2 Chronicles 32:1-5

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

1 After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.

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^[a] 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^[b] of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.

2 Chronicles 32:1-5 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.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 18:13-19; Isaiah 36:1; Isaiah 37:9,17,37
• 2. Isaiah 22:7; Jeremiah 1:15
• 3. S 2 Kings 18:17; 2 Kings 20:20; Isaiah 22:9,11; Nahum 3:14
• 4. 2 Chronicles 25:23; Isaiah 22:10
• 5. 1 Kings 9:24; S 1 Chronicles 11:8
• 6. Isaiah 22:8

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac "king"
• [b]. Or "the Millo"