2 Chronicles 32

Sennacherib Invades Judah

1 After these acts of faithfulness ¹Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged * the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself.

2 Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to make war on Jerusalem,

3 he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside * the city, and they helped him.

4 So many people assembled ²and stopped up all the springs and ³the stream which flowed through the region, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?"

5 And he took courage and ⁴rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and erected towers on it, and built ⁵another outside wall and strengthened the ⁶Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number.

6 He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and ⁷spoke encouragingly * to them, saying,

7 "⁸Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because * of the king of Assyria nor because * of all the horde that is with him; ⁹for the one with us is greater than the one with him.

8 "With him is only ¹⁰an arm of flesh, but ¹¹with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Undermines Hezekiah

9 After this ¹²Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,

10 "Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, 'On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege?

11 'Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, "The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria "?

12 '¹³Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, "You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn incense "?

13 'Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? ¹⁴Were the gods of the nations of the lands able at all to deliver their land from my hand?

14 '¹⁵Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand?

15 'Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for ¹⁶no * god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much * less will your God deliver you from my hand?' "

16 His servants spoke further against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah.

17 He also wrote letters to insult the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, "¹⁷As the gods of the nations of the lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand."

18 ¹⁸They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city.

19 They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of ¹⁹the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men's hands.

Hezekiah's Prayer Is Answered

20 But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven.

21 And the LORD sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned in shame * to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children * killed him there with the sword.

22 So the LORD ²⁰saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.

23 And ²¹many were bringing gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem and choice presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that ²²he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter * *.

24 ²³In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill; and he prayed to the LORD, and the LORD spoke to him and gave him a sign.

25 But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received, ²⁴because his heart was proud; ²⁵therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

26 However, ²⁶Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles,

28 storehouses also for the produce of grain, wine and oil, pens for all kinds of cattle and sheepfolds for the flocks.

29 He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for ²⁷God had given him very great wealth.

30 It was Hezekiah who ²⁸stopped the upper outlet of the waters of ²⁹Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did.

31 Even in the matter of ³⁰the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of ³¹the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only ³²to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

33 So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem ³³honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.

2 Chronicles 32 Commentary

Chapter 32

The invasion of Sennacherib, His defeat. (1-23) Hezekiah's sickness, His prosperous reign, and death. (24-33)

Verses 1-23 Those who trust God with their safety, must use proper means, else they tempt him. God will provide, but so must we also. Hezekiah gathered his people together, and spake comfortably to them. A believing confidence in God, will raise us above the prevailing fear of man. Let the good subjects and soldiers of Jesus Christ, rest upon his word, and boldly say, Since God is for us, who can be against us? By the favour of God, enemies are lost, and friends gained.

Verses 24-33 God left Hezekiah to himself, that, by this trial and his weakness in it, what was in his heart might be known; that he was not so perfect in grace as he thought he was. It is good for us to know ourselves, and our own weakness and sinfulness, that we may not be conceited, or self-confident, but may always live in dependence upon Divine grace. We know not the corruption of our own hearts, nor what we shall do if God leaves us to ourselves. His sin was, that his heart was lifted up. What need have great men, and good men, and useful men, to study their own infirmities and follies, and their obligations to free grace, that they may never think highly of themselves; but beg earnestly of God, that he will always keep them humble! Hezekiah made a bad return to God for his favours, by making even those favours the food and fuel of his pride. Let us shun the occasions of sin: let us avoid the company, the amusements, the books, yea, the very sights that may administer to sin. Let us commit ourselves continually to God's care and protection; and beg of him never to leave us nor forsake us. Blessed be God, death will soon end the believer's conflict; then pride and every sin will be abolished. He will no more be tempted to withhold the praise which belongs to the God of his salvation.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kin 18:13-19, 37; Is 36:1-37:38
• 2. 2 Kings 20:20
• 3. 2 Chronicles 32:30
• 4. 2 Chronicles 25:23
• 5. 2 Kings 25:4
• 6. 1 Kings 9:24
• 7. 2 Chronicles 30:22
• 8. 1 Chronicles 22:13
• 9. 2 Kings 6:16
• 10. Jeremiah 17:5
• 11. 2 Chronicles 20:17
• 12. 2 Kings 18:17
• 13. 2 Chronicles 31:1
• 14. 2 Kings 18:33-35
• 15. Isaiah 10:9-11
• 16. Exodus 5:2; Isaiah 36:18-20; Daniel 3:15
• 17. 2 Chronicles 32:14
• 18. 2 Kings 18:28
• 19. Psalms 115:4-8
• 20. Isaiah 31:5
• 21. 2 Samuel 8:10
• 22. 2 Chronicles 1:1
• 23. 2 Kings 20:1-11; Isaiah 38:1-8
• 24. 2 Chronicles 26:16; 2 Chronicles 32:31
• 25. 2 Chronicles 24:18
• 26. Jeremiah 26:18, 19
• 27. 1 Chronicles 29:12
• 28. 2 Kings 20:20
• 29. 1 Kings 1:33
• 30. 2 Kings 20:12; Isaiah 39:1
• 31. 2 Chronicles 32:24; Isaiah 38:7, 8
• 32. Deuteronomy 8:16
• 33. Psalms 112:6; Proverbs 10:7

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "things and this faithfulness"
• [b]. Lit "said"
• [c]. Lit "his face for war against"
• [d]. Lit "in the midst of the land"
• [e]. Lit "raised on the towers"
• [f]. Lit "upon their hearts"
• [g]. Lit "against"
• [h]. Lit "palm"
• [i]. Lit "Jerusalem, saying,"
• [j]. Lit "offer up in smoke"
• [k]. Lit "who have"
• [l]. Lit "to"
• [m]. Lit "in shame of face"
• [n]. Another reading is "gave them rest"
• [o]. Lit "sick to the point of death"
• [p]. Lit "He"
• [q]. Lit "to him"
• [r]. Lit "high"
• [s]. Lit "humbled himself in"
• [t]. So ancient versions; Heb "flocks for the sheepfolds"
• [u]. Lit "possessions, property"
• [v]. Or "ascent to"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 32

This chapter relates Sennacherib's invasion of the land of Judah, the preparations Hezekiah made to resist him, and the encouragement he gave his people to trust in the Lord, 2Ch 32:1-8 the messages and letters Sennacherib sent to Hezekiah and his subjects, full of arrogance and blasphemy, to solicit them to deliver up Jerusalem to him, 2Ch 32:9-19 the destruction of his army by an angel, and the deliverance of the Jews at the prayers of Hezekiah and Isaiah, 2Ch 32:20-23 the sin Hezekiah fell into after this, and his recovery from a fit of illness; but, upon his humiliation for it, wrath was averted, 2Ch 32:24-26 and the chapter is concluded with an account of his honours, riches, and exploits, and of his death and burial, 2Ch 32:27-33.