Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

1. *This clause I pray you, is not in Master Calvins text.This clause I pray you, is not in Master Caluins text.

The Prophet shows that these three Ambassadors (which represented in a manner the whole state of the kingdom) were not only repulsed, but received disgracefully, & galled with insupportable injuries by the Captain of this Tyrant. For he is so impudent as to ask how Hezekias durst presume to rebel, no less then if he had bin a man convinced of Rebellion. Some expound the particle Na, I pray you, but it can not well stand with the honour (as you would say) of so proud and insolent a Tyrant, to come unto them by way of entreaty. He speaks rather like those who impose conditions upon others, who are either vanquished, or are ready to yield themselves for fear, whom such are minded to receive to mercy, which we commonly call, Summer, that is, To call upon, or To Summon one. But that his Summons might be of the greater authority, this Captain speaks in the person of his King: and with big words sets forth his greatness; the rather to daunt the heart of Hezekias, when he should hear he had to deal with so powerful an enemy. For his meaning was not only to say that Hezekiah was far inferior to his Master the chief Monarch of the world; in comparison of whom, Hezekiah was to be esteemed no better then a mean Gentleman: but he calls him the great King, the King of Ashur; that by these titles of his power and magnificence he might as it were darken the glory of all other Kings, that so all might seem to rest in him alone. Which thunderbolts had bin sufficient to have terrified and feared the heart of Hezekiah, especially seeing he was mewed up, as I said before, within the walls of the City, out of which he could not escape; much less was he any way able to make his party good against the violence of this Tyrant.