Isaiah 36:16
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
Hearken not to Hezekiah,.... To his exhortations and persuasions to trust in the Lord; nor would he have them obey him in things civil, any more than hearken to him in things sacred, though their liege lord and sovereign; for his view and endeavour were to stir them up to mutiny and rebellion; and so the Targum,
"do not obey Hezekiah:''
or receive any orders from him, or pay any regard to them:
for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present; or, "make a blessing with me" {i}; either send a large and liberal gift to secure his favour, and their happiness; a most insolent and unrighteous demand this, when he had already received three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold, to withdraw his army; or make a blessed peace with me; suggesting that it would turn more to their account to give up themselves to him, than to be in the condition they were; so the Targum,
"make peace with me:''
this sense Ben Melech gives; and the Septuagint version is, "if ye would be blessed" {k}, or happy,
come out to me; forsake your king, throw off your allegiance to him, surrender yourselves and city to me:
and eat ye everyone of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree: and drink ye everyone the waters of his own cistern; promising liberty and property, but does not tell them how long they should enjoy them; he signifies that they should enjoy everything that was necessary, convenient, and delightful; vines and fig trees are mentioned, because common in Judea, and all had cisterns near them for their use; unless this last clause is to be understood of everyone having their own wives; see Proverbs 5:15 as the other clauses may design the enjoyment of their estates and possessions, without any molestation or infringement of them; see Micah 4:4.
{i} hkrb yta wve "facit mecum benedictionem", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.
{k} ei boulesye euloghyhnai, Sept.