2 Chronicles 32:17-27

17 He also wrote letters to insult the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, "¹As 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 ²They 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 ³the 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 ⁴saved 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 ⁵many were bringing gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem and choice presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that ⁶he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter * *.

24 ⁷In 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, ⁸because his heart was proud; ⁹therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

26 However, ¹⁰Hezekiah 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,

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2 Chronicles 32:17-27 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 10

1. 2 Chronicles 32:14
2. 2 Kings 18:28
3. Psalms 115:4-8
4. Isaiah 31:5
5. 2 Samuel 8:10
6. 2 Chronicles 1:1
7. 2 Kings 20:1-11; Isaiah 38:1-8
8. 2 Chronicles 26:16; 2 Chronicles 32:31
9. 2 Chronicles 24:18
10. Jeremiah 26:18, 19

Footnotes 9

[a]. Lit "who have"
[b]. Lit "to"
[c]. Lit "in shame of face"
[d]. Another reading is "gave them rest"
[e]. Lit "sick to the point of death"
[f]. Lit "He"
[g]. Lit "to him"
[h]. Lit "high"
[i]. Lit "humbled himself in"