Of a truth - It is as he has said, that all the nations had been subjected to the arms of the Assyrian. He now intends to add Jerusalem to the number of vanquished cities and kingdoms, and to boast; that he has subdued the nation under the protection of Yahweh, as he had done the nations under the protection of idol-gods.

Have laid waste all, the nations - Hebrew, as Margin, 'All the lands.' But this is evidently an elliptical form of expression, meaning all the inhabitants or people of the lands. In 2 Kings 19:17, it is thus expressed. 'The kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands.'

The nations - הארצות haratsoth, "the lands; "instead of this word, which destroys the sense, ten of Kennicott's and five of De Rossi's MSS. (one ancient) have here גוים goyim, "nations;" which is undoubtedly the true reading, being preserved also in the other copy; 2 Kings 19:17. Another MS. suggests another method of rectifying the sense in this place, by reading מלכם malcam, "their king, "instead of ארצם artsam, "their land;" but it ought to be מלכיהם malcheyhem, "all the countries and their kings."

Of a truth Lord,.... This is a truth and will be readily owned what the king of Assyria has said that his ancestors have destroyed all lands, or at least have endeavoured to do it, and have had it in their hearts to do it:

the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries: or "all the lands and their land" (m); the Targum is,

"all provinces and their lands;''

the countries and town and villages in them, or the chief cities and villages round about them.

(m) "omnes terras, et terram eorum", Pagninus, Montanus; "vel terram inquam eorum", Vatablus.

Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and {m} their countries,

(m) Meaning, the ten tribes.

nations: Heb. lands

18. have laid waste-conceding the truth of the Assyrian's allegation (Isa 36:18-20), but adding the reason, "For they were no gods."

37:1-38 This chapter is the same as 2Ki 19