Geneva Bible Notes: Isaiah 36

Isaiah 36:1 ^a This historie is rehearsed, because it is as a seale & confirmation of the doctrine afore, bothe for the threatnings & promises: to wit, that God wolde suffer his Church to be afflicted, but at length wolde send deliuerance.

Isaiah 36:1 ^b When he had abolished supersticion, & idolatrie, & restored religion, yet God wolde exercise his Church to trye their faith and science.

Isaiah 36:1 ^! Saneherib sendeth Rabshakeh to besege Jerusalem.

Isaiah 36:3 ^c For he was now restored to his office as Isaiah had prophecied, {Chap. 22,20}.

Isaiah 36:3 ^d This declareth that there were fewe godlie to be founde in the kings house, when he was driuen to send this wicked man in suche a weightie matter.

Isaiah 36:4 ^e Saneheribs chief captaine.

Isaiah 36:5 ^f He speaketh this in the persone of Hezekiah, falsely charging him, that he put his trust in his wit and eloquence, where as his onelie confidence was in the Lord.

Isaiah 36:6 ^g Satan labored to pul the godlie King from one vaine confidence to another: to wit, from trust in the Egyptians, whose power was weake & wold deceiue them: to yelde him self to the Assyrians and so not to hope for any helpe of God.

Isaiah 36:9 ^/ Or, turne backe.

Isaiah 36:9 ^h He reprocheth to Hezekiah his smale power, which is not able to resist one of Saneheribs least captaines.

Isaiah 36:10 ⁱ Thus the wicked to deceiue vs wil pretend the Name of the Lord: but we must trye the spirits, whether thei be of God or no.

Isaiah 36:11 ^k Thei were afraid, lest by his wordes, he shuld haue stirred the people against the King, and also pretended to growe to some appointement with him.

Isaiah 36:12 ^/ Ebr. the waters of their feet.

Isaiah 36:15 ^! Hes blasphemies against God.

Isaiah 36:16 ^l The Ebrewe word signifieth blessing: whereby this wicked captain wolde haue psuaded the people, that their condition shulde be better vnder Saneherib then vnder Hezekiah.

Isaiah 36:19 ^m That is, of Antiochia in Syria, of the which these two other cities also were: whereby we se how euery towne had his peculiar idole and how the wicked make God an idole because they do not vnderstand that God maketh them his sourge & punisheth cities for sinne.

Isaiah 36:21 ⁿ Not that thei did not shewe by euident signes that thei did detest his blasphemie: for thei had now rent their clothes, but they knewe it was in vaine to vie long reasoning with this infidele, whose rage thei shulde haue so much more prouoked.