shall. Hezekiah refers to Jehovah's repeated promises on which he relies (compare 2 Kings 19:30-34 ). See Psalms 121:2-8 ; Psalms 124:1-3 , Psalms 124:6 ; Psalms 125:2 ; Psalms 126:2 , Psalms 126:3 ; Psalms 127:1 . read more
"And this shall be the sign unto thee: ye shall eat this year that which groweth of itself, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of mount Zion they shall escape. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this."Dummelow's... read more
Isaiah 37:30. And this shall be a sign unto thee— The discourse is here directed to Hezekiah, whose faith in the event just predicted God is pleased to confirm by an additional sign; which sign, as it was not to happen till the event above predicted was fulfilled, was to be considered as a token, not only of God's interposition in that event, but also of his peculiar favour and protection after Sennacherib was departed. In other passages of Scripture we have signs given in the same manner,... read more
Isaiah 37:31-32. And the remnant that is escaped— The prophet passes from fields to men, and from the cultivation of land to the nation and the church; for, having just said, that, being delivered from the Assyrians, they should cultivate their land as usual, he adds, that it should also come to pass that the nation and the church, delivered from this calamity, should flourish again, increase, and bring forth much fruit; which we know happened under Hezekiah. See 2 Chronicles 32:22. However,... read more
30. Addressed to Hezekiah. sign—a token which, when fulfilled, would assure him of the truth of the whole prophecy as to the enemy's overthrow. The two years, in which they were sustained by the spontaneous growth of the earth, were the two in which Judea had been already ravaged by Sennacherib ( :-). Thus translate: "Ye did eat (the first year) such as groweth of itself, and in the second year that . . . but in this third year sow ye," c., for in this year the land shall be delivered from the... read more
31. remnant—Judah remained after the ten tribes were carried away; also those of Judah who should survive Sennacherib's invasion are meant. read more
King Hezekiah’s challenge 37:8-35This section contains two parts: Sennacherib’s letter to Hezekiah, and Hezekiah’s response to it. read more
The response to the letter 37:14-35 read more
For two years normal agriculture would be impossible around Jerusalem, but God would cause the land to produce enough to sustain the inhabitants. Probably the two years of interruption resulted from Assyrian military activity in the region. Fruitfulness has always been God’s blessing on those who trust Him. Then the third year, planting and harvesting as usual would resume. It was particularly unusual that the Judahites would be able to plant vineyards and eat their fruit shortly after that... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Isaiah 37:30
sign. See note on Isaiah 7:11 . Ye shall eat, &c. No seed would be sown on account of the (foretold) devastation wrought by the invasion. Hezekiah refers to this "sign" in his "Songs of the Degrees" (Psalms 126:5 , Psalms 126:6 ; Psalms 128:2 ). groweth of itself. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 25:5 , Leviticus 25:11 ). Only here, 2 Kings 19:29 , and Job 14:19 . springeth of the same = shooteth up of itself, or from the roots. Hebrew. shahith, occurs only here. sow ye. See note... read more