Isaiah 37:33

“Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, &c.] The issue of his expedition, and the fruitfulness of it; how vain his attempts would be, and how successless in this undertaking: he shall not come into this city; shall not enter into it, and take possession of it, though so sure of it; or, “shall not come unto itf724”; for some think he never was any nearer it than Libnah, from whence he sent his letters to Hezekiah, (<233708>Isaiah 37:8, 9), nor shoot an arrow there; neither he nor his archers, so as to annoy or kill anyone person in it: nor come before it with shields; or, “with a shield”; that is, he himself with one; otherwise his army under Rabshakeh was before it with…”

“with shields--He did come near it, but was not allowed to conduct a proper siege. bank--a mound to defend the assailants in attacking the walls.”

“He shall not come into this city - Sennacherib encamped probably on the northeast side of the city, and his army was destroyed there (see the notes at Isaiah 10:28 ff.) Nor shoot an arrow there - That is, nor shoot an arrow within the walls of the city. Nor come before it with shields - (See the note at Isaiah 21:5). The meaning here is, that the army should not be permitted to come before the city defended with shields, and prepared with the means of attack and defense. Nor cast a bank against it - A mound; a pile of earth thrown up in the manner of a fort to defend the assailants, or to give them an advantage in attacking the walls. Sieges were conducted by throwing up banks or…”

“37:33 armies . . . arrow . . . shields . . . banks of earth: Despite their advanced military technology and great power, the Assyrians would not succeed against Jerusalem.”

“He: Isa 8:7-10, Isa 10:32-34, Isa 17:12, Isa 17:14, Isa 33:20; Kg2 19:32-35 shields: Heb. shield cast: Eze 21:22; Luk 19:43, Luk 19:44 Isaiah 37:34”

“The prophecy concerning the protection of Jerusalem becomes more definite in the last turn than it ever has been before. "Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the king of Asshur, He will not enter into this city, nor shoot off an arrow there; nor do they assault it with a shield, nor cast up earthworks against it. By the way by which he came (K. will come) will he return; and he will not enter into this city, saith Jehovah. And I shield this city (על, K. אל), to help it, for mine own sake, and for the sake of David my servant." According to Hitzig, this conclusion belongs to the later reporter, on account of its "suspiciously definite character." Knobel, on the other hand, sees no reason…”