The king hearkened unto the proposal to form an alliance with Merodach-baladan; and to convince them that he was not so feeble and destitute of resources as the king of Assyria might pretend, he showed them his treasures.

House of his precious things — Better, as the margin, house of spicery, or spice house. So the word is rendered at Gen_37:25. Spices were regarded as very precious things.

The spices — Rather, the aromatics, or perfumes; all sorts of fragrant plants or spices which create a pleasant smell.

The precious ointment — “Not fine olive-oil,” says Keil, “but, according to the rabbies and Movers, the valuable balsam oil which was obtained in the royal gardens; for olive oil, which was obtained in all Judea, was not stored in the treasure-chambers along with the gold, silver, and perfumes, but in special storehouses.” 1Ch_27:28.

House of his armour — The armory, or arsenal.

In all his dominion — He made known to them the whole extent of his resources, whether of wealth, luxuries, or power.

Those expositors who understand this embassy to have visited Hezekiah after the Assyrian invasion, and after Sennacherib had taken away all the silver of the temple and the palace, (2Ki_18:15,) are put to it to account for all those treasures of gold and silver and precious things yet in possession of the Jewish king. They argue that Sennacherib took only silver and gold, not spices or arms, and that Hezekiah preferred to strip the doors and pillars of the temple for gold and silver, rather than give up that which was concealed in his treasuries. They also suppose that the treasury of Jerusalem had been replenished by the gifts mentioned in 2Ch_32:23. But if, as we have assumed, (2Ki_20:12, note,) this embassy came before Hezekiah had given all his silver and gold to Sennacherib, this accumulation of treasure is the more easily accounted for.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Hezekiah hearkened unto them. Hezekiah was dazzled by the prospect that opened upon him. It was a grand thing that his fame should have reached so far as Babylon, a still grander thing to be offered such an alliance. It must be remembered that he and his counselors were inclined from the first to meet Assyrian menace by calling in foreign aid (2Ki_18:21-24; Isa_20:6 Isa_30:2-7 Isa_36:6) He had not yet accepted the view of Isaiah, that human aid was vain, and that the only reasonable ground of hope or confidence was, in Jehovah. And showed them all the house of his precious things; i.e. his treasury. Hezekiah did not do this in mere ostentation, though he may have had a certain pride in exhibiting his wealth. His main wish, no doubt, was to make known his resources, and show that he was a valuable ally. So Oroetes acted towards Polycrates (Herod., 3:123), and Hannibal towards the Gortynians (Com. Nep., "Vit. Hannib.," It is to be borne in mind that Hezekiah"s treasures were, in B.C. 712, still intact, and included all that ample store which he sacrificed to save Jerusalem at the time of the first expedition of Sennacherib see 2Ki_18:14-16, and comp. "Eponym Canon," p. 135, where we find enumerated among the treasures given up, besides gold and silver, "precious carbuncles, couches of ivory, elevated thrones of ivory, skins of buffaloes, horns of buffaloes, and weapons"). The silver, and the gold, and the spices. Compare the description of the wealth of Solomon. (1Ki_10:25) "Spices" always form an important portion of the treasure of Oriental kings (comp. Herod., 2. 97, sub fin.). And the precious ointment; rather, the precious oil mc, not jqro (compare the Septuagint, to elaion ton). It is thought (Keil, Bahr) that the valuable balsam oil, which was obtained from the royal gardens, is intended. And all the house of his armor; or, of his vessels; but arms and armor are probably intended. It would be almost as important to show that he had abundant arms in store, as that he had abundant riches. And all that was found in his treasures a clause implying that there was much more which had not been specified, as precious stones, ivory, ebony, and the likethere was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not. This is a manifest hyperbole; but it can scarcely mean less than that he gave orders for them to be shown the collections of arms and stores which existed in his other strongholds besides Jerusalem. Hezekiah, no doubt, had many store cities," as Solomon (2Ch_8:6) and Rehoboam (2Ch_11:5-12) had.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

His treasures - For though his country had lately been harassed by the Assyrians, yet he had reserved all his treasures and precious things, which he and his fathers had gathered in Jerusalem. Besides, he had considerable spoils out of the Assyrian camp. Also he had many presents sent to him, 2 Chron. xxxii, 23. Shewed - Which he did through pride of heart, 2 Chron. xxxii, 25, 26, being lifted up by the great honour which God had done him, in working such glorious miracles for his sake, and by the great respects rendered to him from divers princes, and now by this great Babylonian monarch. So hard a matter is it even for a good man to be high and humble.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

His treasure house. The storehouse of his spices, as in, “spices [=נכאת], balm, and lotus.”

The fine oil. Some interpret this as the anointment oil, and others interpret it as balsam oil, which is found in Eretz Yisroel, as it is said, ”Yehudah and [Eretz] Yisroel, they were your merchants, with wheat of מנית and פנג,” and I saw in the book of Yosephun, that פנג is balsam, and it grows in Yericho, and because of its aroma [=ריח], it is called Yericho [=יריחו].

There was nothing. [He even showed them] the Ark, the Luchos, and the Torah Scroll.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.