2 Chronicles
Chapter 32
After Hezekiah faithfully did all this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded Judah. He pitched camp before the fortified towns and ordered his army to break through the walls.
Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib intended to attack Jerusalem also.
Hence, he summoned his officers and champions, and they decided to cut off the water supply from the springs outside the city.
So, many people banded together to block all the springs and cut off the watercourse flowing through the fields. They said: “Why should the king of Assyria find plenty of water when he arrives?”
Hezekiah strengthened his defenses: he had the broken parts of the wall repaired, built towers on it, constructed a second wall on the outer side, strengthened the Millo of the city of David and made quantities of spears and shields.
He then appointed generals to command the people, had them assemble in the square by the city gate, and spoke as follows to encourage them:
“Be strong and stand firm; be fearless, be confident when you face the king of Assyria and the whole army he brings with him, since he that is with us is stronger than he that is with him.
He has only an arm of flesh, but we have the Lord our God to help us and fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
Next, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, who was outside Lachish with all his army, sent his servants to Jerusalem, Hezekiah, king of Judah, and all the Judahites in Jerusalem. They said:
“Hear the message from Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘What gives you the confidence to stay in Jerusalem under siege?
Is not Hezekiah deceiving you? Is he not condemning you to die of hunger and thirst when he says: the Lord our God will save us from the king of Assyria?
Is not Hezekiah the very man who has destroyed the high places and the altars of the Lord, and given the order to Judah and to Jerusalem: Before one altar only are you to worship and on that alone offer incense?
Do you not know what I have done, I and my ancestors, to all the people of other countries? Have the gods of any nation in those countries ever been able to save them from me?
Who among those nations’ gods could save his people from me? What makes you think that God can do any better?
Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. Do not let him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from me or my ancestors. No more will your god be able to save you from me.”
His officials were still speaking against the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah,
when Sennacherib wrote a letter insulting the Lord the God of Israel. This is what he said about him: “Just as the gods of the nations in other countries have failed to save their people from me, so will the god of Hezekiah fail to save his people.”
They shouted this out in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the city wall to confuse and frighten them. So that they might capture the city.
They spoke of the God of Jerusalem in the same way they talked of the gods of the people of the world, the work of human hands.
Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven.
And the Lord sent an angel who made all the mighty warriors, commanders, and officers die in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the emperor went back to Assyria very ashamed. And as he came into the temple of his god, some of his sons struck him with their swords.
So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the power of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and everyone else, and he gave them peace on every side.
Many people brought grain offerings to the Lord in Jerusalem and gifts for Hezekiah, king of Judah. From then on, all the nations held Hezekiah in honor.
In those days, Hezekiah fell ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who heard and granted him a sign.
But Hezekiah did not show gratitude for what the Lord had done for him. His heart grew proud, and Judah and Jerusalem suffered because of it.
Finally, however, Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem humbled themselves, and so the Lord did not punish the people until after Hezekiah’s death.
Hezekiah enjoyed immense riches and honor. He built storerooms for gold, silver, precious stones, spices, gems, and everything valuable.
He had storehouses for his grain returns, wine and oil, buildings for his different cattle, and sheep runs for his sheep.
He built royal cities and acquired donkeys, enormous herds, and flocks. God had indeed given him very great riches.
Hezekiah stopped the upper outlet of Gihon Spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in all he undertook.
However, when the Babylon authorities sent him to inquire about the extraordinary thing that had taken place in the country, God abandoned him only to test him and discover the secrets of his heart.
The rest of the history of Hezekiah and his deed of piety are recorded in the vision of the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, and the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
Then Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him on the slope going up to the tombs of David’s sons. At his death, all of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor. His son Manasseh succeeded him.
Commentaries
The Kings of Judah Until the Exile.
The final section of the Chronicler’s work focuses on the history of the kingdom of Judah, covering from Solomon to the exile, with little mention of the Northern Kingdom. For the Chronicler, the kingdom of Judah represents the entire nation of Israel. The primary standard for judging each king is their loyalty to God. Four notable figures stand out as models of this loyalty: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Josiah, and especially Hezekiah. The prophets are also depicted alongside the kings, delivering messages that include warnings and sincere calls to stay loyal to the Lord. Ultimately, the Chronicler encourages the post-exilic community to seek God and remain faithful to the One who has remained true to his people despite their difficulties.
Hezekiah of Judah.
The Chronicler dedicates four chapters to Hezekiah’s reign, portraying him as the most important king in Judah after David and Solomon. The author follows 2 Kings 18-20, skipping 2 Kings 18:9-12, and covers the purification of the Temple and the restoration of worship (29:3-36), the celebration of Passover (30:1-27), the reorganization of the clergy (31:1-19), and Hezekiah’s prosperity (32:27-30).
Religious reform (29:1-36) involves restoring worship in the Temple, which had been closed by Ahaz. The Temple doors are reopened (29:3), and animal sacrifices are offered (29:18-24). The significance of the Levites to the priests is especially evident. During this ceremony, the Chronicler emphasizes the presence of sacred music performed by Levite singers (25-30) and the joy it brings (30b).
Passover (30:1-27) draws inspiration from Numbers 9:1-14. This Passover aims to gather all who are willing to answer the Lord’s call, guided by Hezekiah’s leadership. It seeks to revive the old ideal of unity; therefore, a key part of the text is the invitation to the feast extended to the northern tribes, with some participating (4-11). Those who are not ritually pure are still allowed to celebrate Passover (17-20), emphasizing inner purity over legal purity, which still matters. Verses 23-27 describe a second feast full of joy and spontaneity.
Invasion of Sennacherib.
The story of Sennacherib, king of Assyria’s invasion, is a retelling of 2 Kings 18 and the following chapters. The chapter follows a pattern of faithfulness (1), trial (7ff.20-23), unfaithfulness (25), repentance (26), and blessing (27-29). During the preparations for the siege, it is important to note concerns about water (3:30; 2 Kgs 20:20; Is 22:9-11), which led to the construction of “Hezekiah’s tunnel” that still diverts water from the Gihon Spring into Jerusalem. Concerning the last years of Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kgs 30-33), it is notable that only a brief mention is made of the king’s illness (2 Kgs 20), with no reference to the prophet Isaiah.