[589] Isa. x. 33, 34, xi. 1, xiv. 8; Stanley, _Lectures_, ii. 410.
[590] [Hebrew: 'ot]. A sign "is a thing, an event, or an action intended as a pledge of the Divine certainty of another. Sometimes it is a miracle (Gen. iv. 15, Heb.), or a permanent symbol (Isa. viii. 18, xx. 3, xxxvii. 30; Jer. xliv. 29)" (Delitzsch).
[591] The first year they should eat _saphîach_ (LXX., [Greek: automata]; Vulg., _quæ repereris_); the second year, _sachîsh_ (LXX., [Greek: ta anatellonta]; Vulg., _quæ sponte nascuntur_).
[592] 2 Kings xix. 35: "It came to pass that night." Isaiah only has "then"; Josephus, [Greek: kata tên prôtên tês poliorkias nykta]. Menochius understands it "_in celebri illa nocte_." The LXX. omits "that," and simply says "in the night" ([Greek: nyktos]). Comp. Psalm xlvi. 5 (Heb.); Isa. xvii. 14.
[593] Josephus, followed by many moderns, and even by Keil, suggests a plague. The malaria of the Pelusiotic marshes easily breeds pestilence. The "_maleak Jehovah_" is "the destroyer" (_mashchith_) (Exod. xii. 23; 2 Sam. xxiv. 16.) Comp. Justin., xix. 11; Diod. Sic., xix. 434.
[595] The Babyl. Talmud and some Targums, followed by Vitringa, etc., attribute to it storms of lightning; Prideaux, Heine, and Faber, to the simoom; R. José, Ussher, etc., to a nocturnal attack of Tirhakah.
[596] It is, however, perfectly possible that a contingent was left on guard. "Where is the [past] terror? Where is he that rated the tribute? Where is he that received it?" (Isa. xxxiii. 18). "At the noise of the tumult the people flee" (Isa. xxxiii. 3); "At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep" (Psalm lxxvi. 6). Comp. Psalm xlviii. 4-6.
[597] This is the meaning of "he departed, and went, and returned."
[598] Not, only fifty-five days, as we read in Tobit i. 21.
[599] Jos., _Antt._, X. i. 5: "In his own temple to Araskê"; LXX., [Greek: Asarach]; Isa. xxxvii. 38. One guess connects the word with Nesher, "the eagle-god," often seen on the Assyrian bas-reliefs. Lenormant calls him "the god of human destiny."
[600] Alex. Polyhistor _ap._ Euseb., i. 27; Kimchi _ad_ 2 Kings xix. 37. Buxtorf (_Bibl. Rabbinic._) says that Sennacherib entered the temple to ask his counsellors why Jehovah favoured Israel. Being told that it was because of Abraham's willingness to offer Isaac, he said, "Then I will offer my two sons." Rashi adds that they slew him to save their own lives. (See Schenkel and Riehm, _s.v._ "Sanherib"--both articles by Schrader).