32:1-23. THE INVASION OF SENNACHERIB.
L  V  1. Sennacherib. Invasion.
    W  2-8 Defense. Preparation.
     X  9-19. Sennacherib. Message and letters.
    W  20. Defense. Prayer.
   V  21-23. Sennacherib. Destruction.

603 B.C.
2 Chronicles 32)

1 After these things (13 years after the events in chapter 31), and [done in] faithfulness thereof, Sennacherib (= sin, the moon, increases brothers) king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to break them up [and annex them] for himself.

2-8. DEFENSE. PREPARATION.
W  w  2-5. Hezekiah. His works.
    x  6-. The People. Captains over them.
   w  -6-8-. Hezekiah. His encouragement.
    x  -8. The People. Confidence.

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 (by covering up the fountain En-rogel [known as "The Virgins Fount"], or Gihon [upper pool], on the east side of Ophel. Discovered by Sir Charles Warren in 1867. This was brought down to the west side of the city by Hezekiah [v.30. Cp. 2 Kings 20:30]. En-rogel was stopped on the east side, and a channel cut through to the lower pool of Gihon on the west, and south to Siloam, a shaft running down to the water beneath Zion: refereed to in Ps. 46:4. This is contrasted with the Assyrian host, which is compared in the previous verse to raging waters. Isaiah refers to these works [Isa. 22:9-11): and they did help him.
4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the overflow (i.e. Gihon, which frequently did so) that ran through the midst of the land, saying, "Why should the great king 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 (see 2 Sam. 5:9. 1 Kings 11:27. 1 Chron. 11:8), 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 broad place of the gate of the city,

and spoke comfortably to them, saying, (Cp. Isa. 40:2)
7 "Be strong and courageous (see Deut. 31:6. Josh. 10:25), be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him (compared to raging waters [Ps. 46:2,3): for there be more with us than with him: (with us, with him, with him, with us. Cp. 2 Kings 6:16)
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.

32:9-19. SENNACHERIB. MESSAGE AND LETTERS.
X  y  9. Sennacherib's servants.
    z  a  10-12. Hezekiah's weakness.     Railing message.
        b  13-15. Sennacherib's strength.        "
   y  16. Sennacherib's servants.
    z   b  17. Sennacherib's strength.    Riling letters.
       a  18,19. Hezekiah's weakness.           "

9 After this (omitting this account of the surrender of 2 Kings 18:14-16) did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem (cp. 2 Kings 18:17-37; 19:1-35. Isa. 10:8-11; 38; 37), (but he himself laid siege against Lachish (a difficult task, for Rab-shakeh found Sennacherib had abandoned the siege [2 Kings 19:8]. Joshua had found it the same [see note on "second day", Josh. 10:31,32]. In Jer. 34:7 it still belonged to Judah), and all his royal retinue with him,) to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

10 "Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, 'Whereon do you confide (note Hezekiah's "trust in Yehovah" in his Songs of degrees [121:3; 125:1-3; 127:1; 130:5-8), that you abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, 'The Lord our God shall rescue us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?'
12 Has not the same Hezekiah (contrast Ahaz [28:22]) 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 to all the peoples 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 my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my 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 my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?' "

16 And his servants spoke yet more against the Lord the [true] God, and against His servant Hezekiah.

17 He wrote also letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel (it is this railing which is refereed to in Hezekiah's "Songs of the degrees" : e.g. Pss. 120:2,3; 123:3,4; 129:5-7), and to speak against Him, saying, "As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver His people out of my hand."

18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech to the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.
19 And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem (a remarkable title used by heathen), as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of mankind.

20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried (this is what Hezekiah refers to in his "Songs of the degrees [Pss. 120:1; 123:1-3; 130:1,2]. Cp. Isa. 38:10-20. 2 Kings 19:15-19; 20:2,3. One of the few O.T. instances of united prayer) to heaven. (Put for God Himself. "Heaven" used here because the prayer was made to God, as "the Maker of heaven and earth" [2 Kings 19:15. Isa. 37:16]. This is referred to in Pss. 121:1,2; 123:1; 124:8])

21 And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land (see Ps. 129:4,5). 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. (his own sons. The phrase only occurs here. See 2 Kings 19:37)
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 to the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah (this explains v.27, and tells us how he could show treasures to the ambassadors from Babylon [2 Kings 20:13. Isa. 39:1,2], after he has stripped himself for Sennacherib in 2 Kings 18:15): so that he was magnified in the sight of all the nations from thenceforth.

32:24-31. PERSONAL. SICKNESS.
K  c  24. Sickness.
    d  25,26. Transgression. Ingratitude.
   c  27-30. Prosperity.
    d  31. Transgression. Pride.

603-588
24 In those days (while Sennacherib's host was still surrounding Jerusalem. This is a brief summary of what is described in 2 Kings 20 and Isaiah 38) Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed to the Lord: and He spoke to him, and He gave him a sign. (Recorded in 2 Kings 20:1-11. The going back of the shadow on the sun-dial of Ahaz 10 degrees, which caused him to give the title of the 15 "Songs of the degrees" [Pss. 120-134])

25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done to 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 lifting up 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.
27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and (12 "ands" emphasizing his acts in vv.27-30. 12 = governmental perfection.) 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 new wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and enclosures 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 (See. vv.3,4. and 2 Kings 20:20). And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon (this is the 1st occurrence of the name in association with Judah), who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land (cp. v.24. 2 Kings 20:10,11. Isa. 38:7,8), 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 kindness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet (see Isa. 36-39), the son of Amoz, and following upon the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers (see Deut. 31:16), and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchers of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

Next page

Home