2CH 32

2 Chronicles 32:9

WEB

After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was attacking Lachish, and all his forces were with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,

BSB

Later, as Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces besieged Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem with a message for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem:

KJV

¶ 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,

Matthew Henry

Verses 9–23

2 Chronicles 32:9–23

This story of the rage and blasphemy of Sennacherib, Hezekiah's prayer, and the deliverance of Jerusalem by the destruction of the Assyrian army, we had more at large in the book of Kings, 2 Kings 18 and 19. It is contracted here, yet large enough to show these three things: -

I. The impiety and malice of the church's enemies. Sennacherib has his hands full in besieging Lachish (Ch2 32:9), but hears that Hezekiah is fortifying Jerusalem and encouraging his people to stand it out; and therefore, before he come in person to besiege it, he sends messengers to make speeches, and he himself writes letters to frighten Hezekiah and his people into a surrender of the city. See, 1. His great malice against the king of Judah, in endeavouring to withdraw his subjects from their allegiance to him. He did not treat with Hezekiah as a man of honour would have done, nor propose fair terms to him, but used mean and base artifices, unbecoming a crowned head, to terrify the common people and persuade them to desert him. he represented Hezekiah as one who designed to deceive his subjects into their ruin and betray them to famine and thirst (Ch2 32:11), as one who had done them great wrong and exposed them already to the divine displeasure by taking away the high places and altars (Ch2 32:12), and who, against the common interest of his people, held out against a force that would certainly be their ruin, Ch2 32:15. 2. His great impiety against the God of Israel, the God of Jerusalem he is called (Ch2 32:19), because that was the place he had chosen to put his name there, and because that was the place which was now threatened by the enemy and which the divine Providence had under its special protection. This proud blasphemer compared the great Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth, with the dunghill gods of the nations, the work of men's hands, and thought him no more able to deliver his worshippers than they were to deliver theirs (Ch2 32:19), as if an infinite and eternal Spirit had no more wisdom and power than a stone or the stock of a tree. He boasted of his triumphs over the gods of the nations, that they could none of them protect their people (Ch2 32:13-15), and thence inferred not only, How shall your God deliver you? (Ch2 32:14), but, as if he were inferior to them all, How much less shall your God deliver you? as if he were less able to help than any of them. Thus did they rail, rail in writing (which, being more deliberate, is so much the worse), on the Lord God of Israel, as if he were a cipher and an empty name, like all the rest, Ch2 32:17. Sennacherib, in the instructions he gave, said more than enough; but, as if his blasphemies had been too little, his servants, who learned insolence from their master, spoke yet more than he bade them against the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah, Ch2 32:16. And God resents what is said against his servants, and will reckon for it, as well as what is said against himself. All this was intended to frighten the people from their hope in God, which David's enemies sought to take him off from (Psa 11:1; Psa 42:10), saying, There is no help for him in God, Psa 3:2; Psa 71:11. Thus they hoped to take the city by weakening the hands of those that should defend it. Satan, in his temptations, aims to destroy our faith in God's all-sufficiency, knowing that he shall gain his point if he can do that; as we keep our ground if our faith fail not, Luk 22:32.

II. The duty as well as the interest of the church's friends, and that is in the day of distress to pray and cry to Heaven. So Hezekiah did, and the prophet Isaiah, Ch2 32:20. It was a happy time when the king and the prophet joined thus in prayer. Is any troubled? Is any terrified? Let him pray. So we engage God for us; so we encourage ourselves in him. Praying to God is here called crying to Heaven, because we are, in prayer, to eye him as our Father in heaven, whence he beholds the children of men, and where he has prepared his throne.

III. The power and goodness of the church's God. He is able both to control his enemies, be they ever so high, and to relieve his friends, be they ever so low.

1. As the blasphemies of his enemies engage him against them (Deu 32:27), so the prayers of his people engage him for them. They did so here. (1.) The army of the Assyrians was cut off by the sword of an angel, which triumphed particularly in the slaughter of the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains, who defied the sword of any man. God delights to abase the proud and secure. The Targum says, The Word of the Lord (the eternal Word) sent Gabriel to do this execution, and that it was done with lightning, and in the passover night: that was the night in which the angel destroyed the first-born of Egypt. But that was not all. (2.) The king of the Assyrians, having received this disgrace, was cut off by the sword of his own sons. Those that came forth of his own bowels slew him, Ch2 32:21. Thus was he mortified first, and then murdered - shamed first, and then slain. Evil pursues sinners; and, when they escape one mischief, they run upon another unseen.

2. By this work of wonder, (1.) God was glorified, as the protector of his people. Thus he saved Jerusalem, not only from the hand of Sennacherib, but from the hand of all others, Ch2 32:22; for such a deliverance as this was an earnest of much mercy in store; and he guided them, that is, he guarded them, on every side. God defends his people by directing them, shows them what they should do, and so saves them from what is designed or done against them. For this many brought gifts unto the Lord, when they saw the great power of God in the defence of his people. Strangers were thereby induced to supplicate his favour and enemies to deprecate his wrath, and both brought gifts to his temple, in token of their care and desire. (2.) Hezekiah was magnified as the favourite and particular care of Heaven. Many brought presents to him (Ch2 32:22, Ch2 32:23), in token of the honour they had for him, and to make an interest in him. By the favour of God enemies are lost and friends gained.

Cross-references: 2Chr 32:9 · 2Chr 32:11 · 2Chr 32:12 · 2Chr 32:15 · 2Chr 32:19 · 2Chr 32:13 · 2Chr 32:14 · 2Chr 32:17 · 2Chr 32:16 · Ps 11:1 · Ps 42:10 · Ps 3:2 · Ps 71:11 · Luke 22:32 · 2Chr 32:20 · Deut 32:27 · 2Chr 32:21 · 2Chr 32:22 · 2Chr 32:23

Hebrew interlinear

H310

אַחַרʼachar/akh-ar'/

adv a — the hind part, after

Derivation: from 309;

properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)

KJV: after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.

אַחַר

adv — the hinder

אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part

1. adv.

a. of place, behind

b. of time, afterwards

2. prep.

a. of place, behind, after

b. of time, after

3. conj. after that.

אַחֲרַי

adj — backwards

אַחֲרַי adj. Pr 28:23 a man that turneth backwards.

H2088

זֶהzeh/zeh/

d — this, that

Derivation: a primitive word;

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

KJV: he, × hence, × here, it(-self), × now, × of him, the one...the other, × than the other, (× out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, × thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097, 2098.

זֶה

demonstr.pron — this

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

1. standing alone

2. In appos. to subst.

3. More oft. as pred.

4. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

5. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

6. With prefixes (in special senses)

H7971

שָׁלַחshâlach/shaw-lakh'/

v — send

Derivation: a primitive root;

to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)

KJV: × any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).

שָׁלַח

vb — send

שָׁלַח 814 vb. send

Qal

1. send: human subj.

2. send: subj. י׳ (God)

3. stretch out, esp. acc. hand

4. rarely send away: human subj.

5. let loose

Niph. letters were sent

Pi.

1. send off, away, human subj.

2.

a. send away, subj. י׳

b. give over

c. cast out

d. send out, forth

3. let go, set free

4. shoot forth branches

5. let down

6. shoot

7. Phrases

Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

Hiph. and I (י׳) will send

H5576

סַנְחֵרִיבÇanchêrîyb/san-khay-reeb'/

n-pr-m — Sancherib

Derivation: of foreign origin;

Sancherib, an Assyrian king

KJV: Sennacherib.

סַנְחֵרִיב

n.pr.m — Sennacherib

סַנְחֵרִיב n.pr.m. Sennacherib (= Sin-aḩê-irba, Sin multiplied brothers);—son of Sargon and father of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria

H4428

מֶלֶךְmelek/meh'-lek/

n-m — king

Derivation: from 4427;

a king

KJV: king, royal.

מֶ֫לֶךְ

n.m — king

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

H804

אַשּׁוּרʼAshshûwr/ash-shoor'/

n-pr-m n-pr-loc — Ashshur

Derivation: or אַשֻּׁר; apparently from 833 (in the sense of successful);

Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria), its region and its empire

KJV: Asshur, Assur, Assyria, Assyrians. See 838.

אַשּׁוּר

n.pr.gent — Asshur

אַשּׁוּר n.pr.gent. & terr. Asshur, Assyria

H5650

עֶבֶדʻebed/eh'-bed/

n-m — servant

Derivation: from 5647;

a servant

KJV: × bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.

עֶ֫בֶד

n.m — slave

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

1. slave, servant of household

2. Subjects, of chief

3. Servants, worshippers of God

4. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

5. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

6. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

7. Phrases

H3389

יְרוּשָׁלִַ͏םYᵉrûwshâlaim/yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im/

n-pr-loc — Jerushalaim, Jerushalem

Derivation: rarely יְרוּשָׁלַיִם; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful;

Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine

KJV: Jerusalem.

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם

n.pr.loc — Jerusalem

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם 644 n.pr.loc. Jerusalem

H1931

הוּאhûwʼ/hoo/

p — he, she, it, self, same, this, that, as, are

Derivation: of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא; he a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular;

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are

KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.

הוּא

m — he

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

1. an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

2. It resumes the subj. with emph.

3. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

4. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

5. As an emph. predicate, of God

6. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

7. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

H5921

עַלʻal/al/

prep — above, over, upon, against

Derivation: properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

עַל

subst — above

עַל, עָ֑ל

I. subst. height

II. As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1. Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

a.

(a). of clothing, etc., which any one wears

(b). With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

b. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

c. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

d. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

e. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

f. Of the ground or basis, on which a thing is done

2. It expresses excess

3. It denotes elevation or pre-eminence

4. It expresses addition

5. It expresses the idea of being extended, or suspended over anything, without however being in contact with it, above, over

6. From the sense of inclining or impending over, על comes to denote contiguity or proximity, Engl. by (or sts. on)

7. In connection with verbs of motion (actual or fig.)

8. By writers of the silver age, על is sts. used with the force of a dative

9. With other particles:

III. As conj.

a. עַל אֲשֶׁר because that

b. עַל כִּי similar in meaning, but less frequent

c. עַל alone:

(a). because

(b). notwithstanding that, although

IV. Compounds:

1. with כְּ (rare and late)

a. as concerning, as upon

b. the like of their deeds is the like of (that which) he will repay

2. מֵעַל from upon, from over, from by

H3923

לָכִישׁLâkîysh/law-keesh'/

n-pr-loc — Lakish

Derivation: from an unused root of uncertain meaning;

Lakish, a place in Palestine

KJV: Lachish.

לָכִישׁ

n.pr.loc — Lachish

לָכִישׁ n.pr.loc. Canaanitish (Amorit.) city

H3605

כֹּלkôl/kole/

n-m — whole, all, any, every

Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).

כֹּל

n.m — the whole

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

2. Absolutely:

a. without the art., all things, all

b. with the art. הַכֹּל

(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

H4475

מֶמְשָׁלָהmemshâlâh/mem-shaw-law'/

n-f — rule, realm, ruler

Derivation: feminine of 4474;

rule; also (concretely in plural) a realm or a ruler

KJV: dominion, government, power, to rule.

מֶמְשָׁלָה

n.f — rule

מֶמְשָׁלָה n.f. rule, dominion, realm

H5973

עִםʻim/eem/

prep — with, equally with

Derivation: from 6004;

adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)

KJV: accompanying, against, and, as (× long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).

מֵעִם

from with

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

עִם

prep — with

עִם prep. with

1. of fellowship and companionship

a. of aid

b. Of actions done jointly with another

c. If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

d. Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

e. Of a common lot together with the wicked

f. Of equality or resemblance generally aid

g. Of time, as long as

2. Of a locality, close to, beside

3. Of persons, עִם is spec.

a. in the house or family or service of

b. In possession of

c. In the custody or care of

d. Beside = except

e. With = friendly with

4. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

5. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H2396

חִזְקִיָּהChizqîyâh/khiz-kee-yaw'/

n-pr-m — Chizkijah

Derivation: or חִזְקִיָּהוּ; also יְחִזְקִיָּה; or יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ; from 2388 and 3050; strengthened of Jah;

Chizkijah, a king of Judah, also the name of two other Israelites

KJV: Hezekiah, Hizkiah, Hizkijah. Compare 3169.

חִזְקִיָּהוּ

n.pr.m — Hezekiah

חִזְקִיָּהוּ, חִזְקִיָּה, יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ, יְחִזְקִיָּה n.pr.m. (י׳ hath strengthened, י׳ strengtheneth)

1. son of Ahaz, King of Judah

2. great-great-grandson pf proph. Zephaniah

3. man of royal Davidic line

4. head of a family of returned exiles

5. an Ephraimite, Ahaz’s time

H3063

יְהוּדָהYᵉhûwdâh/yeh-hoo-daw'/

n-pr-m — Jehudah

Derivation: from 3034; celebrated;

Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

KJV: Judah.

יְהוּדָה

n.pr.m — Judah

יְהוּדָה 820 n.pr.m. et terr. Judah

I. n.pr.m.

1. son of Jacob and Leah

2. tribe descended from Judah

3. nation, of southern kingdom under dynasty of David, as distinguished from northern kingdom of Ephraim or Israel

4. Levite, Ezra’s time

5. an overseer of Jerus.

6. Levite musician

7. priest

II. n.pr.terr. land of Judah

H834

אֲשֶׁרʼăsher/ash-er'/

r — who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Derivation: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.

KJV: × after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.

אֲשֶׁר

part. of relation — who

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

בַאֲשֶׁר

adv — in which

בַאֲשֶׁר

a. in (that) which

b. adv. in (the place) where

c. conj. in that, inasmuch as

d. on account of whom?

כַּאֲשֶׁר

conj — according as

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

1. according to that which, according as, as

2. with a causal force, in so far as, since

3. with a temporal force, when

מֵאֲשֶׁר

adv — who

מֵאֲשֶׁר

a. from (or than) that which

b. adv. from (the place) where

c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H559

אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/

v — say

Derivation: a primitive root;

to say (used with great latitude)

KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.

אָמַר

vb — utter

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

1. Say

2. Say in the heart (= think)

3. Promise

4. Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

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