1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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II Kings 20:1

In *those days Ezechias was sick unto death: and Isaias, the son of Amos, the prophet, came and said to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Give charge concerning thy house, for thou shalt die, and not live.

2 Paralipomenon 32:24.; Isaias 38:1.

Year of the World 3291, Year before Christ 713. Days, before the destruction of Sennacherib's army; (ver. 6.; Menochius) though some suppose that Ezechias was afflicted with sickness, because he had not shewn sufficient gratitude for his deliverance, 2 Paralipomenon 32:24. (Eusebius and St. Jerome, in Isaias xxxix. (Calmet) --- But it might be sent only to purify him the more, etc. (Menochius) --- He fell ill the same year that the Assyrian invaded his dominions, ver. 6., and 4 Kings 18:13. The nature of his disorder in not fully known. (It was probably an abscess, (Calmet) brought on by a fever; or an ulcer, for which the things which promote suppuration, are always proper. Thus God teaches us to make use of natural remedies, yet so as to place our whole confidence in him. (Haydock) --- Others think it was a pleurisy, (John xxi. Thesaur. 26.) or a quinsey, (Barthol.) or the pestilence, etc. (Calmet) --- Unto death, of an illness, which would naturally have proved mortal; as that of Benadad was the reverse, 4 Kings 8:10. --- Not live, very shortly; though he does not express the time. We should always bear in mind this awful warning. (Haydock) --- The prediction was conditional, like that of Jonas 3:4.; Calmet) otherwise it would have been sinful to strive to render it ineffectual. (Estius)