xxxvii. 14. _And Hezekiah received the letter, &c._
The armies of Assyria had overthrown the cities of Phœnicia and
Philistia. Samaria had fallen. Many of the strongholds of Judah had
been destroyed. Hezekiah attempted to turn aside the tide of war by
sending a tribute to the conqueror. Like all compromises of unbelief,
this act of submission resulted in increased trial. Sennacherib did
not desire to make peace with Hezekiah. To have left Jerusalem
unsubdued as he advanced towards Egypt would have been impolitic and
unsafe. So he determined to destroy it, and sent a letter full of
boastful arrogance, threats, blasphemy, false insinuations, and
insults to the king.