11. Ye made . . . a ditch--rather, "Ye shall make a reservoir" for
receiving the water. Hezekiah surrounded Siloah, from which the old
(or king's, or upper) pool took its rise, with a wall joined to the wall
of Zion on both sides; between these two walls he made a new pool, into
which he directed the waters of the former, thus cutting off the foe
from his supply of water also. The opening from which the upper pool
received its water was nearer Zion than the other from which the lower
pool took its rise, so that the water which flowed from the former could
easily be shut in by a wall, whereas that which flowed from the latter
could only be brought in by subterranean conduits (compare
see on
Isa 22:9;
Isa 7:3;
2Ki 20:20;
2Ch 32:3-5, 30;
Ecclesiasticus 48:17). Both were southwest of Jerusalem.
have not looked . . . neither had respect--answering by contrast to
"Thou didst look to the armor, ye have seen
('had respect', or 'regard to') the breaches"
(Isa 22:8, 9).
maker thereof--God, by whose command and aid these defenses were made,
and who gave this fountain "long ago." G. V. SMITH
translates, "Him who
doeth it," that is, has brought this danger on you--"Him who hath
prepared it from afar," that is, planned it even from a distant time.
JFB.
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