Isaiah 39:8

Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken,.... Hezekiah was at once convinced of his sin, acknowledged it and repented of it, and owned that the sentence pronounced was but just and right; and that there was a mixture of mercy and goodness in it, in that time was given, and it was not immediately executed: he said moreover, for there shall be peace and truth in my days; or a confirmed peace, lasting prosperity, peace in the state, and truth in the church, plenty of temporal mercies, and the truth of doctrine and worship, which he understood by the prophet would continue in his days, and for which he was thankful; not that he was unconcerned about posterity, but inasmuch as it must be, what was foretold, and which he could not object to as unjust, he looked upon it as a mercy to him that there was a delay of it to future times; or it may be considered as a wish, "O that there were peace" (g), &c. (g) , Sept.; so the V. L. Syriac and Arabic versions; "O si fieret pax", Forerius; "precor ut sit pax", Vatablus; which is preferred by Noldius Ebr. Cocord. Part. p. 407. No. 1153.

The history contained in this chapter is related in the same words, 2 Kings 20:12 , &c., only he who here is called Merodach is there called Berodach , merely by the change of one letter, which is very usual in the Hebrew language, especially in proper names, as Dimon is put for Dibon , Isaiah 15:9 , and the same man is called Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuchadrezzar . This king is called Merodach from the idol so called, Jeremiah 1:2 , and Baladan from his father’s name. But whether this man was an Assyrian, or a Mede, or a Babylonian, it is not easy to determine, nor worth while to inquire. But this is certain, that about this time there were wars between the Assyrians and the Babylonians, the issue whereof was, that the latter subdued the former.

8 . Good is the word of the Lord ] An expression of pious resignation, including repentance; cf. 1 Samuel 3:18 . there shall be peace and truth (or steadfastness ) in my days ] In the Old Testament the postponement of a calamity is always regarded as a mitigation of its severity; see 1 Kings 21:28 f.; 1 Kings 22:18 ff. Hezekiah’s words probably mean no more than that mercy is mingled with judgment in the sentence pronounced on him.

Verse 8. - Good is the word. While there is resignation, there is no doubt something also of selfishness, in Hezekiah's acceptance of the situation. "Apres mot le deluge" is a saying attributed to a modern Frenchman. Hezekiah's egotism is less pronounced and less cynical. He thinks with gratitude of the "peace and steadfastness" which are to be "in his day;" he does not dwell in thought on the coming "deluge." The "word of the Lord" is "good" to him in more ways than one. It has assured him of coming male offspring - of sons to sit upon his throne, and save him from the curse of childlessness. And it has assured him of a rest for his nation - a respite, so that the Babylonian struggle shall not follow immediately upon the Assyrian; but there shall be a "breathing-space" ( Ezra 9:8 ), a tranquil time, during which Israel may "dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places" ( Isaiah 32:18 ). Isaiah 39:8

(8) Good is the word of the Lord . . . —The words have the appearance of a pious resignation, but we feel that they are less true and noble than those of David on a like occasion: “I have sinned and done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house” ( 2Samuel 24:17 ). Hezekiah’s thanksgiving reminds us a little too much of “ Après moi ledeluge .” Peace and truth.—The latter word is used in the sense of “stability” (so Psalm 54:5). The two words are used in the same way in Jeremiah 14:13, where we find “assured peace” in the text of the Authorised Version, and “peace of truth” in the margin.

Good is the word of the Lord - The sense of this is, 'I acquiesce in this; I perceive that it is right; I see in it evidence of benevolence and goodness.' The grounds of his acquiescence seem to have been: 1. The fact that he saw that it was just. He felt that he had sinned, and that he had made an improper display of his treasures, and deserved to be punished. 2. He felt that the sentence was mild and merciful. It was less than he deserved, and less than he had reason to expect. 3. It was merciful to him, and to his kingdom at that time. God was not coming forth to cut him off, or to involve him in anymore calamity. 4. His own reign and life were to be full of mercy still. He had abundant cause of gratitude, therefore, that God was dealing with him in so much kindness. It cannot be shown that Hezekiah was regardless of his posterity, or unconcerned at the calamity which would come upon them. All that the passage fairly implies is, that he saw that it was right; and that it was proof of great mercy in God that the punishment was deferred, and was not, as in the case of David (2 Samuel 13-14 ff), to be inflicted in his own time. The nature of the crime of Hezekiah is more fully stated in the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 32:25-26, 2 Chronicles 32:30-31. For there shall be peace - My kingdom shall not be disturbed during my reign with a foreign invasion. And truth - The truth of God shall be maintained; his worship shall be kept up; his name shall be honored.

In my days - During my reign. He inferred this because Isaiah had said Isaiah 39:7 that his posterity would be carried to Babylon. He was assured, therefore, that these calamities would not come in his own time. We may learn from this: 1. That we should submit to God when he punishes us. If we have right feelings we shall always see that we deserve all that we are called to suffer. 2. In the midst of severest judgments we may find some evidence of mercy. There are some considerations on which the mind may fix that will console it with the evidence of the compassion of God, and that will not only make it submissive, but fill it with gratitude. 3. We should accustom ourselves to such views of the divine dealings, and should desire to find in them the evidence of goodness and mercy, and not the evidence of wrath and severity. It is of infinite importance that we should cherish right views of God; and should believe that he is holy, good. and merciful. To do this, we should feel that we deserve all that we suffer; we should look at what we might have endured; we should look at the mercies spared to us, as well as at those which are taken away; and we should hold to the belief, as an unwavering principle from which we are never to depart, that God is good, supremely and wholly good. Then our minds will have peace.

The consequences of this coqueting with the children of the stranger, and this vain display, are pointed out in Isaiah 39:3-8 : "Then came Isaiah the prophet to king Hizkiyahu, and said to him, What have these men said, and whence come they to thee? Hizkiyahu said, They came to me from a far country (K. omits to me), out of Babel. He said further, What have they seen in thy house? Hizkiyahu said, All that is in my house have they seen: there was nothing in my treasures that I had not shown them. Then Isaiah said to Hizkiyahu, Hear the word of Jehovah of hosts (K. omits tsebhâ'ōth); Behold, days come, that all that is in thy house, and all that thy fathers have laid up unto this day, will be carried away to Babel (בּבל, K. בּבלה): nothing will be left behind, saith Jehovah. And of thy children that proceed from thee, whom thou shalt beget, will they take (K. chethib, 'will he take'); and they will be courtiers in the palace of the king of Babel. Then said Hizkiyahu to Isaiah, Good is the word of Jehovah which thou hast spoken. And he said further, Yea (כּי, K. אם הלוא), there shall be peace and stedfastness in my days." Hezekiah's two candid answers in vv. 3 and 4 are an involuntary condemnation of his own conduct, which was sinful in two respects.