The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

translation. The term can have either a positive or negative connotation depending on the context. Hereit is surely positive and redemptive!NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 37:33-3533"Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, 'He will not come to this cityor shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield, or throw up a siege rampagainst it. 34 By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he will not come to this city,'declares the LORD. 35 For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servantDavid's sake.'"37:33-34 This is a promise that no siege will occur against Jerusalem. At this point the Assyrian armywas not before the gates of Jerusalem, but still at walled cities of the Shephelah some distance away,such as Lachish.There are several things that YHWH will allow and not allow in relation to Assyria’s attack onJerusalem.1. the army of Assyria shall not come to Jerusalem to besiege it2. the army shall not shoot an arrow there3. the army shall not come with shield4. the army shall not throw up a siege mound5. Assyria shall retreat the way she came37:35 The reason given for Assyria’s limitations and retreat are1. YHWH Himself will defend (BDB 170, KB 199, Qal PERFECT) the city (i.e., Holy Warimagery)2. YHWH will deliver/save it (BDB 446, KB 448, Hiphil INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT)3. YHWH does ita. for Himself (i.e., His eternal redemptive plan and His personal reputation, cf. Ezek. 36:22-38)b. for His servant David (cf. 9:7; 11:1; 16:5; 22:9,22; 29:1; 38:5; 55:3; II Samuel 7)NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 37:36-3836Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185, 000 in the camp of the Assyrians; andwhen men arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were dead. 37 So Sennacherib king ofAssyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh. 38 It came about as he was worshiping inthe house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons killed him with the sword;and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.37:36 “the angel of the LORD went out” This is similar to the personage of the death angel whorepresented YHWH’s presence in the last plague on Egypt in Exodus 11 and 12:23,29 (also note II Sam.24:16).There is no “grim reaper.” YHWH controls life and death. It is hard to separate the sovereignty ofGod from conditions of a fallen world. This is not the world that God intended it to be. Death is theresult of human rebellion. God knows, allows, and executes His will. Secondary causes, so important tous, were not part of the ancient worldview (i.e., Matt. 6:25-27; 10:28-31), where there was no distinctionbetween the supernatural and natural.363