2 Chronicles 32: 1 – 33
The Divine Warrior
32 After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him. 4 Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?” 5 And he strengthened himself, built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired the Millo in the City of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. 6 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying, 7 “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9 After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10 “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? 11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, “The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on it”? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 15 Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’ ” 16 Furthermore, his servants spoke against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 He also wrote letters to revile the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” 18 Then they called out with a loud voice in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might take the city. 19 And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth—the work of men’s hands. 20 Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven. 21 Then the LORD sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So, he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there. 22 Thus the LORD saved 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 many brought gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter. 24 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore, wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items; 28 storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for flocks. 29 Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much property. 30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31 However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart. 32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 So Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
There comes time in our lives when we feel like we are alone in fighting for our lives. Our Holy King and Master Jesus Christ has promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. So, instead of thinking God has abandoned you to suffer defeat, the truth is that He Is fighting for you at all times.
In both testaments the word salvation has the connotation of deliverance…there is a problem, a tension, a struggle that we are in that we need rescued from. We need help from the outside by One more powerful than ourselves. In the Bible salvation and deliverance are thought of in terms of present-day physical circumstances (enemies surrounding me and trying to take my life) as well as spiritual circumstances (our need for deliverance from sin and death).
One of the metaphors for God in scripture is God as the Divine Warrior. He Is the One Who Is fighting on our behalf to bring deliverance, rescue, and salvation from the perils we face in life.
He Is a great warrior coming to battle on our behalf. He has the power and authority to overcome any who oppose Him (even sin and death – (1 Corinthians 15:24-28, 50-58).
The whole point is that it is God who wins the victories for us in both the physical and spiritual realm. Obviously, God doesn’t need a sword, shield or bow to fight against sin and death or any of the struggles we are facing but the point is the same. He Is powerful. He Is interested in our finding success and victory through Him. We will gain the victory only because God was on our side fighting for us.
Psalm 124 speaks to us about this truth.
“1 If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel say- 2 if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, 3 when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; 4 the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, 5 the raging waters would have swept us away. 6 Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. 7 We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
We find this truth in the New Testament as well. In the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we find Him bringing salvation and deliverance to several circumstances. What is interesting is that emphasis has been focused exclusively on salvation about getting to heaven that we have missed the point that salvation is just as much about God working in the here and now to make things right.
Translations like the NIV often use words like “heal” where the underlying meaning has a lot to do with being rescued. For instance, in Luke 8:48 he tells the woman who had been bleeding for years that her faith has “healed her.” That same verb can be translated “save” or “to bring salvation to.” In other words, our Master and King Jesus Is saying there is more happening here than just her body feeling better. He is saying that He Is bringing restoration to her and making her more in line with how God intended for her to be.
It is important for us as Christians to realize that God Is ready and able to work in our lives in a significant way. When God answers our prayers for healing we should realize there is more going on there than just I was feeling bad and now I feel good. God Is working on our behalf, fighting for us in ways that we cannot comprehend. Even more so when it comes to sin and forgiveness. Somehow, we are more amazed at an illness healed than a sin forgiven. We get more awestruck by cancer that has vanished than we do a lost person who is found. Both are significant, and both should continue to amaze us because in both instances we realize that it only happens because God is fighting for us in a way just as significant as the way he fought against the Egyptians or Jericho or Goliath. The point is the same. Victory only comes through his name (Acts 4:12).
If we ever have a doubt about the power and authority of God let us remind ourselves that those who had first hand experiences and conversations with him often depicted him as a mighty warrior with all power and authority.
So, as we venture through this amazing chapter I want you to put on your thinking caps and come up with the various ways our Great and Mighty Warrior saved His people.
This remarkable story, which occurred in 701 BC. Even the faithful Hezekiah is not safe from invasion. But the account is written in such a way as to bring out that because of his faithfulness YHWH delivered him. To a faithful king God shows Himself faithful.
A lot of information is glossed over are the sufferings of Judah. It was true that Jerusalem escaped the terrible aftermaths of a siege, but the remainder of Judah was not so lucky. As Sennacherib advanced he took city after city, and we can only imagine what vengeance he wreaked. In his own account of the invasions he declares that ‘forty-six cities of Judah I besieged and took and shut up Hezekiah like a caged bird in Jerusalem.’ But while this confirms the fact that Jerusalem was never subdued, it also brings out at what a cost it was to Judah in terms of slaughter and misery. Judah, if not Jerusalem, was ravaged. But the aim is not to give a full account of history but to demonstrate the triumph of God.
The chapter begins with the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, and his intention to take the fortified cities of Judah, and this despite the faithfulness of Hezekiah. Chronicles will justify this by bringing out the fact that YHWH delivered Jerusalem. It ignores the terrible sufferings of Judah, which to us are a reminder of the evil that is in the world, and of the fact that God does often allow His people to suffer before delivering them.
This opening section stresses the attempts to restrict the water that would be available to the Assyrian army. In such hot countries a good supply of water was a necessity for invading armies, and its lack could cause dissension and intense suffering to the invaders. Hezekiah appears to have laid great stress on water supplies, for he would also build a remarkable tunnel which would bring water into Jerusalem, a tunnel which is still accessible today.
32 After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself.
It is unexpected by us that faithfulness results in invasion. As the people would have fled into these cities on the approach of the invaders it gives the impression that they were safe behind strong walls. The truth was very different. The cities were taken, and severe reprisals would have been carried out against those who had sought refuge within them. It brings out that history is cruel, and that even in deliverance God’s people can suffer dreadfully.
2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him.
On the approach of Sennacherib Hezekiah spoke with his advisers and planned to restrict the water supply available to Sennacherib’s army around Jerusalem. They planned to block the springs that were outside the city and could thus supply water to their enemies, and this is what they proceeded to do. This is clearly seen as an indication of Hezekiah’s enterprise, counting in his favor. Isaiah, on the other hand, deprecated the fact that while they did such things they failed to trust in YHWH as they should (Isaiah 22.9-11). It was good to take precautions, but not if it removed their recognition of their dependence on YHWH.
4 Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?”
The people rallied to Hezekiah’s call and gathered together and went out and stopped up the springs and blocked the wadi which ran through the midst of the land, seeking to deny water to the troops of the kings of Assyria. No armies could linger long without water.
5 And he strengthened himself, built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired the Millo in the City of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
To start building up the walls and raising up the towers was an open act of defiance. They had presumably been breached in the days of Ahaz and left like that as a token of submission and non-resistance. It indicated Hezekiah’s determination to fight and not to yield, this is why it took courage. Once he had done this he had made it clear to Sennacherib that he would have no easy victory.
The Assyrians worked to a graded plan. If a king yielded, he was called on to pay tribute (as Ahaz had done). If he rebelled and had to be again subdued the tribute required was much heavier (2 Kings 18.13-16). But if he then again rebelled the land was made into an Assyrian province and the people were carried away captive. This was the fate that awaited Jerusalem.
Many of the people may well have been fearful at the thought of the mighty Assyrian army approaching Jerusalem. So Hezekiah divided them up and set captains of war over them, giving them stomach for the fight. Then he made a Battle Speech based partly on Joshua 1, and called on them not to be fearful, but to recognize that the One Who was with them (YHWH) was greater than all that Sennacherib could throw at them. Sennacherib had a strong army, but it was only human, while on their side was YHWH their God Who was there to help them and fight their battles.
6 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying,
Having made it as difficult as they could for the Assyrians to find water, the people were now mobilized, and captains of war were set over them. This would give them a sense of purpose and help to nerve them for what lay ahead. Hezekiah then gathered them together in the square in front of the city gate and spoke to them from the heart.
7 “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
His words were patterned on Deuteronomy 31.7; Joshua 1.9. These words were regularly called on when there was a need to encourage the people so that there is no reason to deny them to Hezekiah here. Here he applied them to their fear of Sennacherib and his large army. The army was still probably investing other cities of Judah but news of what was going on would have filtered through to Jerusalem.
Hezekiah then stressed that the odds were on their side. (2 Kings 6.16). Sennacherib had a mere human army with which to carry out his plans, whilst Judah had YHWH to fight for them. The arm of flesh was challenging the arm of YHWH, and it was ‘no contest’.
We not doubt have here only a summary of what Hezekiah said, but his words were very effective.
For because of his words the people took courage, and confidently trusted in the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah. As they remembered past times when YHWH had delivered His people, and recognized the source of Hezekiah’s words in Scripture, they gained in confidence that God could do it again.
In some ways the invasion had become a battle of words. On the one hand we had Hezekiah’s speech encouraging the people. Now we have Sennacherib’s attempt to undermine their confidence. He sends his messengers to discourage Judah. His thesis is simply this, ‘None of the gods of the nations had been able to deliver their people out of his hand, why should Judah think that their God was any different?’ This message is put over in several different ways, but the theme of each is the same.
Concentration is on the battle for Jerusalem. Here was the final crunch that would determine who was the greatest. And the very fact that the taking of Lachish (Judah’s second largest city) was depicted was proof positive that Jerusalem was not taken. The only boast Sennacherib could make was that he had ‘shut up Hezekiah like a caged bird in Jerusalem’. What he could not boast was that he had taken it.
One lesson we learn from this is that even though God intervenes, He very often does not do it until the last minute. He allows men to undergo the miseries of a sin-cursed world as a reminder of how terrible sin is. It is only then that He reveals His power. Hezekiah declares that ‘YHWH our God will deliver us out of the hand of the Assyrians’. And four times in different ways Sennacherib declares that God will be unable to do so. This is the Chronicler’s emphasis, that YHWH did what was ‘impossible’ for the sake of his servant Hezekiah and for His people’s sake.
9 After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying,
Having successfully advanced through the land, and being in process of besieging Lachish, Judah’s second largest city with his huge army, Sennacherib sent high powered messengers to Jerusalem to try to persuade them to surrender. These would be accompanied by a fairly large force which would surround Jerusalem. It was a show of strength designed to frighten them into submission.
10 “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
The messengers, which included three of Sennacherib’s top ministers (2 Kings 18.17), came to Jerusalem and stood below the walls of Jerusalem and yelled up at the large numbers of people crowding the walls. Their message was simple On what were these foolish people basing their hopes of deliverance? On what did they trust that they would remain in Jerusalem and endure the siege?
All knew what a siege meant. Inside the city there would be extreme hunger as the supplies began to dry up; disease as a consequence of the cramped and dirty conditions; and the ever-present danger of plague. Many would die in untold misery crying out for help. And finally, there would be defeat when they had reached a point beyond endurance, or when the walls were breached, followed by the consequent slaughter and revenge that always followed a long siege, a time when the invaders were free to rampage and pillage. All could be avoided by surrender. All that they would then have to endure was being taken into captivity and settled in another land to serve their Assyrian masters.
Refugees from before the Assyrian invasion would have flocked to Jerusalem telling stories of how the Assyrians were wreaking havoc and mayhem throughout the land. Thus, the people would be in no doubt of what lay in front of them. It says much for Hezekiah’s powers of persuasion and for their trust in God that they continued their resistance.
11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, “The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”?
The Assyrian messengers were aware of how peoples in the past had trusted in their gods for deliverance, only to see their cities fall into the hands of the Assyrians. And as verse 12 reveals they were well informed concerning what had been taking place in Judah in the recent past, and concerning the theological ideas in which they trusted. So, they called on the people not to be deceived by them. Let them not listen to Hezekiah as he said that YHWH would deliver them out of the hand of the king of Assyria. All he was doing was giving them over to die by famine and thirst (a regular feature of sieges).
In this verse, as we can see, we have Hezekiah’s positive affirmation that ‘YHWH our God WILL deliver us out of the hand of the King of Assyria.’ This is countered by a direct denial in verse 17, and in between are three statements stressing that the gods of the nations had not delivered their nations out of Assyrian hands. This is all building up to the statement in verse 19 that ‘they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth which are the work of men’s hands. What Hezekiah counted on, and what Sennacherib overlooked, was that the living God was involved.
12 Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on it”?
The Assyrians now played what they probably thought of as their key point, based on intelligence that they had received. They pointed out that Hezekiah had taken away the multitudinous high places and altars of YHWH and had commanded Judah and Jerusalem to worship before only one altar and burn incense on it. In their eyes this was incomprehensible. In their view the more altars you erected for a god, and the more places you had, the better a god would be pleased. They thus saw this as an act of Hezekiah seeking to control the worship of God. and as something that would have displeased YHWH. They could not conceive that in fact it could be a requirement of God. And they hoped that the people of Jerusalem would recognize how their God had been insulted. Instead, unwittingly, they were bringing home to the people that Hezekiah had done what was pleasing to YHWH, and thus boosting their confidence rather than derailing it.
13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand?
The Assyrian deputation now asked them to consider what Sennacherib and his father had done to the nations, and put to them three questions:
• 1). Were the gods of the nation’s able to deliver their people out of his hands in any way? The answer was ‘no’.
• 2). If their answer was in doubt, which of their gods had done so? The answer was ‘none’.
• 3). How then would their God, the God of such a small nation, deliver them out of his hand? Surely the answer was obvious?
14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand?
Speaking through his deputation Sennacherib asked them to consider the facts. He and his fathers had destroyed many nations. Who then was there among the gods of all those nations who had been able to deliver their nations out of the hands of the Assyrian? Why then should they think that their God could deliver them out of Assyrian hands?
15 Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’
So the deputation called on the people not to let Hezekiah deceive them, or persuade them in any way. Nor were they to believe him whatever he promised. For no god of any of the nations had been able to deliver his people out of Assyrian hands. How much less then would their local God deliver them out of his hand?
16 Furthermore, his servants spoke against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah.
The scripture then points out that the messengers continued to speak even yet more against YHWH, and against His servant Hezekiah, although he the details are not given. ‘Against YHWH and against His servant Hezekiah.’ Compare ‘Against YHWH and his Anointed’ (Psalm 2.2). The words have Messianic overtones. Here was another David.
Note the description ‘His servant Hezekiah’. They no doubt thought that like the other kings of the nation’s Hezekiah was particularly the servant of God. Let them but discredit him and the resistance of the people would collapse.
17 He also wrote letters to revile the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”
The verses now reveal the accounts of the two visits to Jerusalem by the messengers mentioned in 2 Kings 18.17. This letter from Sennacherib commences the second visit. Having failed to bring Jerusalem into submission with the first visit Sennacherib sends personal letters which ‘rail on YHWH the God of Israel and speak against Him’. He states that just as the gods of the nations had not delivered their people out of his hands, so would the God of Hezekiah not be able to deliver His people out of his hands. This renewed attempt to bring them to submission suggests that Sennacherib was already aware of problems elsewhere which needed his attention. He was thus in a hurry.
18 Then they called out with a loud voice in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might take the city.
Bringing Sennacherib’s letters, the messengers, no doubt having delivered them, again stood below the walls and in the Jews’ own language, the language of Judah (note that at this stage it was not yet called Hebrew), they called to the people to frighten them and trouble them. Their purpose was thereby to bring the city into submission. The general language of the area was Aramaic, but that would not have been understandable to many of the people on the walls, which was why they deliberately used the language of the people on the wall.
19 And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth—the work of men’s hands.
They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands. This, of course, was for the consumption of his own readers. He wanted them to realize why what he is about to describe did happen. It was because the messengers and Sennacherib had underestimated the God Whom they were dealing with. God was the living God. He was not the work of men’s hands. Note the contrast between Sennacherib’s repeated ‘my hand’ (verses 11, 13, 14,17 15) and ‘men’s hands’ here. His hand had prevailed because he was only opposing what had been made by men’s hands. It was a different matter now he was facing YHWH.
In response to the intercession of Hezekiah and of Isaiah the Prophet, YHWH’s avenging angel smote the camp of Assyria. Therefore, the army of Assyria withdrew, and Sennacherib returned shamefaced to his own land, where he was finally (some years later) assassinated, whilst the nations plied YHWH and Hezekiah with gifts.
20 Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven.
Because of the danger that now threatened both Hezekiah and Isaiah the son of Amoz, the prophet, interceded with YHWH and prayed and ‘cried to Heaven’. This is the first mention of Isaiah the prophet in Chronicles. But it makes clear that he had been active in the background.
21 Then the LORD sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So, he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.
The intercession of Hezekiah and Isaiah prevailed. YHWH sent an angel to smite the camp of the Philistines, who ‘cut off’ all the mighty men of valor, together with the leaders and the captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria.
With the decimation of his army Sennacherib had no choice but to withdraw and return shamefaced to his own land. The ‘shame of face’ is no doubt depicted as arising out of his own belittling of YHWH. Now he too was belittled. But in fact, when he did arrive in Assyria he caused a large mural to be set up depicting his capture of Lachish, making the best out of a bad situation, and seeking to give the impression that he had been victorious, as indeed to some extent he had. And in his annals, he boasted that he had ‘shut Hezekiah up like a caged bird in Jerusalem’. But nothing could hide the fact that he had failed to take Jerusalem.
What is then described took place much later but is mentioned in order to bring out YHWH’s complete vindication. For the man who had boasted that no gods could deliver out of his hand. was assassinated by two of his own sons, who slew him with the sword in the house of his own god, something confirmed in Assyrian records. His god had proved unable to save him from the hands of his assassins.
22 Thus the LORD saved 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.
This then was the way in which YHWH saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, the one thing that Sennacherib had said that He would be unable to do. In similar ways also, He saved them from the hands of all others, and guided them on every side. From then on, they had peace, for Assyria was now for a while taken up with its own problems of succession.
23 And many brought gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.
The news of what YHWH had done to the Assyrian army soon got around (Herodotus and Josephus both bear witness to some unusual event that struck the Assyrian army), and those who had suffered under the Assyrians, or had been next in line to suffer, brought gifts to YHWH in Jerusalem as a token of appreciation, and necessarily when visiting a reigning monarch, also brought him ‘precious things’. It would have been a slight if they had not done so. And as a consequence of his victory (for that was how it would be seen) he was exalted in the eyes of ‘all nations’ in the area from then on. Jerusalem alone had withstood the Assyrian menace and had caused it to withdraw.
Chronologically this sickness occurred well before Sennacherib’s invasion in 701 BC. Hezekiah became mortally ill and was dying. But he prayed to YHWH, Who promised him further years of life and gave him a remarkable sign as proof that he would recover. But instead of being more faithful to YHWH and walking humbly before Him, his heart was lifted up and he entered into association with the king of Babylon, and in his pride, he showed all his treasures to the embassy from Babylon. He was trying to become a major player on the world scene and by doing so came under the wrath of YHWH and brought it also on Judah and Jerusalem. He did, however, subsequently humble himself so that the outcome of the wrath of YHWH did not occur until after his death.
24 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign.
Some time prior to the Assyrian invasion Hezekiah fell sick with a mortal sickness. But he prayed to YHWH, and YHWH spoke to him and gave him a remarkable sign that he would recover, it was that the sun would go back 10 steps on the sun dial of Ahaz, which was an upper chamber designed so that the steps acted as a sun dial (2 Kings 20.11). The sun did go back 10 steps, and Hezekiah eventually recovered.
25 But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore, wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem.
But sadly, instead of having his faith fully set on YHWH as a consequence of the amazing sign and the fact of his recovery from a mortal disease, he revealed his self-pride. For when the king of Babylon sent messengers to him to enquire about his sickness, instead of giving glory to God and sending them on their way recognizing how good YHWH had been to him, he boastfully showed them all his treasures, including his weaponry for his own self-aggrandizement. He saw himself as a ‘world player’ ready to enter into alliances against Assyria with godless nations. This aroused God’s wrath so that God determined that Judah would be punished for his folly in terms of an invasion by Babylon, although not in Hezekiah’s own day (Isaiah 39).
This alliance with Babylon which also had the consequence of bringing Assyria against Judah, presumably because he had withheld tribute. This was why Judah suffered under the Assyrian invasion even though in the end Jerusalem was spared because Hezekiah humbled himself before God.
26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
Notice in verse 25 that the wrath was upon Hezekiah, Judah and Jerusalem. Here it is emphasized that Hezekiah and Jerusalem (although not Judah) were spared the initial consequences of that wrath because he humbled himself before YHWH. Jerusalem would not, however, be spared in the long run. They would suffer at the hands of a Babylon which now knew how rich Judah was.
Thus as with David and Solomon, having exalted Hezekiah, he now brought him down to earth. He was not quite the perfect king he had appeared to be. Judah would suffer for his pride in the long run.
Having brought out Hezekiah’s failure, Chronicles now demonstrates that the favour of YHWH was upon him in spite of it. He was wealthy from every angle; in silver, gold and precious stones; in spices and shields and vessels; in produce and domestic animals; and in cities and flocks and herds. God had given him very much substance. God does not guarantee that His people will be rich in substance today (although very often that can be the result of righteous living) but He does promise ‘joy unspeakable and full of glory’, and ‘peace which passes all understanding’.
27 Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items;
Chronicle now brings this section with a description of both Hezekiah’s riches, and his honor. His wealth is now expanded on, but nothing further is said about his honor. That has already been made clear with respect to the visit of the Babylonians, and the response to the humiliation of the Assyrians. It was in fact because he was ‘honoured’ that he fell into sinful pride.
In order to house his vast wealth, he provided for himself treasuries. These were to contain his silver and gold and precious stones, together with rich spices, war shields and all manner of valuable vessels.
28 storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for flocks.
He also built storehouses to hold the grain, new wine and olive oil which were produced in good quantities yearly, and stalls to hold his different domestic animals and folds for his flocks. The royal lands were proving highly productive and providing the royal household with what it needed. Olive oil was a regular export from Judah.
29 Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much property.
Not only did he build treasuries, but he also built cities. This again was the sign of a king with whom YHWH was pleased. And he also had flocks and herds in abundance. And it was all because God had given him ‘very much substance’. Apart from the brutal incursion of the Assyrians which would have devastated the land, Judah prospered more and more under his rule.
The chapter now summarizes Hezekiah’s reign both about his achievements and his greatest failure. Initially reference is made to one of his long-term achievements about Jerusalem, the provision of a safe water supply protected from the gaze of besiegers. He then emphasizes his general successes before moving on to his being tested by God regarding the approach made to him by the princes of Babylon. Had he trusted wholly in YHWH he would not have failed. The account of his life then finishes with details of the source from which more of his achievements can be discovered, and an assurance that he was buried in the sepulchers of the sons of David and was honored by his people in his death.
30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
We have already learned of the way that Hezekiah and his people sought to protect the water supplies near Jerusalem and hide them from the enemy (32.3-4), now we learn of his greatest achievement in this regard which would benefit Jerusalem for centuries to come. He diverted the spring of the waters of Gihon, which was to the east of the city in the Kidron Valley, disguising the entry to the spring, and dug a tunnel below Jerusalem so that the waters would gather on the west side of the city of David in the Pool of Siloam, and be available to the inhabitants when besieged. This feat is now known as ‘Hezekiah’s tunnel’. It replaced the Warren shaft through which David’s men entered the city when they took it from the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5.8), and an irrigation channel attributed to the Solomonic period (Ecclesiastes 2.6).
31 However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
His only large-scale failure arose when Babylonian ambassadors arrived from the princes of Babylon who wanted to enquire concerning his recovery and the amazing sign that had accompanied it (verse 24). At that time God ‘left him to himself’ to test him to see what he would do, in order that He might know what was in his heart. Sadly, as we know, he failed the test, something which had repercussions for centuries to come. The Babylonians never forgot the riches that he had shown them.
There is a reminder in this that although God forgave him and saved him from the Assyrian menace, his sin nevertheless had continuing repercussions for his descendants. It is a reminder to us that even forgiven sin can have its consequences.
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
In the usual epitaph to a king’s reign ‘the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds’ are referred to. He is the only king of whom this is said, although something similar will later be said of Josiah. He was clearly seen as an exceptional king. And we learn that this extra information is to be found in the Vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz which is found in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel, which were probably the official court annals. This Vision of Isaiah probably has nothing to do with the Book of Isaiah, apart from authorship.
33 So Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
In the usual fashion Hezekiah is described as having ‘slept with his fathers’, in other words as having joined them in death. And he was buried in ‘the ascent of the sepulchers of David.’ This may be because the sepulchers of David were by now filled so that new sepulchers were to be built on an ascent above them. Or it may mean the most important of the sepulchers of David, indicating that he was appointed supreme place. Or it may signify the upper layer of the sepulchers of David, if provision had been made for an upper and lower layer in which bodies were placed. Whichever it is it may well indicate special treatment because of his importance.
It is further stated that the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. This may well indicate a large funeral bonfire (16.14; Jeremiah 34.5) and the use of many exotic spices (16.14). He was greatly admired and honored in his death. ‘And Manasseh his son reigned instead of him.’
