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Commentary on 2 Chronicles 32 verses 9–23
This story of the rage and blasphemy of Sennacherib, Hezekiah's prayer, and the deliverance of Jerusalem by the destruction of the Assyrian army, we had more at large in the book of Kings, 2 Kings 18 and 19. It is contracted here, yet large enough to show these three things: -
I. The impiety and malice of the church's enemies. Sennacherib has his hands full in besieging Lachish (Ch2 32:9), but hears that Hezekiah is fortifying Jerusalem and encouraging his people to stand it out; and therefore, before he come in person to besiege it, he sends messengers to make speeches, and he himself writes letters to frighten Hezekiah and his people into a surrender of the city. See, 1. His great malice against the king of Judah, in endeavouring to withdraw his subjects from their allegiance to him. He did not treat with Hezekiah as a man of honour would have done, nor propose fair terms to him, but used mean and base artifices, unbecoming a crowned head, to terrify the common people and persuade them to desert him. he represented Hezekiah as one who designed to deceive his subjects into their ruin and betray them to famine and thirst (Ch2 32:11), as one who had done them great wrong and exposed them already to the divine displeasure by taking away the high places and altars (Ch2 32:12), and who, against the common interest of his people, held out against a force that would certainly be their ruin, Ch2 32:15. 2. His great impiety against the God of Israel, the God of Jerusalem he is called (Ch2 32:19), because that was the place he had chosen to put his name there, and because that was the place which was now threatened by the enemy and which the divine Providence had under its special protection. This proud blasphemer compared the great Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth, with the dunghill gods of the nations, the work of men's hands, and thought him no more able to deliver his worshippers than they were to deliver theirs (Ch2 32:19), as if an infinite and eternal Spirit had no more wisdom and power than a stone or the stock of a tree. He boasted of his triumphs over the gods of the nations, that they could none of them protect their people (Ch2 32:13-15), and thence inferred not only, How shall your God deliver you? (Ch2 32:14), but, as if he were inferior to them all, How much less shall your God deliver you? as if he were less able to help than any of them. Thus did they rail, rail in writing (which, being more deliberate, is so much the worse), on the Lord God of Israel, as if he were a cipher and an empty name, like all the rest, Ch2 32:17. Sennacherib, in the instructions he gave, said more than enough; but, as if his blasphemies had been too little, his servants, who learned insolence from their master, spoke yet more than he bade them against the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah, Ch2 32:16. And God resents what is said against his servants, and will reckon for it, as well as what is said against himself. All this was intended to frighten the people from their hope in God, which David's enemies sought to take him off from (Psa 11:1; Psa 42:10), saying, There is no help for him in God, Psa 3:2; Psa 71:11. Thus they hoped to take the city by weakening the hands of those that should defend it. Satan, in his temptations, aims to destroy our faith in God's all-sufficiency, knowing that he shall gain his point if he can do that; as we keep our ground if our faith fail not, Luk 22:32.
II. The duty as well as the interest of the church's friends, and that is in the day of distress to pray and cry to Heaven. So Hezekiah did, and the prophet Isaiah, Ch2 32:20. It was a happy time when the king and the prophet joined thus in prayer. Is any troubled? Is any terrified? Let him pray. So we engage God for us; so we encourage ourselves in him. Praying to God is here called crying to Heaven, because we are, in prayer, to eye him as our Father in heaven, whence he beholds the children of men, and where he has prepared his throne.
III. The power and goodness of the church's God. He is able both to control his enemies, be they ever so high, and to relieve his friends, be they ever so low.
1.As the blasphemies of his enemies engage him against them (Deu 32:27), so the prayers of his people engage him for them. They did so here. (1.) The army of the Assyrians was cut off by the sword of an angel, which triumphed particularly in the slaughter of the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains, who defied the sword of any man. God delights to abase the proud and secure. The Targum says, The Word of the Lord (the eternal Word) sent Gabriel to do this execution, and that it was done with lightning, and in the passover night: that was the night in which the angel destroyed the first-born of Egypt. But that was not all. (2.) The king of the Assyrians, having received this disgrace, was cut off by the sword of his own sons. Those that came forth of his own bowels slew him, Ch2 32:21. Thus was he mortified first, and then murdered - shamed first, and then slain. Evil pursues sinners; and, when they escape one mischief, they run upon another unseen.
2.By this work of wonder, (1.) God was glorified, as the protector of his people. Thus he saved Jerusalem, not only from the hand of Sennacherib, but from the hand of all others, Ch2 32:22; for such a deliverance as this was an earnest of much mercy in store; and he guided them, that is, he guarded them, on every side. God defends his people by directing them, shows them what they should do, and so saves them from what is designed or done against them. For this many brought gifts unto the Lord, when they saw the great power of God in the defence of his people. Strangers were thereby induced to supplicate his favour and enemies to deprecate his wrath, and both brought gifts to his temple, in token of their care and desire. (2.) Hezekiah was magnified as the favourite and particular care of Heaven. Many brought presents to him (Ch2 32:22, Ch2 32:23), in token of the honour they had for him, and to make an interest in him. By the favour of God enemies are lost and friends gained.
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SUMMARY
2 Chronicles 32:10 captures the audacious and psychologically potent taunt delivered by Sennacherib, the formidable king of Assyria, to King Hezekiah and the beleaguered inhabitants of Jerusalem. This verse encapsulates a pivotal moment of confrontation, where the overwhelming might of a global empire challenges the very foundation of Jerusalem's confidence and resilience amidst an inescapable siege, aiming to demoralize them into a swift surrender without a direct and costly military engagement.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Sennacherib's declaration in 2 Chronicles 32:10 is masterfully crafted, employing several potent literary devices to achieve its intimidating effect. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, "Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?" This is not a genuine inquiry seeking an answer, but a powerful persuasive technique designed to make the audience introspectively question their own convictions and the efficacy of their chosen object of trust. It functions primarily as a Taunt, a mocking and derisive challenge intended to demoralize and intimidate the besieged inhabitants. By posing the question, Sennacherib implicitly assumes the answer is "nothing sufficient" or "something foolish," thereby strategically undermining the morale and resolve of the people. There is also a profound layer of Irony, though its full impact is only revealed in the subsequent narrative. Sennacherib's question, intended to expose the futility of Judah's trust, ultimately serves to highlight the true and ultimately victorious object of their trust—God—who miraculously delivers them, transforming Sennacherib's arrogant boast into an unwitting testament to divine power. Overall, this entire interaction is a classic example of Psychological Warfare, where words are precisely wielded as weapons, aiming to break the enemy's spirit and will to resist before any physical assault is even necessary.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Sennacherib's taunt in 2 Chronicles 32:10 serves as a profound theological touchstone, exposing the perennial tension between human self-reliance and divine dependence. The Assyrian king, embodying worldly power, arrogance, and a reliance on material might, directly challenges the very concept of trusting in an unseen God when faced with overwhelming physical force. This dramatic scenario compels the people of God, and by extension, believers across all generations, to critically examine the true object and nature of their faith. Is our confidence ultimately placed in our own strength, our accumulated resources, our strategic alliances, or in the sovereign power and unwavering faithfulness of the Almighty? The subsequent narrative of God's miraculous and decisive deliverance of Jerusalem powerfully underscores that true security and ultimate victory are found not in human might or ingenuity, but solely in the Lord who actively fights for His people. This historical event provides an enduring testimony to God's unparalleled ability to deliver His people from seemingly insurmountable odds, thereby profoundly reaffirming His covenant faithfulness and His absolute sovereignty over all earthly powers.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Sennacherib's taunt, "Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?", resonates powerfully through the corridors of time, confronting believers with a timeless and deeply personal question about the very foundation of their hope and security. In our own lives, we inevitably find ourselves facing various forms of "siege"—whether they manifest as overwhelming financial crises, debilitating health battles, fractured relational conflicts, or intense spiritual attacks. In such moments of profound pressure and vulnerability, the "voice of Sennacherib" (emanating from external pressures, insidious internal doubts, or the relentless accusations of the enemy) often rises to question our resolve and the efficacy of our faith. This verse calls us to a deeper, more honest introspection: What is the true, ultimate object of our trust when all human options and resources seem utterly exhausted? Is it our intellect, our material possessions, our influential connections, or is it the living, sovereign God? The compelling narrative of Hezekiah and Jerusalem serves as a potent reminder that our ultimate security is not found in the absence of a siege, but in the unwavering, powerful, and delivering presence of God within the siege. It challenges us to actively resist the psychological warfare of fear, doubt, and despair, to stand firm on the immutable promises of God, and to perpetually remember that the battle, ultimately, belongs to the Lord.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was Sennacherib's ultimate goal with this taunt, and why did he choose this method?
Answer: Sennacherib's ultimate goal with this taunt was to achieve a swift, decisive victory over Jerusalem without incurring the significant costs, casualties, and logistical challenges of a prolonged, direct military assault. His taunt was a meticulously calculated act of psychological warfare, designed to systematically demoralize the inhabitants of Jerusalem, undermine their faith in King Hezekiah's leadership and, crucially, their trust in their God. By sowing deep seeds of fear, despair, and division, he aimed to break their collective will to resist, believing that if their confidence was shattered, their physical defenses would soon crumble, leading to a voluntary surrender. This tactic was a hallmark of Assyrian military strategy, which often prioritized intimidating rhetoric and a fearsome reputation to secure submission, thereby avoiding the resource-intensive and unpredictable nature of direct sieges. The taunt was intended to highlight the perceived futility of their resistance against the overwhelming and seemingly unstoppable might of the Assyrian Empire, forcing them to concede defeat before any further bloodshed.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Sennacherib's taunt, with its pointed questioning of Jerusalem's trust in the face of an overwhelming siege, finds its profound and ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While ancient Jerusalem placed its trust in the Lord for physical deliverance from an earthly king and a military threat, the New Testament reveals Jesus as the supreme and eternal object of our trust, offering deliverance from a far greater and more pervasive "siege"—that of sin, spiritual death, and the oppressive power of the devil. The fallen world, much like Sennacherib, frequently questions the very foundation of our faith, often mocking our reliance on an unseen God, especially during times of profound suffering, apparent weakness, or societal pressure. Yet, Jesus is uniquely identified as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the very one in whom all the magnificent promises of God find their definitive "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). Hezekiah courageously pointed to God's strength against the Assyrian threat, but Christ is the very power of God and the wisdom of God, who, through His victorious crucifixion and glorious resurrection, decisively triumphed over all spiritual principalities and powers, disarming them and making a public spectacle of them (Colossians 2:15). Our "abiding in the siege" of this fallen world is therefore not predicated on a futile or uncertain hope, but on the absolutely secure and unshakeable foundation of Christ's finished work, His indwelling resurrection power, and the certain promise of His eternal kingdom, a city whose builder and maker is God. He is our ultimate refuge, our impregnable fortress, and our eternal strength, the one in whom we can truly and eternally trust, for He has definitively overcome the world and secured our ultimate victory.