Advanced Commentary

(ex.: John 3:14-18)

Table of Contents Bible Dictionary
Arts
Questions
Resources/Books

Context
32:1 After <0310> these <0428> faithful <0571> deeds were accomplished <0935>, King <04428> Sennacherib <05576> of Assyria <0804> invaded <0935> Judah <03063>. He besieged <02583> the fortified <01219> cities <05892>, intending <0559> to <0413> seize <01234> them. 32:2 When Hezekiah <02396> saw <07200> that <03588> Sennacherib <05576> had invaded <0935> and intended <06440> to attack <05921> <04421> Jerusalem <03389>, 32:3 he consulted <03289> with <05973> his advisers <08269> and military officers <01368> about stopping up <05640> the springs <05869> <04325> outside <02351> the city <05892>, and they supported <05826> him. 32:4 A large number <07227> of people <05971> gathered together <06908> and stopped up <05640> all <03605> the springs <04599> and the stream <05158> that flowed <07857> through <08432> the district <0776>. They reasoned <0559>, “Why <04100> should the kings <04428> of Assyria <0804> come <0935> and find <04672> plenty <07227> of water <04325>?” 32:5 Hezekiah energetically <02388> rebuilt <01129> every <03605> broken <06555> wall <02346>. He erected <05927> towers <04026> and an outer <02351> wall <02346>, and fortified <02388> the terrace <04407> of the City <05892> of David <01732>. He made <06213> many <07230> weapons <07973> and shields <04043>. 32:6 He appointed <05414> military <04421> officers <08269> over <05921> the army <05971> and assembled <06908> them in <0413> the square <07339> at <0413> the city <05892> gate <08179>. He encouraged <03824> <05921> <01696> them, saying <0559>, 32:7 “Be strong <02388> and brave <0553>! Don’t <0408> be afraid <03372> and don’t <0408> panic <02865> because <06440> of the king <04428> of Assyria <0804> and this huge army <01995> that <0834> is with <05973> him! We have with <05973> us one who is stronger <07227> than those who are with <05973> him. 32:8 He has with <05973> him mere human <01320> strength <02220>, but the Lord <03069> our God <0430> is with <05973> us to help <05826> us and fight <03898> our battles <04421>!” The army <05971> was encouraged <05564> by <05921> the words <01697> of King <04428> Hezekiah <02396> of Judah <03063>. 32:9 Afterward <0310> King <04428> Sennacherib <05576> of Assyria <0804>, while attacking <05921> Lachish <03923> with <05973> all <03605> his military <04475> might, sent <07971> his messengers <05650> to Jerusalem <03389>. The message was for <05921> King <04428> Hezekiah <02396> of Judah <03063> and all <03605> the people of Judah <03063> who <0834> were in Jerusalem <03389>. It read: 32:10 “This is what <03541> King <04428> Sennacherib <05576> of Assyria <0804> says <0559>: ‘Why <04100> are you <0859> so confident <0982> that you remain <03427> in Jerusalem <03389> while it is under siege <04692>? 32:11 Hezekiah <02396> says, “The Lord <03068> our God <0430> will rescue <05337> us from the power <03709> of the king <04428> of Assyria <0804>.” But he is misleading <05496> you and you will die <04191> of hunger <07458> and thirst <06772>! 32:12 Hezekiah <02396> is the one who eliminated <05493> the Lord’s high places <01116> and altars <04196> and then told <0559> Judah <03063> and Jerusalem <03389>, “At <06440> one <0259> altar <04196> you must worship <07812> and offer sacrifices <06999>.” 32:13 Are you not <03808> aware <03045> of what <04100> I <0589> and my predecessors <01> have done <06213> to all <03605> the nations <05971> of the surrounding lands <0776>? Have the gods <0430> of the surrounding <03605> lands <0776> actually been able <03201> to rescue <05337> their lands <0776> from my power <03027>? 32:14 Who <04310> among all <03605> the gods <0430> of these <0428> nations <01471> whom <0834> my predecessors <01> annihilated <02763> was able <03201> to rescue <05337> his people <05971> from my power <03027>? 32:15 Now <06258> don’t <0408> let Hezekiah <02396> deceive <05377> you or <0408> mislead <05496> you like this <02063>. Don’t <0408> believe <0539> him, for <03588> no <03808> god <0433> of any <03605> nation <01471> or kingdom <04467> has been able <03201> to rescue <05337> his people <05971> from my power <03027> or the power <03027> of my predecessors <01>. So <0637> how <03588> can your gods <0430> rescue <05337> you from my power <03027>?’” 32:16 Sennacherib’s servants <05650> further <05750> insulted <05921> <01696> the Lord <03068> God <0430> and his servant <05650> Hezekiah <02396>. 32:17 He wrote <03789> letters <05612> mocking <02778> the Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> and insulting <05921> him with these words <0559>: “The gods <0430> of the surrounding nations <01471> could not <03808> rescue <05337> their people <05971> from my power <03027>. Neither <03808> can Hezekiah’s <02396> god <0430> rescue <05337> his people <05971> from my power <03027>.” 32:18 They called <07121> out loudly <01419> <06963> in the Judahite dialect <03066> to <05921> the people <05971> of Jerusalem <03389> who <0834> were on <05921> the wall <02346>, trying to scare <03372> and terrify <0926> them so <04616> they could seize <03920> the <0853> city <05892>. 32:19 They talked <01696> about <0413> the God <0430> of Jerusalem <03389> as if he were one of the man-made <0120> <03027> <04639> gods <0430> of the nations <05971> of the earth <0776>. 32:20 King <04428> Hezekiah <02396> and the prophet <05030> Isaiah <03470> son <01121> of Amoz <0531> prayed <06419> about <05921> this <02063> and cried out <02199> to heaven <08064>. 32:21 The Lord <03068> sent <07971> a messenger <04397> and he wiped out <03582> all <03605> the soldiers <02428> <01368>, princes <05057>, and officers <08269> in the army <04264> of the king <04428> of Assyria <0804>. So Sennacherib returned <07725> home <0776> humiliated <06440> <01322>. When he entered <0935> the temple <01004> of his god <0430>, some of his own sons <04578> sons <03329> struck <05307> him down <05307> with the sword <02719>. 32:22 The Lord <03068> delivered <03467> Hezekiah <02396> and the residents <03427> of Jerusalem <03389> from the power <03027> of King <04428> Sennacherib <05576> of Assyria <0804> and from all <03605> the other nations. He made <05095> them secure <05095> on every side <05439>. 32:23 Many <07227> were bringing <0935> presents <04503> to the Lord <03068> in Jerusalem <03389> and precious gifts <04030> to King <04428> Hezekiah <02396> of Judah <03063>. From that time on <03651> <0310> he was respected <05375> by all <03605> the nations <01471>.

• 2Ch 32:1-23 -- Sennacherib Invades Judah

• Sennacherib

  [ebd] Sin (the god) sends many brothers, son of Sargon, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria (B.C. 705), in the 23rd year of Hezekiah. "Like the Persian Xerxes, he was weak and vainglorious, cowardly under reverse, and cruel...
  

• Jerusalem

  [smith] (the habitation of peace), Jerusalem stands in latitude 31 degrees 46? 35" north and longitude 35 degrees 18? 30" east of Greenwich. It is 32 miles distant from the sea and 18 from the Jordan, 20 from Hebron and 36 from Samar...
  [nave] JERUSALEM Called Jebus, Josh. 18:28; Judg. 19:10; Zion, 1 Kin. 8:1; Zech. 9:13; City of David, 2 Sam. 5:7; Isa. 22:9; Salem, Gen. 14:18; Psa. 76:2; Ariel, Isa. 29:1; City of God, Psa. 46:4; City of the Great King, Psa. 48:2;...
  

• JERUSALEM, 4

  [isbe] JERUSALEM, 4 - IX. History. Pre-Israelite period.--The beginnings of Jerusalem are long before recorded history: at various points in the neighborhood, e.g. at el Bukei`a to the Southwest, and at the northern extremity of th...
  

• JERUSALEM, 1

  [isbe] JERUSALEM, 1 - je-roo'-sa-lem: I. THE NAME 1. In Cuneiform 2. In Hebrew 3. In Greek and Latin 4. The Meaning of Jerusalem 5. Other Names II. GEOLOGY, CLIMATE AND SPRINGS 1. Geology 2. Climate and Rainfall 3. The Natural Spri...
  

• Israel

  [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...
  

• Isaiah

  [ebd] (Heb. Yesh'yahu, i.e., "the salvation of Jehovah"). (1.) The son of Amoz (Isa. 1:1; 2:1), who was apparently a man of humble rank. His wife was called "the prophetess" (8:3), either because she was endowed with the prophetic...
  

• Hezekiah

  [ebd] whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1.) Son of Ahaz (2 Kings 18:1; 2 Chr. 29:1), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B.C. 726-697). The history of this king is contained in 2 Ki...
  [nave] HEZEKIAH 1. King of Judah, 2 Kin. 16:20; 18:1, 2; 1 Chr. 3:13; 2 Chr. 29:1; Matt. 1:9. Religious zeal of, 2 Chr. 29; 30; 31. Purges the nation of idolatry, 2 Kin. 18:4; 2 Chr. 31:1; 33:3. Restores the true forms of worshi...
  

• HEZEKIAH (2)

  [isbe] HEZEKIAH (2) - (chizqiyah, "Yahweh has strengthened"; also written chizqiyahu, "Yah has strengthened him"; Hezekias): One of the greatest of the kings of Judah; reigned (according to the most self-consistent chronology) from...
  

• GODS

  [isbe] GODS - ('elohim; theoi): I. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 1. Superhuman Beings (God and Angels) 2. Judges, Rulers 3. Gods of the Nations 4. Superiority of Yahweh to Other Gods 5. Regulations Regarding the Gods of the Nations 6. Israe...
  

• GARDEN, THE KING'S

  [isbe] GARDEN, THE KING'S - Mention is made of "the king's garden" in 2 Ki 25:4; Jer 39:4; 52:7 (fundamentally the same passage), in connection with the flight of Zedekiah from Jerusalem; and again in Neh 3:15. The last passage sho...
  

• FORTIFICATION; FORT; FORTIFIED CITIES; FORTRESS

  [isbe] FORTIFICATION; FORT; FORTIFIED CITIES; FORTRESS - for-ti-fi-ka'-shun (including): I. IN RECENT EXCAVATIONS 1. Excavation of Tells 2. Sites 3. Primitive Character 4. Walls 5. Towers 6. Acropolis or Castle 7. Masonry 8. Gates ...
  

• FLESH

  [ebd] in the Old Testament denotes (1) a particular part of the body of man and animals (Gen. 2:21; 41:2; Ps. 102:5, marg.); (2) the whole body (Ps. 16:9); (3) all living things having flesh, and particularly humanity as a whole (...
  [isbe] FLESH - @basar, she'er): 1. Etymology: Used in all senses of the word, the latter, however, most frequently in the sense of kin, family, relationship (compare sha'arah, "kins-woman," Lev 18:17): Lev 18:6; 25:49; Prov 11:17; ...
  

• FENCED CITIES

  [ebd] There were in Palestine (1) cities, (2) unwalled villages, and (3) villages with castles or towers (1 Chr. 27:25). Cities, so called, had walls, and were thus fenced. The fortifications consisted of one or two walls, on whic...
  [smith] i.e. cities fortified or defended. The fortifications of the cities of Palestine, thus regularly "fenced," consisted of one or more walls (sometimes of thick stones, sometimes of combustible material), crowned with battlement...
  

• EPISTLE

  [isbe] EPISTLE - e-pis'-'-l (epistole, "a letter," "epistle"; from epistello, "to send to"): 1. New Testament Epistles 2. Distinctive Characteristics 3. Letter-Writing in Antiquity 4. Letters in the Old Testament 5. Letters in the ...
  

• DESTROYER

  [isbe] DESTROYER - de-stroi'-er: In several passages the word designates a supernatural agent of destruction, or destroying angel, executing Divine judgment. (1) In Ex 12:23, of the "destroyer" who smote the first-born in Egypt, ag...
  

• COMPLAINING

  [isbe] COMPLAINING - kom-plan'-ing (tsewachah, "cry," "outcry," siach, "meditation," "complaint"): tsewachah is translated "complaining" (Ps 144:14, the Revised Version (British and American) "outcry," "no complaining (outcry) in o...
  

• COMFORTABLY

  [isbe] COMFORTABLY - kum'-fer-ta-bli (`al lebh, "to the heart"): "To speak to the heart," i.e. to speak kindly, to console, to comfort, is the ordinary Hebrew expression for wooing: e.g. Boaz spake "to the heart" of Ruth (Ruth 2:13...
  

• CAUSE

  [isbe] CAUSE - kos: In both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "for this cause" (the King James Version "cause") occurs in Ex 9:16 as the rendering of ba`abhur zo'th = "in order that"; "to the end...
  

• Assyria

  [nave] ASSYRIA An empire founded by Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-12; Mic. 5:6. It extended from east of the Tigris, Gen. 2:14; 10:11; possibly to Egypt, Gen. 25:18. Its armies invade the land of Israel under Pul, 2 Kin. 15:19; 1 Chr. 5:26; ...
  

• AMOZ

  [isbe] AMOZ - a'-moz (amots, "strong"): The father of Isaiah the prophet (2 Ki 19:2,20; 20:1; 2 Ch 26:22; 32:20,32; Isa 1:1; 2:1; 13:1; 20:2; 37:2,21; 38:1).
  

• Jerusalem Is Saved from Sennacherib

  

• The Death of Sennacherib

  

Back to Commentary Page