Isaiah 37:26

37:26 I planned for you to crush . . . into heaps of rubble: Assyria was God’s agent of destruction, but the Assyrians did not realize that they were only a tool in God’s hand (see ch 10), fulfilling what God had planned long before (14:24-27).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

4. In the book of Kings (19:25) להשות וגו׳ To make equal, etc., to make fenced cities equal to heaps of ruins; in the book of Isaiah (37:26) להשאות to lay waste, etc., to lay waste fenced cities, that they be like heaps of ruins; comp. שואה desolation (10:3); or להשאות is the same as להשות, since א and ו frequently interchange.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.

Signifying, that God made not his Church to destroy it, but to preserve it: and therefore he saith that he formed it of old, even in his eternal counsel which cannot be changed.

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

Reply of God to Sennacherib.

long ago--join, rather, with "I have done it." Thou dost boast that it is all by thy counsel and might: but it is I who, long ago, have ordered it so (Isa 22:11); thou wert but the instrument in My hands (Isa 10:5, Isa 10:15). This was the reason why "the inhabitants were of small power before thee" (Isa 37:27), namely, that I ordered it so; yet thou art in My hands, and I know thy ways (Isa 37:28), and I will check thee (Isa 37:29). Connect also, "I from ancient times have arranged ('formed') it." However, English Version is supported by Isa 33:13; Isa 45:6, Isa 45:21; Isa 48:5.

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 26. Lay waste defended cities into ruinous heaps - "Lay waste warlike nations; strong fenced cities."] גלים נצים gallim nitstsim. It is not easy to give a satisfactory account of these two words, which have greatly embarrassed all the interpreters, ancient and modern. For גלים gallim I read גוים goyim, as the Septuagint do in this place, εθνη. The word נצים netsim the Vulgate renders in this place compugnantium; in the parallel place, 2Kg 19:25, pugnantium; and the Septuagint μαχιμων, fighting, warlike. This rendering is as well authorized as any other that I know of; and, with the reading of the Septuagint, perfectly clears up the construction. See the margin on all the preceding verses.

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

(26) Hast thou not heard . . .—The speech of Sennacherib ends, and that of Jehovah begins. The adverb “long ago” should be connected with the words that follow. The events of history had all been foreseen and ordered, as in the remote past, by the counsels of Jehovah. Kings and armies were but as His puppets in the drama of the world’s history. The words “hast thou not heard” suggest the thought that Isaiah assumes that Sennacherib had heard of his prophecies, or those of his fore-runners, as to the purposes of Jehovah—an assumption which, looking to the fact that he had ministers who were well acquainted with Hebrew (Isa_36:12), was in itself probable enough.

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

26. The verse reads, with a slight change of pointing: Hast thou not heard? Long ago have I made it, from the days of old have I formed it: now I bring it to pass, and so hast thou been (able) to lay waste in ruined heaps defenced cities. Cf. ch. Isa_22:11, Isa_44:7, Isa_46:11.

26, 27. In all his successes the Assyrian has been but the unconscious instrument of Jehovah’s eternal purpose. Cf. ch. Isa_10:5-15.

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.

But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in,.... Where he dwelt, what he did at home, his secret councils, cabals, contrivances, schemes and plans for the compassing of his ends, the subduing of kingdoms, and setting up an universal monarchy; and his going out of Babylon, his marches, and counter marches, and his entrance into the land of Judea; there was not a motion made, or a step taken in the cabinet or camp, but what were known to the Lord; so the Targum,

"thy sitting in council, and thy going out abroad to make war, and thy coming into the land of Israel, are manifest before me:''

and thy rage against me; against his people, against the city that was called by his name, against the temple where he was worshipped, particularly against his servant Hezekiah, because he would not immediately deliver up the city to him. The Targum and Syriac versions render it, "before me"; and then the meaning is, "thy rage", wrath and fury, "is before me": or manifest to me; and which he could restrain at pleasure, as he promises to do in the next verse.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hast thou not heard - This is evidently the language of God addressed to Sennacherib. It is designed to state to him that he was under his control; that this was the reason Isa 37:27 why the inhabitants of the nations had been unable to resist him; that he was entirely in his hands Isa 37:28; and that lie would control him as he pleased Isa 37:29.

Long ago how I have done it - You boast that all this is by your own counsel and power. Yet I have done it; that is, I have purposed, planned, arranged it long ago (compare Isa 22:11).

That thou shouldest be to lay waste - I have raised you up for this purpose, and you have been entirely under my control (see the note at Isa 10:5).

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

26. Through the prophet God now speaks to Sennacherib.

Hast thou not heard — Is it real ignorance on thy part, that Jehovah is the only true God, and has control of Assyria; that she is his instrument, the rod of his anger, (Isa_10:5; Isa_10:15,) to lay waste peoples who submit not to warning and correction? Thou dost boast that it is all by thy command and might, but it is I, who long ago… have done it. (Isa_22:11.) Because I so ordered it, the people were of small power before thee.

Of ancient times… I have formed it — The idea of overruling evil men and their acts is eternal with God. How the Eternal consists with the finite historical, or the absolute with the relative, is doubtless to be forever unknown to men.

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

Hast thou not heard, etc.? An abrupt transition, such as is common in Isaiah. From speaking in the person of Sennacherib, the prophet without warning breaks off, and returns to speaking in the person of Jehovah, as his mouthpiece. "Hast thou not heard," he says, long ago; or rather, that from long ago! have done this?" Art thou so ignorant, so devoid of that light of nature, which should "lighten every man that cometh into the world", (Joh_1:9) as not to know God"s method of governing the world? How that "from long ago," in his eternal counsels, he designs the rise and fall of nations, and the mode in which their destruction is to be brought about? Art thou not aware that conquerors are mere instruments in God"s hands rods of his anger" (Isa_10:5) to work his will, and then to have his will worked upon them in turn? (see Isa_10:6-19) Sennacherib seems to be really reproached for not knowing what he ought to have known, and might have known, if he had listened to the voice of conscience and reason. Now have brought it to pass, etc. All that Sennacherib had done, he had done as God"s instrument, by his permission nay, by his aid. He had been the axe in the hand of the hewer, (Isa_10:15) the saw, the rod, the staff, of God"s indignationIsa 10:5), the executor of his vengeance. The very purpose of his being was that he should "lay waste (certain) defenced cities into ruinous heaps."

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

And yet what he was able to do was not the result of his own power, but of the counsel of God, which he subserved. Fourth turn, "Hast thou not heart? I have done it long ago, from (K. lemin, since) the days of ancient time have I formed it, and now brought it to pass (הבאתיה, K. הביאתיה): that thou shouldst lay waste fortified cities into desolate stone heaps; and their inhabitants, powerless, were terrified, and were put to shame (ובשׁוּ, K. ויּבשׁוּ): became herb of the field and green of the turf, herb of the house-tops, and a corn-field (וּשׁדמה, K. and blighted corn) before the blades." L'mērâcōq (from afar) is not to be connected with the preceding words, but according to the parallel with those which follow. The historical reality, in this instance the Assyrian judgment upon the nations, had had from all eternity an ideal reality in God (see at Isa 22:11). The words are addressed to the Assyrian; and as his instrumentality formed the essential part of the divine purpose, וּתהי does not mean "there should," but "thou shouldest," e!mellej e)chremw=sai (cf., Isa 44:14-15, and Hab 1:17). K. has להשׁות instead of להשׁאות (though not as chethib, in which case it would have to be pointed להשׁות), a singularly syncopated hiphil (for לשׁאות). The point of comparison in the four figures is the facility with which they can be crushed. The nations in the presence of the Assyrian became, as it were, weak, delicate grasses, with roots only rooted in the surface, or like a cornfield with the stalk not yet formed (shedēmâh, Isa 16:8), which could easily be rooted up, and did not need to be cut down with the sickle. This idea is expressed still more strikingly in Kings, "like corn blighted (shedēphâh, compare shiddâpōn, corn-blight) before the shooting up of the stalk;" the Assyrian being regarded as a parching east wind, which destroys the seed before the stalk is formed.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

“Hast thou not heard? From afar I have done it, from the days of old, and have formed it. Now I have caused it to come, and, it shall be (or come to pass), to lay waste, (as or into) desolate heaps, fortified cities.” Most writers, ancient and modern, are agreed in applying the first clause, either to express predictions, or to the purpose and decree of God. The sense is then substantially the same with that of Isa 10:5; Isa 10:15, to wit, that the Assyrian had wrought these conquests only as an instrument in the hand of God, who had formed and declared His purpose long before, and was now bringing it to pass. Hast thou not heard? may either be a reference to history and prophecy, or a more general expression of surprise that he could be ignorant of what was so notorious.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

This continues Yahweh's message to the king of Assyria.

Have you not heard how ... times?

Yahweh uses this rhetorical question to remind Sennacherib of information that he should already be aware of. This can be written as a statement. AT: "Certainly you have heard how ... times." (See: Rhetorical Question)

You are here to reduce impregnable cities into heaps of ruins

Yahweh had planned for Sennacherib's army to destroy the cities that they had destroyed. This can be stated clearly. AT: "I planned that your army would destroy cities and cause them to become piles of rubble" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

impregnable

strong and heavily guarded

of little strength

"who are weak"

shattered

broken into small pieces. This is a metaphor for being greatly discouraged. (See: Metaphor)

I am bringing it to pass

The idiom "to bring something to pass" means to cause a specific thing to happen. AT: "I am causing it to happen" or "I am causing these things to take place" (See: Idiom)

They are plants in the field, green grass, the grass on the roof or in the field, before the east wind

This speaks of how weak and vulnerable the cities are before the Assryian army by comparing the cities to grass. AT: "The cities are as weak as the grass in the fields before your armies. They are as weak as the grass that grows on the roofs of houses and is scorched by the hot east wind" (See: Metaphor)

before the east wind

The east wind is hot and dry from the desert and plants die when it blows.

translationWords

ruin

shame

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Have you not heard Now why do you boast? This is not yours, for this is a decree that emanated from Me many years ago, that you will exact My recompense from the nations, as the matter is written (supra 10:5): “Woe! Assyria is the rod of My wrath.”

Have you not heard from long ago More than seventy years (correct version as in Parshandatha and Warsaw edition) since Amos prophesied two years before the earthquake (Amos 7:17), “and Israel shall be exiled from upon its land.” Since then, you should have heard that I wrought and prepared this retribution.

in days of yore Since the six days of Creation, that decree that was decreed upon you entered My mind, as it is said (supra 30:33): “For Tophteh is set up from yesterday, that too has been prepared for the king.” Now that I have given you superiority over the nations, I have brought it, that decree, in order that it shall be to make desolate, blossoming hills [of] fortified cities, that you shall slay their inhabitants and they shall remain devoid of people and they shall be prepared for hills where vegetation grows.

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.