Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 20:1. In those days; the year after Hezekiah’s deliverance from the Assyrians, and the fifteenth of his reign.

2 Kings 20:11. He brought the shadow ten degrees backward. Signs of the truth of prophecy were given to Gideon in regard to his fleece, and to the Israelites when Jeroboam’s altar was rent, &c. To ask this sign, that the sun should retrograde was a hard thing, whether by refraction or otherwise, if we may accommodate the miracle to the weak faith of astronomers. When Herodotus travelled in Egypt, the priests showed him a record of a long day. See Joshua 10. The Chinese also have a record of a very long day, as quoted by Stackhouse, Joshua 10. This dial seems to have occupied a very conspicuous situation.

REFLECTIONS.

It is an ancient opinion, that king Hezekiah was too much elated with his deliverance from the Assyrians: therefore the Lord saw good to afflict him.

In a few months the new king of Babylon sent to congratulate him on his recovery; and Hezekiah, if we may connect the royal error with the nation’s sin, with too much ostentation showed the ambassadors his palace, his arsenals, and his treasures. Here again the Lord humbled him by a declaration, that eventually all these treasures should go to Babylon; and what was supremely mortifying, that princes of David’s house should be eunuchs to the king of Babylon. Thus the wheels of life revolve, and instruct us ever to abide at the Lord’s feet; yea, to fly into the arms of Christ, who cries, comfort ye, comfort ye, my people. See Isaiah 39. 40.