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Texts -- 2 Chronicles 32:7-33 (NET)

Context
32:7 “Be strong and brave ! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of the king of Assyria and this huge army that is with him! We have with us one who is stronger than those who are with him. 32:8 He has with him mere human strength , but the Lord our God is with us to help us and fight our battles !” The army was encouraged by the words of King Hezekiah of Judah . 32:9 Afterward King Sennacherib of Assyria , while attacking Lachish with all his military might, sent his messengers to Jerusalem . The message was for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem . It read: 32:10 “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says : ‘Why are you so confident that you remain in Jerusalem while it is under siege ? 32:11 Hezekiah says, “The Lord our God will rescue us from the power of the king of Assyria .” But he is misleading you and you will die of hunger and thirst ! 32:12 Hezekiah is the one who eliminated the Lord’s high places and altars and then told Judah and Jerusalem , “At one altar you must worship and offer sacrifices .” 32:13 Are you not aware of what I and my predecessors have done to all the nations of the surrounding lands ? Have the gods of the surrounding lands actually been able to rescue their lands from my power ? 32:14 Who among all the gods of these nations whom my predecessors annihilated was able to rescue his people from my power ? 32:15 Now don’t let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this . Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people from my power or the power of my predecessors . So how can your gods rescue you from my power ?’” 32:16 Sennacherib’s servants further insulted the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah . 32:17 He wrote letters mocking the Lord God of Israel and insulting him with these words : “The gods of the surrounding nations could not rescue their people from my power . Neither can Hezekiah’s god rescue his people from my power .” 32:18 They called out loudly in the Judahite dialect to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall , trying to scare and terrify them so they could seize the city . 32:19 They talked about the God of Jerusalem as if he were one of the man-made gods of the nations of the earth . 32:20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven . 32:21 The Lord sent a messenger and he wiped out all the soldiers , princes , and officers in the army of the king of Assyria . So Sennacherib returned home humiliated . When he entered the temple of his god , some of his own sons sons struck him down with the sword . 32:22 The Lord delivered Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem from the power of King Sennacherib of Assyria and from all the other nations. He made them secure on every side . 32:23 Many were bringing presents to the Lord in Jerusalem and precious gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah . From that time on he was respected by all the nations .
Hezekiah’s Shortcomings and Accomplishments
32:24 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness . He prayed to the Lord , who answered him and gave him a sign confirming that he would be healed. 32:25 But Hezekiah was ungrateful ; he had a proud attitude , provoking God to be angry at him, as well as Judah and Jerusalem . 32:26 But then Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem humbled themselves and abandoned their pride , and the Lord was not angry with them for the rest of Hezekiah’s reign . 32:27 Hezekiah was very wealthy and greatly respected . He made storehouses for his silver , gold , precious stones , spices , and all his other valuable possessions . 32:28 He made storerooms for the harvest of grain , wine , and olive oil , and stalls for all his various kinds of livestock and his flocks . 32:29 He built royal cities and owned a large number of sheep and cattle , for God gave him a huge amount of possessions . 32:30 Hezekiah dammed up the source of the waters of the Upper Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the City of David . Hezekiah succeeded in all that he did . 32:31 So when the envoys arrived from the Babylonian officials to visit him and inquire about the sign that occurred in the land , God left him alone to test him, in order to know his true motives . 32:32 The rest of the events of Hezekiah’s reign, including his faithful deeds, are recorded in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz , included in the Scroll of the Kings of Judah and Israel . 32:33 Hezekiah passed away and was buried on the ascent of the tombs of the descendants of David . All the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem buried him with great honor . His son Manasseh replaced him as king .

Pericope

NET
  • 2Ch 32:24-33 -- Hezekiah's Shortcomings and Accomplishments

Bible Dictionary

  • Siege

    [nave] SIEGE Offer of peace must be made to the city before begiing, Deut. 20:10-12. Conducted by erecting embankments parallel to the walls of the besieged city, Deut. 20:19, 20; Isa. 29:3; 37:33. Battering-rams used in, See: Ba...

  • 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...

  • Self-exaltation

    [nave] SELF-EXALTATION. Job 12:3; Ezek. 31:10-14; Obad. 3, 4; Luke 14:7-11; 2 Cor. 10:5, 17, 18; Gal. 6:3; 2 Thess. 2:4 See: Pride; Selfishness; Self-righteousness. Instances of Pharaoh, Ex. 9:17. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num...

  • Seacherib

    [nave] SEACHERIB, king of Assyria. Invades Judah; lays siege to Jerusalem, but abandons the country and returns to Assyria, 2 Kin. 18:17-37; 19:8; 2 Chr. 32:1-23; Isa. 36:37;. Death of, 2 Kin. 19:35-37; Isa. 37:36-38.

  • Prayer

    [ebd] is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching t...
    [nave] PRAYER. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Answer to, Promised; Answered, Instances of Answered; Confession in; Importunity in, Instances of Importunity in; Intercessor...

  • Jerusalem

    [ebd] called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the "city of God," the "holy city;" by the modern Arabs el-Khuds, meaning "the holy;" once "the city of Judah" (2 Chr. 25:28). This name is in the original in the dual form, and means "posses...
    [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;...

  • 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...

  • Infidelity

    [nave] INFIDELITY. Gen. 3:1 v. 4.; Ex. 5:2; Ex. 14:11 v. 12;; Ex. 16:3, 7; Num. 14:27-34; 16:41; 21:5. Ex. 17:7; Num. 15:30 v. 31.; Deut. 29:19, 20 v. 21.; Deut. 32:15; 1 Kin. 20:28; 1 Kin. 22:24; 2 Kin. 2:23 v. 24.; 2 Chr. 30:6, ...

  • 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...

  • Garner

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. 'otsar, a treasure; a store of goods laid up, and hence also the place where they are deposited (Joel 1:17; 2 Chr. 32:27, rendered "treasury"). (2.) Heb. mezev, a cell, storeroom (Ps. 144:13); Gr. apotheke, a place...

  • 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; ...

  • Cotes

    [ebd] pens or enclosures for flocks (2 Chr. 32:28, "cotes for flocks;" R.V., "flocks in folds").

  • Conduit

    [ebd] a water-course or channel (Job 38:25). The "conduit of the upper pool" (Isa. 7:3) was formed by Hezekiah for the purpose of conveying the waters from the upper pool in the valley of Gihon to the west side of the city of Davi...

  • CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF

    [ebd] The two books were originally one. They bore the title in the Massoretic Hebrew Dibre hayyamim, i.e., "Acts of the Days." This title was rendered by Jerome in his Latin version "Chronicon," and hence "Chronicles." In the Sep...
    [isbe] CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF - kron'-i-k'-ls (dibhere ha-yamim, "The Words of the Days"; Septuagint paraleipomenon: 1. The Name 2. The Position of Chronicles in the Old Testament 3. Two Books, or One? 4. The Contents 5. Sources Bibl...

  • BALSAM

    [isbe] BALSAM - bol'-sam (basam, besem; hedusmata; thumiamata): Is usually "spices" but in the Revised Version, margin (Song 5:1,13; 6:2) is rendered as "balsam." It was an ingredient in the anointing oil of the priests (Ex 25:6; 3...

  • 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).

  • AMBASSADOR

    [ebd] In the Old Testament the Hebrew word tsir, meaning "one who goes on an errand," is rendered thus (Josh. 9:4; Prov. 13:17; Isa. 18:2; Jer. 49:14; Obad. 1:1). This is also the rendering of melits, meaning "an interpreter," in ...
    [isbe] AMBASSADOR - am-bas'-a-dor (mal'akh, "messenger"; 'luts, "interpreter"; tsir, "to go"; hence a messenger; presbeuo, "to act as an ambassador," literally, to be older): An ambassador is an official representative of a king or...
    [smith] a person of high rank employed by a government to represent it and transact its business at the seat of government of some other power. The earliest examples of ambassadors employed occur in (Numbers 20:14; 21:21; Judges 11:7...

  • AGRICULTURE

    [isbe] AGRICULTURE - ag'-ri-kul-tur, ag'-ri-kul-chur: I. DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE II. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS AND FERTILITY III. AGRICULTURAL PURSUITS 1. Growing of Grain (1) Plowing and Sowing (2) Reaping (3) Threshing 2. Care of Vi...

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Merodach-baladan ruled as king of Babylon for two terms, 721-710 and 703-702 B.C. The event recorded in these verses evidently took place in 702 B.C.124Hezekiah appears to have let his visitors know the extent of Judah's fina...
  • Chronicles covers a broader period of history than any other Old Testament book. It begins with Adam and ends with Anani who lived eight generations after King Jehoiachin (1 Chron. 3:24). If we allow 25 years for each generat...
  • Even though 1 and 2 Chronicles give one continuous story the emphasis in 2 Chronicles is different from that in 1 Chronicles. In 1 Chronicles the emphasis is the importance of the temple in national life. However in 2 Chronic...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Chronicles)III. The reign of Solomon chs. 1-9A. Solomon's wisdom and prosperity ch. 1B. The building of the temple 2:1-5:11. Preparations for building the temple ch. 22. The temple proper 3:1-93. Th...
  • In a few details this account differs from the one in 2 Kings 18-20 and Isaiah 36-37. It was after Hezekiah's acts of faithfulness that God tested his trust (v. 1). Many of Judah's other good kings had followed God faithfully...
  • Hezekiah fell short to being the perfect Son of David just like all the rest of Judah's monarchs. Yet when his heart did become proud because of God's blessings, he humbled himself (vv. 25-26). Consequently God postponed his ...
  • The texts of the individual psalms do not usually indicate who wrote them.1However some of the titles of the individual psalms do contain information about the writers.2This is the only really reliable information we have as ...
  • Chapters 36-39 conclude the section of the book dealing with the issue of trust by giving historical proof that Yahweh will protect those who trust in Him. In these chapters, King Hezekiah represents the people of Judah.344Th...
  • 38:1 The phrase "In those days"identifies the reign of Hezekiah, the Judean king mentioned in the preceding chapters. Since the Lord added 15 years to Hezekiah's life (v. 5), and since Hezekiah died about 686 B.C.,373the time...
  • 39:1 The phrase "At that time"(cf. 38:1) anticipates a specially significant event and ties it to what preceded in chapter 38. As this verse explains, the events that follow happened after Hezekiah had recovered from his illn...
  • Emphasis now shifts from Assyria to Judah.1:12 Yahweh declared that even though the Assyrians were powerful and numerous, He would cut them off and they would pass off the stage of history. This must have been hard for many I...
  • Luke stressed how the Spirit who had come upon Jesus at His baptism guided and empowered Him in His temptation and how Jesus, God's approved Son, pleased His Father by His obedience. Jesus overcame the devil who opposed God's...
  • 9:20 These three severe judgments (fire, smoke, and brimstone, vv. 17-18) will not move the remaining unbelievers as a whole to repent (cf. Exod. 7:13, 23; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 12, 35; 10:20; 11:10)."In all cases in the apocaly...
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