2 Chronicles 32

KJV · Chapter 32/36

¹After 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.

²And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

³He 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.

⁴So 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?

⁵Also 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.

⁶And 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,

⁷Be 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:

⁸With 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.

⁹After 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,

¹⁰Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?

¹¹Doth 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?

¹²Hath 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?

¹³Know 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?

¹⁴Who 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?

¹⁵Now 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?

¹⁶And his servants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah.

¹⁷He 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.

¹⁸Then 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.

¹⁹And 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.

²⁰And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

²¹And 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.

²²Thus 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.

²³And 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.

²⁴In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.

²⁵But 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.

²⁶Notwithstanding 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.

²⁷And 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;

²⁸Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.

²⁹Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.

³⁰This 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.

³¹Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire 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.

³²Now 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.

³³And 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.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

The powerful Assyrian king Sennacherib invades Judah and threatens Jerusalem with blasphemous messages, trying to convince the people that not even God could save them. Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah pray, and an angel of the LORD miraculously destroys the Assyrian army during the night, delivering the city without a battle.

Explanation

This is one of the most dramatic divine interventions in the entire Old Testament, also confirmed by Assyrian historical records that, tellingly, never claim to have conquered Jerusalem, despite extensively detailing other conquests in the region — a historically significant silence. Sennacherib's messages, comparing the God of Israel to the powerless gods of other conquered nations, represent a direct challenge that is not only political but theological, questioning God's very ability to protect his people. The joint response of prayer between king and prophet, followed by the supernatural destruction of the invading army without Judah having to fight physically, once again reinforces the central pattern of Chronicles: genuine trust in God, even in the face of overwhelming threats, can result in astonishing deliverance.

Fun facts

The Assyrian historical records themselves about this military campaign, found in inscriptions such as the Sennacherib Prism, confirm the siege of Jerusalem but, notably, never claim to have conquered it, only stating that they left king Hezekiah 'like a caged bird' — an intriguing indirect historical confirmation of the biblical account.
The tunnel system Hezekiah built to secure access to water during the siege, diverting the Gihon spring inside the city walls, is a real feat of engineering that can still be visited today in Jerusalem, known as Hezekiah's Tunnel.

Verse-by-verse explanation

2 Chronicles 32:1After all this faithfulness from Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invades Judah and besieges the fortified cities, trying to conquer them for himself.
2 Chronicles 32:2Seeing that Sennacherib truly intends to attack Jerusalem, Hezekiah has to act fast to prepare the city’s defense.
2 Chronicles 32:3Hezekiah consults his officials and trusted men about stopping up the water springs outside the city, and they agree to help with this plan.
2 Chronicles 32:4Facing the advance of the Assyrian army, Hezekiah has the water springs outside the city stopped up — a siege-defense tactic: without water, an invading army cannot stay camped for long. This is the same project connected to Hezekiah’s Tunnel, mentioned later in the chapter.
2 Chronicles 32:5Hezekiah strengthens himself, rebuilds the damaged wall up to the towers, raises another wall outside it, reinforces the Millo in the City of David, and makes many weapons and shields.
2 Chronicles 32:6Hezekiah appoints military commanders over the people and gathers them in the square at the city gate, to encourage them before the coming confrontation.
2 Chronicles 32:7Hezekiah urges the people to be strong and courageous, not to fear the king of Assyria or the multitude with him, because there is someone greater on Judah’s side.
2 Chronicles 32:8Hezekiah explains the difference: on the Assyrian side there is only human strength, but on Judah’s side stands the Lord Himself, to help and fight their battles — and the people are calmed by these words.
2 Chronicles 32:9While he is still besieging Lachish, Sennacherib sends messengers to Jerusalem to intimidate Hezekiah and all the people of Judah.
2 Chronicles 32:10Sennacherib’s message asks directly: what is Judah trusting in to hold out inside the walls of Jerusalem?
2 Chronicles 32:11He accuses Hezekiah of deceiving the people, leading them to die of hunger and thirst with the false promise that the Lord will deliver them from the hand of Assyria.
2 Chronicles 32:12Sennacherib even uses Hezekiah’s own religious reform against him: wasn’t it Hezekiah who removed the high places and altars, saying that worship should happen at only one altar?
2 Chronicles 32:13The Assyrian king boasts: did the gods of the other nations that he and his ancestors already conquered manage to deliver their peoples from his hand?
2 Chronicles 32:14He challenges them directly: if no god of any nation was able to deliver its people before, why would the God of Judah be any different?
2 Chronicles 32:15Sennacherib’s messengers try to demoralize the people of Jerusalem by comparing the God of Israel to the gods of other nations that had already been defeated — a psychological-warfare tactic, not just a direct military threat.
2 Chronicles 32:16Sennacherib’s servants go on saying even more things against the Lord God and against Hezekiah himself.
2 Chronicles 32:17Sennacherib also writes letters blaspheming the God of Israel, comparing Him to the gods of the other nations that had already failed to deliver their peoples from him.
2 Chronicles 32:18The messengers shout in Hebrew to the people on the wall of Jerusalem, trying to spread fear and confusion to make the conquest of the city easier.
2 Chronicles 32:19They speak of the God of Jerusalem as if He were just like the gods of the other nations, mere objects made by human hands.
2 Chronicles 32:20Facing this provocation, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, pray together and cry out to heaven for help.
2 Chronicles 32:21The Lord sends an angel who destroys the mighty warriors, princes, and commanders of the Assyrian camp; Sennacherib returns home in disgrace, where he ends up killed by his own sons inside the temple of his god.
2 Chronicles 32:22So the Lord delivers Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib and from all their other enemies, protecting them on every side.
2 Chronicles 32:23After this, many people bring gifts to Jerusalem for the Lord and treasures for Hezekiah, who comes to be respected by all the surrounding nations.
2 Chronicles 32:24At that time, Hezekiah becomes gravely ill; he prays to the Lord, who answers him and gives him a sign of healing.
2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah does not respond to the grace he received — his heart fills with pride, and because of this, great wrath comes upon him, Judah, and Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 32:26Realizing his own pride, Hezekiah humbles himself along with the people of Jerusalem, and because of this the Lord’s great wrath does not fall on them while he is still alive.
2 Chronicles 32:27Hezekiah accumulates great wealth and prestige, building up treasuries of silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and every kind of valuable goods.
2 Chronicles 32:28He also builds storehouses for wheat, wine, and oil, as well as stalls for animals and pens for the flocks.
2 Chronicles 32:29Hezekiah founds towns and accumulates large flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, because God gave him abundant wealth.
2 Chronicles 32:30Hezekiah also stops up the upper spring of Gihon and channels the water down to the west side of the City of David — the same waterworks connected to the famous tunnel that bears his name, and the text sums it up: he prospered in everything he did.
2 Chronicles 32:31Even after all this victory and wealth, Hezekiah has a moment of pride when he receives ambassadors from Babylon, and the text openly states that God ‘left him, to try him’ and see what was truly in his heart. It’s a reminder that not even the most successful king in the book is exempt from a test of humility.
2 Chronicles 32:32The rest of Hezekiah’s deeds and his acts of kindness are recorded in the vision of the prophet Isaiah and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
2 Chronicles 32:33Hezekiah dies and is buried in the highest place among the tombs of David’s family, receiving great honor from all Judah and Jerusalem; his son Manasseh takes the throne.

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