Isaiah 37:34

(See Isa 37:29, Isa 37:37; Isa 29:5-8).

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

34. Cf. Isa_37:7; Isa_37:29.

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.

Then the angel of the Lord went forth,.... From heaven, at the command of the Lord, being one of his ministering spirits, sent forth by him, as for the protection of his people, so for the destruction of their enemies; this was the same night, either in which the Assyrian army sat down before Jerusalem, as say the Jews (x); or, however the same night in which the message was sent to Hezekiah; see Kg2 19:35,

and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred and fourscore and five thousand men: a prodigious slaughter indeed! which shows the power and strength of an angel. Josephus (y) says they were smitten with a pestilential disease; but other Jewish writers say it was by fire from heaven, which took away their lives, but did not consume their bodies, nor burn their clothes; but, be that as it will, destroyed they were:

and when they arose early in the morning: those of the army that survived; Sennacherib, and his servants about him; or Hezekiah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that were besieged:

behold, they were all dead corpses; the whole army, excepting a few; this may well be expressed with a note of admiration, "behold!" for a very wonderful thing it was.

(x) T. Bab. Sanhedrin: fol. 95. 1. (y) Antiqu. l. 10. c. 1. sect. 5.

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

By the way that he came - (Isa 37:29; compare Isa 37:37).

And shall not come into this city - (Isa 37:33; compare Isa 29:6-8).

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

By the way that he came. It is clear that Sennacherib on this occasion had marched by the usual coast route, through Sharon and the Shefeleh, upon Lachish, leaving Jerusalem far to his left. From Laehish he sent Rabshakeh to Hezekiah with a threatening message, and (as our version has it) with a great army;" rather, "with a strong force." Rabshakeh, having delivered his message, returned to his master, (Isa_37:8) doubtless with his escort. Sennacherib then sent a letter by messengers, but without an army, so far as we are told, to renew his threats. Meanwhile from Lachish he went to Libnah, after which we know nothing of his movements, unless we accept the Egyptian account, which was, that he advanced to Pelusium. The declaration, "By the way that he came, by the same shall he return" (comp. ver. 29) was the most comforting that Hezekiah could possibly receive. It assured him that he would not even be confronted with his enemy. Into this city; rather, unto this city (as in ver. 32).

Returning on our way.

"By the way that he came, by the same shall he return.

I THE RETURN WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE. Our departure from this world is often spoken of as a return. We "return to the grave." We ascend and descend the hill of life; but we go down that hill on the other side. Old age is indeed "a second childhood;" but how different a childhood it is! with the experience, and the carefulness, and the sad consciousness of failure which childhood has not, but without the eager-heartedness, buoyancy, simplicity, trustfulness, which childhood has. It may be said of every part and passage of our human experience, "Thou hast not gone this way heretofore." We never live over again even a single day of our life.

II THE RETURN WITH WHICH WE ARE THREATENED. God, in his holy and wise providence, may defeat our purpose, as he did that of Sennacherib, and in this sense may cause us to return on our way. Again and again is this the case with:

1. Unrighteous aggression, or some other design which is positively sinful.

2. Unhallowed ambition; when men set themselves to achieve some great thing for their own enrichment or aggrandizement, and God breaks their schemes. He sends them back to the starting-point of emptiness or poverty from which they set out. When God thus interposes, men may well ask what it is that he me, his them to learn.

3. Unwise endeavour; as when men offer themselves for the work of teaching, or preaching, or labouring in the field of foreign missions, when they are unfitted lop the post.

III THE RETURN WHICH IS OUR DUTY.

1. That which awaits the Christian man,

(1) when he has entered on a business which he finds he cannot conduct with a clear conscience;

(2) when he has adopted a course of training his family or directing his establishment which he finds inefficient and disappointing;

(3) when he has associated himself with a company of men, or with a Church of Christ, which he finds ungenial and unsatisfactory.

2. That which belongs to the unchristian man. To him, in the "far country"of estrangement, comes ever the commanding, but yet. the entreating voice of the heavenly Father, saying, "Return unto me, and I will return unto you." Well is it, indeed, when the heart"s response is found in the heaven-gladdening words, "I will arise, and go to my Father. C.

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

“By the way that he came shall he return, and to this city shall he not come, saith Jehovah.” The first clause may simply mean that he shall go back whence he came, or more specifically, that he shall retreat without turning aside to attack Jerusalem, either for the first or second time.

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