Ecclesiasticus 37:38

Jerome's Latin Vulgate

Et factum est, cum adoraret in templo Nesroch deum suum, Adramelech et Sarasar, filii ejus, percusserunt eum gladio, fugeruntque in terram Ararat; et regnavit Asarhaddon, filius ejus, pro eo.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Et factum est, cum adoraret in templo Nesroch deum suum, Adramelech et Sarasar, filii ejus, percusserunt eum gladio, fugeruntque in terram Ararat ; et regnavit Asarhaddon, filius ejus, pro eo.

Nova Vulgata (1979)
Et factum est, cum adoraret in templo Nesroch dei sui, Adramelech et Sarasar filii eius percusserunt eum gladio fugeruntque in terram Ararat. Et regnavit Asarhaddon filius eius pro eo.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

his god: Isaiah 37:10, Isaiah 14:9, Isaiah 14:12, Isaiah 36:15, Isaiah 36:18, 2 Kings 19:36, 2 Kings 19:37, 2 Chronicles 32:14, 2 Chronicles 32:19, 2 Chronicles 32:21

Armenia: Heb. Ararat, Genesis 8:4, Jeremiah 51:27

Esarhaddon: Esar-haddon, called Asar-addinus in the Canon of Ptolemy, was the third son of Sennacherib; and having reigned twenty-nine years over the Assyrians, he took advantage of the anarchy and confusion which followed the death of Mesessimordacus, and seized upon Babylon; which he added to his former empire, and reigned over both for thirteen years; when he was succeeded by his son Saosduchinus, am 3336, bc 668. Ezra 4:2

Reciprocal: Exodus 15:7 - them that Judges 9:46 - an hold 1 Kings 18:26 - no voice Nehemiah 9:32 - since the time Job 12:21 - poureth Job 34:20 - a moment Psalms 37:15 - sword Proverbs 16:18 - General Isaiah 7:17 - bring upon Isaiah 8:8 - he shall pass Isaiah 10:33 - lop Isaiah 16:12 - he shall Isaiah 30:33 - for the king Isaiah 31:8 - he shall flee Isaiah 44:17 - Deliver me Isaiah 46:7 - one shall cry Isaiah 52:4 - the Assyrian Jeremiah 50:17 - first Hosea 1:7 - I will Habakkuk 2:18 - profiteth

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god,.... Josephus says z, in his temple, called Arasce; but Nisroch was the name of his deity he worshipped; though who he was is not certain. Jarchi says, in one of their expositions it is said to be נסר, "neser", a plank of the ark of Noah; in Tobit 1:24 a it is called his idol Dagon; according to Hillerus, the word signifies a prince; and with Vitringa, a king lifted up, or glorious, and whom he takes to be the Assyrian Belus, worshipped in the form and habit of Mars:

that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; the former of these had his name from an idol so called, 2 Kings 17:31, which signifies a glorious king; and the other may signify a prince of treasure. Josephus says they were his eldest sons; what should move them to be guilty of this parricide is not known. Jarchi says that he prayed to his god, and vowed, if he would deliver him, that he might not be slain, he would offer up his two sons to him, who standing by, and hearing him, therefore slew him; the reason given for it in the Apocrypha:

"And there passed not five and fifty days, before two of his sons killed him, and they fled into the mountains of Ararath; and Sarchedonus his son reigned in his stead; who appointed over his father's accounts, and over all his affairs, Achiacharus my brother Anael's son.'' (Tobit 1:21)

According to Munster's edition, is, that Sennacherib asked his counsellors and senators why the holy blessed God was so zealous for Israel and Jerusalem, that an angel destroyed the host of Pharaoh, and all the firstborn of Egypt, but the young men the Lord gave them, salvation was continually by their hands; and his wise men and counsellors answered him, that Abraham the father of Israel led forth his son to slay him, that the Lord his God might be propitious to him, and hence it is he is so zealous for his children, and has executed vengeance on thy servants; then, said the king, I will slay my sons; by this means, perhaps, he may be propitious to me, and help me; which word, when it came to Adrammelech and Sharezer, they laid in wait for him, and killed him with the sword at the time he went to pray before Dagon his god:

and they escaped into the land of Armenia; or "Ararat;" on the mountains of which the ark rested, Genesis 8:4. Both the Septuagint version and Josephus say it was Armenia into which he escaped; and Jerom observes, that Ararat is a champaign country in Armenia, through which the river Araxes flows, at the foot of Mount Taurus, whither it is extended. The Targum calls it the land of Kardu; and the Syriac version the land of the Keredeans, which also belonged to Armenia; in these mountainous places they might think themselves most safe:

and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead; whom Josephus calls Assarachoddas; and in Ptolemy's Caron he is named Assaradinus; the same, as some think, whom the Greeks call Sardanapalus; in the Apocrypha:

"And Achiacharus intreating for me, I returned to Nineve. Now Achiacharus was cupbearer, and keeper of the signet, and steward, and overseer of the accounts: and Sarchedonus appointed him next unto him: and he was my brother's son.'' (Tobit 1:22)

he is called Sarchedon, which some take to be the same with Sargon,

Isaiah 20:1.

a I could not verify this reference. Editor. z Ibid. (Antiqu. l. 10. c. 1. sect. 5.)

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As he was worshipping - Perhaps this time was selected because he might be then attended with fewer guards, or because they were able to surprise him without the possibility of his summoning his attendants to his rescue.

In the house - In the temple.

Of Nisroch his god - The god whom he particularly adored. Gesenius supposes that the word ‘Nisroch’ denotes an eagle, or a great eagle. The eagle was regarded as a sacred bird in the Persian religion, and was the symbol of Ormuzd. This god or idol had been probably introduced into Nineveh from Persia. Among the ancient Arabs the eagle occurs as an idol Josephus calls the idol Araskes; the author of the book of Tobit calls it Dagon. Vitringa supposes that it was the Assyrian Bel, and was worshipped under the figure of Mars, the god of war. More probably it was the figure of the eagle, though it might have been regarded as the god of war.

That Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword - What was the cause of this rebellion and parricide is unknown. These two sons subsequently became, in Armenia, the heads of two celebrated families there, the Arzerunii, and the Genunii (see Jos. Ant. x. 1, 5, note).

And they escaped - This would lead us to suppose that it was some private matter which led them to commit the parricide, and that they did not do it with the expectation of succeeding to the crown.

Into the land of Armenia - Hebrew, as Margin, ‘Ararat.’ The Chaldee renders this, ‘The land of קרדוּ qar^edû, that is, Kardi-anum, or, the mountains of the Kurds. The modern Kurdistan includes a considerable part of the ancient Assyria and Media, together with a large portion of Armenia. This expression is generally substituted for Ararat by the Syriac, Chaldee, and Arabic translators, when they do not retain the original word Ararat. It is a region among the mountains of Ararat or Armenia. The Syriac renders it in the same way - ‘Of Kurdoya’ (the Kurds). The Septuagint renders it, ‘Into Armenia.’ Jerome says that ‘Ararat was a champaign region in Armenia, through which the Araxes flowed, and was of considerable fertility.’ Ararat was a region or province in Armenia, near the middle of the country between the Araxes and the lakes Van and Oroomiah. It is still called by the Armenians Ararat. On one of the mountains in this region the ark of Noah rested Genesis 8:4. The name ‘Ararat’ belongs properly to the region or country, and not to any particular mountain. For an account of this region, see Sir R. K. Porter’s Travels, vol. i. pp. 178ff; Smith and Dwight’s Researches in Armenia, vol. ii. pp. 73ff; and Morier’s Second Journey, p. 312. For a very interesting account of the situation of Ararat, including a description of an ascent to the summit of the mountain which besrs that name, see the Bib. Rep. for April, 1836, pp. 390-416. ‘The origin of the name Armenia is unknown. The Armenians call themselves after their fabulous progenitor Haig, and derive the name Armen from the son of Haig, Armenag. They are probably a tribe of the ancient Assyrians; their language and history speak alike in favor of it. Their traditions say also that Haig came from Babylon.’

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 37:38. His sons smote him — What an awful punishment of his blasphemy! Who can harden his neck against God, and be successful? God does not lightly pass by blasphemy against himself, his government, his word, his Son, or his people. Let the profligate take care!