2 Chronicles 32:4

4 They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings^[a] of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said.

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2 Chronicles 32:4 in Other Translations

KJV

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?

ESV

4 A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?"

NLT

4 They organized a huge work crew to stop the flow of the springs, cutting off the brook that ran through the fields. For they said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find plenty of water?”

MSG

4 There was a great turnout of people to plug the springs and tear down the aqueduct. They said, "Why should the kings of Assyria march in and be furnished with running water?"

CSB

4 Many people gathered and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land; they said, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?"

2 Chronicles 32:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 32:4

So there was gathered much people together
At the instance of Hezekiah, his nobles and officers:

who stopped all the fountains;
perhaps by laying planks over them, and earth upon them, so that it could not be discerned there were any fountains there:

and the brook that ran through the midst of the land;
which, according to Kimchi, was Gihon, ( 2 Chronicles 32:30 ) , which was near Jerusalem; the stream of this very probably they turned into channels under ground, whereby it was brought into the city into reservoirs there provided, that that might have a supply during the siege, while the enemy was distressed for want of it:

saying, why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?
by which means they would be able to carry on the siege to a great length, when otherwise they would be obliged to raise it quickly: mention is made of kings of Assyria, though there was but one, with whom there might be petty kings, or tributary ones; and, besides, as he boasted, his princes were altogether kings, ( Isaiah 10:8 ) .

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

2 Chronicles 32:4 In-Context

2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem,

3 he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him.

4 They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said.

5 Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.

6 He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words:

Cross References 1

1. S 2 Kings 18:17; 2 Kings 20:20; Isaiah 22:9,11; Nahum 3:14

Footnotes 1

[a]. Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac "king"