Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 32

Introduction

2 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 32

Sennacherib invading Judah, Hezekiah fortifieth himself, 2 Chronicles 32:1-8;

and sendeth letters to Isaiah concerning the blasphemies of Sennacherib, 2 Chronicles 32:9-20.

An angel destroyeth the host of the Assyrians, 2 Chronicles 32:21-23.

Hezekiah’s sickness and sign of recovery, 2 Chronicles 32:24;

and waxing proud, is humbled by God, 2 Chronicles 32:25,2 Chronicles 32:26.

His wealth and error, 2 Chronicles 32:27-31.

His death and successor, 2 Chronicles 32:32,2 Chronicles 32:33.

Verse 1

After these things, and the establishment thereof; an emphatical preface, signifying, that notwithstanding all his pious care and zeal for God, yet God saw fit to exercise him with a sore trial and calamity; which yet he turned to his great honour and advantage. He designed and bragged that he would win them all, and did actually win many of them, 2 Kings 18:13.

Verse 3

To stop the waters of the fountains, with earth or other things cast into them; and withal to derive the waters by secret paths and pipes under ground to Jerusalem.

Verse 4

Which was a scarce commodity in this country, and the want of it might much annoy the Assyrian army.

Verse 5

The wall that was broken by Joash, 2 Chronicles 25:23, and not since repaired.

Up to the towers; either,

1. As high as the towers, or the tops of the wall. Or,

2. As far as the two towers, or gates, which were made in the form of towers, and had the use of towers, to wit, that of Ephraim and the corner gate, both mentioned above, 2 Chronicles 25:23. Or, brought up engines or instruments of defence upon the towers.

Millo; of which see 1 Kings 9:24; 1 Kings 11:27.

Verse 9

Of this and the following verses, See Poole "2 Kings 18:17", &c.; See Poole "2 Kings 19:10", &c.

Verse 15

Seeing I have destroyed so many nations, and some of them stronger than you, in spite of all their gods, it is not probable that your God should defend you, which none of the rest could do for their people.

Verse 23

Or, of all those nations which were not very remote from Canaan, and heard these matters.

Verse 24

Of which see a more particular account 2 Kings 20:1.

Verse 25

His heart was lifted up, for that prodigious victory over the Assyrians, above, 2 Chronicles 32:21, and for his miraculous restoration from sickness, and the confirmation of that work by a strange and supernatural motion of the sun, and by the honour since done him by an embassy from the great and potent king of Babylon; all which probably raised in him too great an opinion of himself, as if these things were done, if not by his power, yet, at least, for his piety and virtues. And instead of walking humbly with God, and giving the glory of all entirely to him, he took the honour to himself, and vain-gloriously showed his riches and precious treasures to the Babylonish ambassadors, 2 Kings 20:12, &c.

Upon Judah and Jerusalem; who might justly be punished for Hezekiah’s sin, because they followed him in it, as they confess in the next verse.

Verse 29

He provided him cities, Heb. he made, &c. Either he purchased them to himself by his gold or silver; or he repaired, and fortified, and beautified them for the honour and safety of his kingdom. But the former sense seems to agree better with the following words.

Verse 30

The upper water-course of Gihon; a rivulet near Jerusalem consisting of two streams, the upper, which was brought into one pool, called the upper pool, Isaiah 7:3; and the lower, which was brought into another, called the lower pool, Isaiah 22:9. The former he diverted and brought by secret pipes into Jerusalem, which was a work of great art, and labour, and policy, and therefore is here commended.

Brought it straight down; whereas before it fetched a compass, and thereby might have been beneficial to the Assyrian host.

Verse 31

God left him, to wit, to himself, and his own impotency and corruption. God withdrew from him those supplies and assistances of his Spirit which would certainly and effectually have kept him from that sin, and suffered Satan to tempt him, and him to fall into the sin of pride and ostentation.

That he might know; either,

1. That God might know it. So it is spoken of God after the manner of men; whereof we have had many instances. Or,

2. That Hezekiah might know that he had infirmities and sins as well as virtues; and therefore that the great mercies which he had received were not the effects of his own merits, as he might be prone to believe, but of God’s free grace.