2 CHRONICLES LESSON 32
II Chronicles 32:1 "After these things, and the establishment
thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and
encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for
himself."
It appears, that even though Hezekiah had re-established worship
in the temple in Jerusalem, and even though his heart was stayed upon
God, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and camped against the fenced
cities of Judah.
II Chronicles 32:2 "And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was
come, and that he was purposed to fight against˙Jerusalem,"
II Chronicles 32:3 "He took counsel with his princes and his mighty
men to stop the waters of the fountains which [were] without the city:
and they did help him."
The Assyrians had attacked Israel, and taken captive the people,
and left just a remnant. This had been so easy for them that they,
now, decided to come against Judah, and even Jerusalem. The Assyrians
had underestimated the power of the God of Judah. Hezekiah had
inquired of his mighty men about what they could do to stop this
onslaught. They decided to stop the flowing water from the fountains
just outside the city. This would make it much more difficult for
Sennacherib.
II Chronicles 32:4 "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?"
They wanted to make it difficult for the army of Assyria to find
water. This was possibly, speaking of the pool of Siloam. This was
speaking of the brook that ran through the center of the city. If the
kings of Assyria found a great deal of water, they would want this
land for themselves.
II Chronicles 32:5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all
the wall that was broken, and raised [it] up to the towers, and
another wall without, and repaired Millo [in] the city of David, and
made darts and shields in abundance.
We see that Hezekiah was doing everything within his power to
fortify the city, and make it as unattainable as possible. The wall
was a deterrent to an oncoming army. Hezekiah repaired the breaks in
the wall, and even made the existing wall taller. It appears, they
hurriedly constructed another wall around the existing one to stop the
oncoming army. Millo was a fortress within the walls of Jerusalem.
Even the darts and shields were a preparation to fight, if necessary.
II Chronicles 32:6 "And he set captains of war over the people,
and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the
city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,"
Hezekiah kept no secrets from his people. He brought the men
together to encourage them. Comfortably means he did not speak with
alarm.
II Chronicles 32:7 "Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor
dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that [is]
with him: for [there be] more with us than with him:"
In the physical sense, the Assyrian army greatly outnumbered the
army of Judah. It would be the natural thing to greatly fear this on-
coming army. Hezekiah was speaking faith to these men in his army. "If
God be for you, who can be against you", was about what Hezekiah was
saying.
II Chronicles 32:8 "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 rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah."
Hezekiah had placed his faith in his LORD. He encouraged his men
to do the same. This large Assyrian army was strong in the flesh, but
God was not with them. The army of Judah was weak in the flesh, but
strong in their LORD. God would fight the battle for Judah, if they
would trust Him.
II Chronicles 32:9 "After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria
send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he [himself laid siege] against
Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and
unto all Judah that [were] at Jerusalem, saying,"
Sennacherib showed very little respect for Hezekiah, or his army.
He sent subordinates to deal with Jerusalem, as if to say they were
nothing. His servants came to destroy Jerusalem, while he was busy
with Lachish. Lachish was a highly fortified fort.
II Chronicles 32:10 "Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria,
Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?"
Sennacherib sent word to Hezekiah and the people, that they were
surrounded. He was surprised they had not already surrendered. He
asked them whom did they trust enough to endanger their lives in this
futile battle?
II Chronicles 32:11 "Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over
yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God
shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?"
It seems, the fame of Hezekiah's faith in the LORD had traveled
even to Assyria. This heathen king is not acquainted with the LORD. He
had no idea of the power of the LORD. He mocked the people for placing
their faith in the LORD.
II Chronicles 32:12 "Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his
high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying,
Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?"
Again, this heathen king did not realize that the LORD is God.
He thought there was power in the many false gods that Hezekiah had
destroyed in this land. The answer is yes, Hezekiah did take away the
high places and the altars to false gods. He did cause a central place
{the temple} to be the one place to worship the LORD. The accusations
of the Assyraian king were true, but they made Judah stronger, not
weaker. God was on their side for Hezekiah doing these things.
II Chronicles 32:13 "Know ye not what I and my fathers have done
unto all the people of [other] lands? were the gods of the nations of
those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?"
False gods are of no help at all, regardless of how many there
were. They were not able to help, because they were nothings
themselves. The very reason he was able to defeat them was, because
they turned their backs on the LORD.
II Chronicles 32:14 "Who [was there] among all the gods of those
nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his
people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you
out of mine hand?"
This was a terrible mistake Sennacherib was making, comparing the
One True God with those false gods.
II Chronicles 32:15 "Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you,
nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god
of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine
hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God
deliver you out of mine hand?"
It appears, that each country had a particular false god for
their country. He did not recognize the God of Judah as being the True
God. This was a terrible mistake on his part.
II Chronicles 32:16 "And his servants spake yet [more] against
the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah."
They were actually trying to get Jerusalem to surrender without a
fight. It should have been aware to these people what the servants
were trying to do. Had they been true believers, they would not have
tolerated them speaking evil of their God. It appeared, they were not
as strong in their belief in the LORD as Hezekiah was.
II Chronicles 32:17 "He wrote also letters to rail on 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 out of mine
hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine
hand."
Sennacherib was trying to cause the people to turn against the
LORD and against Hezekiah and surrender to him. The letters were to
assure the people that this was an accurate message from Sennacherib,
and not just words his servants had made up to say.
II Chronicles 32:18 "Then they cried with a loud voice in the
Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that [were] on the wall, to
affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city."
They had interpreters, who spoke in the Hebrew language to these
Jews who were waiting on the wall. They tried everything they could
think of that might sway those of Jerusalem to believe them.
II Chronicles 32:19 "And they spake against the God of Jerusalem,
as against the gods of the people of the earth, [which were] the work
of the hands of man."
These heathens, attacking Jerusalem, did not think of the LORD of
all the earth as any more than the false gods of the heathen nations
around them. The false gods of the earth were the creations of some
man's hand. The LORD is the Creator of everything.
II Chronicles 32:20 "And for this [cause] Hezekiah the king, and
the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven."
Hezekiah and Isaiah were both men of God. Hezekiah was a man
after God's own heart. Isaiah was one of the greatest of all of God's
anointed prophets. The following Scriptures are the words of the
prayer.II Kings 19:15 "And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said,
O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest [between] the cherubims, thou art
the God, [even] thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou
hast made heaven and earth." II Kings 19:16 "LORD, bow down thine ear,
and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of
Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God." II Kings
19:17 "Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the
nations and their lands," II Kings 19:18 "And have cast their gods
into the fire: for they [were] no gods, but the work of men's hands,
wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them." II Kings 19:19
"Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of
his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou [art]
the LORD God, [even] thou only."
II Chronicles 32:21 "And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off
all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp
of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own
land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came
forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword."
This was an instance when the angel of the LORD did all of the
work. This was an instant answer to Hezekiah's prayer. This angel
killed 185,000 of the army of Sennacherib, and he went home in shame.
He had mocked the LORD. God will not allow that. Sennacherib's two
sons killed him.
II Chronicles 32:22 "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 [other], and guided them on every
side."
This is one of the most vivid examples of the power of prayer in
the entire Bible. God heard Isaiah and Hezekiah when they prayed, and
God immediately took care of the situation.
II Chronicles 32:23 "And many brought gifts unto the LORD to
Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was
magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth."
When an army as strong as this was destroyed by one angel, it was
time for the people to realize that Hezekiah's God is God.
II Chronicles 32:24 "In those days Hezekiah was sick to the
death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave
him a sign."
There is a much fuller explanation of this in the book of 2 Kings
chapter 20 beginning with the first verse and going through the end
of the chapter. This is the time that God answers Hezekaih's prayer,
and extends his life 15 years. The sign that was given was the shadow
of the dial going backward ten degrees.
II Chronicles 32:25 "But Hezekiah rendered not again according to
the benefit [done] unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore
there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem."
This is speaking of the pride of Hezekiah, when he showed the
king of Babylon the wealth of Jerusalem. This was one of the few
things that Hezekiah had done, that displeased God.
II Chronicles 32:26 "Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for
the pride of his heart, [both] he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so
that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of
Hezekiah."
Jeremiah chapter 26 verse 19 speaks of the LORD not punishing him
or Jerusalem for this.
II Chronicles 32:27 "And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and
honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and
for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all
manner of pleasant jewels;" II Chronicles 32:28 "Storehouses also for
the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of
beasts, and cotes for flocks." II Chronicles 32:29 "Moreover he
provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance:
for God had given him substance very much."
We see the LORD had blessed Hezekiah with great abundance during
his reign. Some of this had been given to Hezekiah as gifts at the end
of his illness, when the LORD extended his life 15 years. God
abundantly blesses all who keep themselves stayed upon God. The
blessings may not be in the physical sense, but God will abundantly
bless them.
II Chronicles 32:30 "This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper
watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of
the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works."
This is speaking of the re-routing of the water, so there would
be water in Jerusalem in case of a siege. The water was brought into
Jerusalem through underground channels.
II Chronicles 32:31 "Howbeit in [the business of] the
ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of
the wonder that was [done] in the land, God left him, to try him, that
he might know all [that was] in his heart."
This is speaking of the same thing we said earlier, when the
pride of Hezekiah caused him to show the king of Babylon all of his
riches.
II Chronicles 32:32 "Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and
his goodness, behold, 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."
There is a great deal written about Hezekiah in the book of 2
Kings in the Bible. The book of Isaiah, the prophet, mentions
Hezekiah, also.
II Chronicles 32:33 "And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and
they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of
David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour
at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead."
Hezekiah was a king, who tried to please the LORD in all his
ways. God did not allow Babylon to destroy Jerusalem, until after the
death of Hezekiah. He was buried honorably, as he had lived honorably.
It is such a shame that such a king as Hezekiah, who did right in the
sight of the LORD, would have such an evil son as Manasseh. At
Hezekiah's death, one of the most evil kings, Manasseh, began to reign
in his stead.
2 Chronicles 32 Questions
1. Who came and encamped against the cities of Judah?
2. What country was he from?
3. What had he purposed to do?
4. What did Hezekiah take counsel with his men to do?
5. Why had they decided to come against Judah?
6. What did Hezekiah do to fortify Jerusalem?
7. How did Hezekiah prepare the people for war?
8. In verse 7, what did Hezekiah do?
9. What did Hezekiah tell them Sennacherib trusted in?
10. Who was on the side of Hezekiah?
11. Who did Sennacherib send to Jerusalem?
12. They were sent to __________ Jerusalem.
13. What did the servants of Sennacherib try to convince the people
that Hezekiah had done to them?
14. What had Hezekiah done that had been common knowledge in the lands
around Judah?
15. Why were the false gods of the heathen nations unable to help
them?
16. Sennacherib was comparing the One True God with ________ ______.
17. What did he write in the letters he sent to Judah?
18. What is the language of the Jews?
19. The _________ is Creator of everything.
20. Hezekiah was _________, and Isaiah was a __________.
21. Where can we find the prayer of Hezekiah?
22. Who killed Sennacherib?
23. How many of his men did the angel of the LORD kill?
24. What effect did this have on the nations around Hezekiah?
25. How long did God extend Hezekiah's life, when he was sick?
26. What sign did He give Hezekiah?
27. What is verse 25 speaking of?
28. What kind of blessings had the Lord brought on Hezekiah?
29. What was the watercourse, really?
30. Who had Hezekiah shown his riches to, that displeased God?
31. Who reigned in Hezekiah's stead at his death?
Home