2 Chronicles 32:1-8 (cp. 2 Kings 18:13-16). Sennacherib's threatened Invasion. Hezekiah's Precautions The Chronicler introduces us somewhat abruptly to the Assyrian crisis. From 2 Kin. we learn first that Hezekiah renounced the suzerainty of Assyria (2 Chronicles 18:7), which his father Ahaz had ac... [ Continue Reading ]
_After these things, and the establishment_thereof] R.V. AFTER THESE THINGS, AND THIS FAITHFULNESS. The phrase is a _Hendiadys_and stands for, "After these faithful dealings." _Sennacherib_ This king (_Sanḥerib_in Hebrew, _Sin-aḥi-irib_[_-irba_ in Assyrian, the Σαναχάριβος of Herod. ii. 141) reigned... [ Continue Reading ]
_to stop the waters_ Cp. 2 Kings 20:20 ("[Hezekiah] made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city") and Isaiah 22:9; Isaiah 22:11. At the present day there is an underground tunnel cut through the rock leading from St Mary's Well down to the Lower Pool of Siloam. It is rudely constr... [ Continue Reading ]
_who stopt_ R.V. AND THEY STOPPED. _the brook that ran_ R.V. THE BROOK THAT FLOWED. The Heb. verb means "flow with strong stream" (as a flood). We naturally look for such a brook either east of Jerusalem in the valley of Kidron or south in the valley of the son of Hinnom, but no perennial stream ru... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also he strengthened himself_ R.V. AND HE TOOK COURAGE. Cp. 2 Chronicles 1:1 (note). _broken_ R.V. BROKEN DOWN; cp. 2 Chronicles 25:23 (note). _raised_it _up to the towers_ Render, REPAIRED THE TOWERS, lit. "brought up [healing, restoration] upon the towers; cp. 2 Chronicles 24:13 (Heb.); Nehemia... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the street of the gate_ R.V. IN THE BROAD PLACE AT THE GATE; cp. 2 Chronicles 29:4; Nehemiah 8:16. There is nothing here to shew which of the two broad places mentioned in Nehemiah is meant, or whether some third place is intended.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and courageous_ R.V. AND OF A GOOD COURAGE. there be _moe_ R.V. THERE IS A GREATER.... [ Continue Reading ]
_an arm of flesh_ Cp. Jeremiah 17:5. Contrast the frequent phrase "a mighty hand and a stretched out arm" (of Jehovah). An "arm" is an ally or helper. _with us_is _the Lord_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 15:2; 2 Chronicles 20:17; Isaiah 8:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
_his servants_ Three of these are specified in 2 Kin. by their titles, viz. the Tartan ("Commander-in-chief"), the Rab-saris ("Chief of the Heads"), and the Rab-shakeh ("Chief of the officers"). _but he_himself laid siege _against Lachish_ R.V. NOW HE WAS BEFORE LACHISH. The capture of Lachish by S... [ Continue Reading ]
(cp. 2 Kings 18:17-35). Sennacherib's Threatening Messages In this section Chron. briefly summarizes 2 Kin.... [ Continue Reading ]
_abide in the siege_ R.V. ABIDE THE SIEGE. _in Jerusalem_ Isaiah promised deliverance in Jerusalem; e.g. in Isaiah 29:8; Isaiah 30:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
_persuade_ Or "entice"; cp. 1 Chronicles 21:1 ("provoked" for the same Heb. word). _to give over yourselves_ R.V. TO GIVE YOU OVER.... [ Continue Reading ]
_his high places_ Cp. 2 Kings 18:4, R.V. The "high places" (_bâmôth_) were properly sanctuaries of Jehovah, and not necessarily idolatrous in themselves. Yet in practice the _bamoth_were found to give shelter to heathen worship, and idolatrous symbols, e.g. the _ashçrah_, the relics of Canaanite wor... [ Continue Reading ]
_the people of_other _lands_ R.V. THE PEOPLES OF THE LANDS. In 2 Kings 18:34 the lands are specified and include _Samaria_. _of those lands … their lands_ R.V. OF THE LANDS … THEIR LAND.... [ Continue Reading ]
_neither yet believe him_ R.V. NEITHER BELIEVE YE HIM.... [ Continue Reading ]
_to rail on_ Or, _to defy_(the same Heb. word as in 2 Samuel 23:9). _of_other _lands have not delivered_ R.V. OF THE LANDS, WHICH HAVE NOT DELIVERED.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the Jews" speech_ R.V. IN THE JEWS" LANGUAGE. Cp. 2 Kings 18:28 ff. The Rab-shakeh shewed clearly that his object was not to treat with Hezekiah, but to excite a revolt among the Jews against Hezekiah and so gain possession of the city.... [ Continue Reading ]
_against the God of Jerusalem_ R.V. OF THE GOD OF JERUSALEM. For this designation cp. Psalms 135:21. _as against the gods of the people_ R.V. AS OF THE GODS OF THE PEOPLES. which were _the work of the hands of man_ R.V. WHICH ARE THE WORK OF MEN'S HANDS. Cp. Psalms 135:15-18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And for this_cause _Hezekiah … prayed_ R.V. AND HEZEKIAH … PRAYED BECAUSE OF THIS. _heaven_ Here used reverently for "God"; cp. 2 Chronicles 28:9; Daniel 4:26; Luke 15:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
(cp. 2 Kings 19:1-4; 2 Kings 19:14-19; 2 Kings 19:35-37). Hezekiah and Isaiah pray. The Deliverance This section is a very brief epitome of 2 Kings 19. The Chronicler assumes here as elsewhere that his readers have access to the fuller sources of information.... [ Continue Reading ]
_all the mighty_men] In number 185,000 according to 2 Kings 19:35 and Isaiah 37:36. The agency was probably the plague, which is pictured as a destroying angel in 2 Samuel 24:16. _And when he was come_ The murder of Sennacherib did not occur till some 20 years after his Judæan expedition (circ. 701... [ Continue Reading ]
_guided them on every side_ The verb in Heb. is the same as in Psalms 23:2 ("he leadeth me"). The LXX. read the Heb. differently, "Gave them rest on every side"; cp. 2 Chronicles 20:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
_brought gifts_ Cp. Psalms 68:29; Isaiah 18:7; Haggai 2:7-8 (R.V.). _presents_ R.V. PRECIOUS THINGS.... [ Continue Reading ]
(cp. 2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38, 39)). Hezekiah's Sickness. The Ambassadors from Babylon. Hezekiah's Death 24. _In those days_ The phrase is taken over from 2 Kings 20:1, and it cannot be determined what date is intended, though we might conclude from 2 Kings 20:6 that it was a time at which the Assyria... [ Continue Reading ]
_his heart was lifted up_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 32:31; 2 Kings 20:12-15. _wrath_ Heb. _qeçeph_, a visitation of divine wrath; cp. 2 Chronicles 19:2; 2 Chronicles 19:10; 2Ch 24:18, 2 Chronicles 29:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
_humbled himself_ Cp. 2 Kings 20:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
_riches and honour_ Cp. 2 Kings 20:13 (Isaiah 39:2). _shields_ If the text be correct we must think of silver and gold in the form of shields; cp. 2 Chronicles 9:15-16; but perhaps we should read _migdânoth_, "precious things," (as in 2 Chronicles 32:23), for _mâginnoth_"shields." LXX. ὁπλοθήκας, i... [ Continue Reading ]
_cotes for flocks_ A.V. here follows LXX. Vulg. and R.V. (following the Massoretic text) FLOCKS IN FOLDS. The "cotes" or "folds" were enclosures with high stone walls as a defence against robbers and wild beasts. The text is probably faulty; Pesh. omits the clause.... [ Continue Reading ]
_cities_ The context suggests that these cities were meant chiefly as places of refuge for the flocks and herds in time of war. _substance very much_ R.V. VERY MUCH SUBSTANCE.... [ Continue Reading ]
_stopped_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 32:3-4. _the upper watercourse_ R.V. THE UPPER SPRING OF THE WATERS. _Gihon_ The upper spring of Gihon is perhaps represented to-day by _St Mary's Well_; cp. _Bädeker_, p. 99, and note on 2 Chronicles 32:3 above. _to the west_side] R.V. ON THE WEST SIDE. The present _Lo... [ Continue Reading ]
_ambassadors_ Lit. "interpreters." _to inquire of the wonder_ According to 2 Kings 20:12; Isaiah 39:1, the ostensible reason of the embassy was to congratulate Hezekiah on his recovery. The real object was to gain over Judah to an alliance against Assyria, against which Babylon was in a chronic sta... [ Continue Reading ]
_his goodness_ R.V. HIS GOOD DEEDS. Cp. 2 Chronicles 35:26 (of Josiah); Nehemiah 13:14 (of Nehemiah). and _in the book_ R.V. omits _and_, the meaning of the Chronicler being that the vision of Isaiah is contained in the Book of Kings.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the chiefest_ R.V. IN THE ASCENT, LXX. ἐν ἀναβάσει. _did him honour_ Cp. 2Ch 16:14; 2 Chronicles 21:19.... [ Continue Reading ]