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2 Chronicles 32

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Sennacherib Invades Judah 1–8

1
After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. ​
2
And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
3
He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him. ​
4
So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
5
Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance. ​
6
And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
7
Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: ​
8
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. ​

Sennacherib Mocks Yahweh 9–19

9
After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, ​
10
Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
11
Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
12
Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it? ​
13
Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?
14
Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
15
Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
16
And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.
17
He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. ​
18
Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.
19
And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.

God Delivers Jerusalem 20–23

20
And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. ​
21
And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. ​
22
Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side. ​
23
And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

Hezekiah’s Illness and Pride 24–26

24
In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign. ​
25
But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. ​
26
Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. ​

Hezekiah's Wealth, Works, and Death 27–33

27
And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels; ​
28
Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
29
Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
30
This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. ​
31
Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. ​
32
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33
And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 32

Verse 1

the establishment thereof — 'Establishment' is emeth, truth, the word of 31:20, 'good and right and truth'. The invasion came after the reforms, in 'the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah' (2 Kgs 18:13). 'Win' is baqa', to break open or breach: Sennacherib thought to split the fenced cities and take them for himself.

Verse 3

to stop the waters of the fountains — Hezekiah took counsel with his princes and mighty men, and 'they did help him' (azar, the verb of 'to help us' in v.8). The people joined, saying, 'Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?' (v.4). Isa 22:9–11 describes the same preparations, and adds, 'ye have not looked unto the maker thereof'.

Verse 5

he strengthened himself — The verb is chazaq, used for 'repaired' in 29:3, 'encouraged' in 31:4, 'repaired Millo' here and 'Be strong' in v.7. The wall that was 'broken' (parats, breached) was rebuilt up to the towers, with a second wall outside. Millo is in the city of David (2 Sam 5:9), and Solomon had built it (1 Kgs 9:24).

Verse 7

Be strong and courageous — Chazaq and amats, the pair of words in the LORD'S charge to Joshua, 'Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed' (Josh 1:9). The reason Hezekiah gives is stated in the same terms as Elisha's, 'they that be with us are more than they that be with them' (2 Kgs 6:16).

Verse 8

an arm of flesh — Jer 17:5 names the opposite choice: 'Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm'. 'To help us' is azar, as in v.3. The words echo Jehoshaphat's day, 'the battle is not yours, but God's' (2 Chr 20:15). 'Rested themselves' is camak, to lean or rest upon.

Verse 9

he himself laid siege against Lachish — Sennacherib stayed at Lachish and sent his servants to Jerusalem; 2 Kgs 18:17 names them, 'Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh', with 'a great host'. Micah says of Lachish that 'she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion' (Mic 1:13).

Verse 12

Ye shall worship before one altar — The envoy turns Hezekiah's reform into a charge against him, as 2 Kgs 18:22 records: 'is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away'. The Law itself restricts offerings to 'the place which the LORD shall choose' (Deut 12:13–14), which is what Hezekiah had enforced.

Verse 17

letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel — 'Rail' is charaph, to reproach, the verb of Hezekiah's message to Isaiah in 2 Kgs 19:4, 'to reproach the living God'. The letter itself is named in Isa 37:14: 'Hezekiah received the letter … and spread it before the LORD'. The boast, 'Have the gods of the nations delivered them' (2 Kgs 19:12), is the same.

Verse 20

Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried — The two verbs are palal, to pray, and za'aq, to cry out. In 2 Kgs 19:2–4 the king sends to Isaiah, asking him to 'lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left', and Hezekiah's own prayer over the letter follows in Isa 37:15–20.

Verse 21

the LORD sent an angel — Isaiah records the number, 'a hundred and fourscore and five thousand' (Isa 37:36), where here the loss is of 'mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains'. 'Cut off' is kachad, to destroy. The LORD had said, 'I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land' (Isa 37:7); his sons killed him in the house of his god (Isa 37:38).

Verse 22

guided them on every side — Nahal, to lead gently, as a shepherd leads, is the verb of 'he leadeth me beside the still waters' (Ps 23:2) and 'lead me, and guide me' (Ps 31:3). The LORD had said of the city, 'I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake' (Isa 37:35).

Verse 24

sick to the death, and prayed — The sickness is told in Isa 38 and 2 Kgs 20. The 'sign' is mopheth, the shadow brought back 'ten degrees backward … in the dial of Ahaz' (2 Kgs 20:11). It is the same word as the 'wonder' of v.31 about which the Babylonian ambassadors enquired.

Verse 25

his heart was lifted up — Gabah, to be high, is the verb used of Uzziah, 'his heart was lifted up to his destruction' (2 Chr 26:16). The 'benefit' (gemul) is the good done to him, which, as the verse says, Hezekiah 'rendered not again'. The wrath fell on 'Judah and Jerusalem' too, not on him alone.

Verse 26

humbled himself for the pride of his heart — Kana', to humble, is the same verb used of Manasseh's repentance (2 Chr 33:12) and of Josiah (2 Chr 34:27). 'Pride' (gobah) is of the same root as 'lifted up' in v.25. Jeremiah recalls the result: Hezekiah 'besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil' (Jer 26:19).

Verse 27

riches and honour — The same pair is given to Jehoshaphat, 'riches and honour in abundance' (2 Chr 17:5). Proverbs says, 'The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it' (Prov 10:22). Isa 39:2 lists the same silver, gold and spices among the things Hezekiah showed to the Babylonian messengers.

Verse 30

the upper watercourse of Gihon — 'Watercourse' is motsa, a going-forth or source. Hezekiah stopped it and 'brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David'. 2 Kgs 20:20 says he 'made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city'. 'Prospered' is tsalach, the verb of 31:21, 'and prospered'.

Verse 31

God left him, to try him — 'Try' is nasah, to prove, the verb of Gen 22:1, 'God did tempt Abraham', and of Deut 8:2, 'to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart'. Here the purpose is 'that he might know all that was in his heart'. The messengers came from Merodachbaladan, who 'sent letters and a present' (Isa 39:1).

Verse 33

the chiefest of the sepulchres — 'Chiefest' is ma'aleh, which means an ascent or upper part, and the verse places Hezekiah in that part of the burial places of the sons of David. 'Honour' is kabod, the word of 'riches and honour' in v.27. 'Manasseh his son reigned in his stead' leads into chapter 33.