Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 32

Verse 1

CONTENTS

In this chapter we arrive in point of history to the close of Hezekiah's life and reign. He meets with a sharp trial in the approach of the Assyrian army. His sickness and death. Manasseh his son succeeds him in the throne.

2 Chronicles 32:1

We have the history of this war so much more fully related in 2 Kings 18:0 and 2 Kings 19:0 , that I shall have only to notice some few points not mentioned there, and then refer the Reader wholly to that account both in the sacred text and in the commentary. There is a great beauty in the opening of this chapter, concerning the exercise of the minds of Hezekiah and his people by this Assyrian. After these things and the establishment thereof; that is, after Hezekiah had thus cleansed the sanctuary and the land of idolatry. In the first view of things one might have thought, that now he and his people would have sat down under the blessing of the Lord, and all would be peace and happiness. Reader! do not fail to mark from it that God's people must be an exercised people. Our Lord's motto, which all his soldiers should wear in their banner is, In the world ye shall have tribulation. In me ye shall have peace. John 16:33 .

Verses 2-8

This is an interesting account of the plan Hezekiah pursued against the invader; and which is not related to us in the parallel history in the book of the Kings. But what I most admire is Hezekiah's faith in the Lord, and by which he animated the minds of his people. Reader! it is one of the highest acts of faith to lean upon Jesus as the Father's salvation, when matters are most unpromising in ourselves.

Verse 9

It is remarkable that about this time great revolutions were accomplishing in the earth. Rome, the mistress of the world as she afterwards became, was about this period built by Romulus, of whom profane historians speak so largely; and which indeed I should not have mentioned in this place, but for the part which the church of God in the days of our Lord had to do with it. Rome at this time begun in its infancy. Seven hundred years after she was arrived at her plenitude, when the Lord Jesus Christ was born.

Verses 10-23

By this time Israel had been carried away captive. And Sennacherib thought to do the same by Judah. The Holy Ghost hath considered this part of the church's history so important, as to cause three records to be made of it. In 2 Kings 18:19 ; in this place of the Chronicles; and by the prophecy of Isaiah 36:0 ; Isaiah 37:0 ; Isaiah 38:0 ; Isaiah 39:0 . Let the Reader remark the mighty contrast between the horrid blasphemy and the impiety of Sennacherib and his army, and the piety and faith of Hezekiah and his people. And let the Reader mark the sequel in the deliverance of his servants, and the total ruin of his foes.

Verse 24

We have here the Lord's servant under another trial, that of sickness. Sweet are all the exercises of God's people when sanctified. The event of this is more particularly related, 2 Kings 20:0 ; Isaiah 38:0 .

Verses 25-31

The Holy Ghost hath been pleased to give us in those Chronicles the most interesting account concerning Hezekiah in the causes of his trials, and which the other records, though relating the historical part more copiously, have not done. The grand design was to show Hezekiah what was in his heart. The miracle God had wrought in the dial of Ahaz, suffered to go back so many degrees, was the wonder done in the land. And as the Assyrians foolishly worshipped the sun, probably Hezekiah vaunted himself not a little on this account. Be this as it may, certain it is, that the Lord thus humbled his servant, in order to bring him acquainted with the real state of his heart, as it was in the sight of God. Reader! do not let this part of Hezekiah's history pass before you without your making the suitable improvements from it. What doth it show but this, that all men, the best of men, are but men full of infirmities, and nothing to boast of before God. Oh! precious Jesus! whenever we look, to whomsoever we direct our researches, w here shall we find any but thee that art holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and without guile?

Verses 32-33

Here's the end of Hezekiah, which forms the final end of end of all. Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt, thou return. But the memory of the just is blessed!

Verse 33

REFLECTIONS

So royal a character as Hezekiah, and especially after the view we have had before of his father Ahaz, demands our thankfulness to the God of our mercies, who maketh one to differ from another, and by his grace forms all the difference between the precious, and the vile. And while we look at Hezekiah, let us not overlook all the offspring of Jesus, our almighty king. Is it not he who hath begotten us unto this royal state, and made all his children kings and priests to God and the Father! Think, believer, what an honored, what a royal state you are new born to in Christ Jesus! he hath made us (saith an apostle) partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. You are called to a princely service also; for his service is perfect freedom. And how noble is the clothing of the king's daughter, which is all glorious within. How royal their state; how truly kingly their dignity, which are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Hail! thou holy, blessed, royal Lord Jesus! by whose complete salvation we are thus begotten to the privilege of children of God, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Oh! for grace to live up to our high and glorious privileges. Beloved! now are we the sons of God! and it doth not appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-2 .