And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come ,.... Into the land of Judah, which he perceived and understood by reports brought to him: and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem; to besiege it and take it, if possible; this he saw was his design, by taking the fenced cities in his way, and coming forward with his forces. read more
He took counsel with his princes, and his mighty men ,.... With his nobles, and the officers of his army, what steps should be taken to resist, retard, and distress the enemy, and among the rest what follows was proposed: to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city ; that so the Assyrian army would find it difficult to supply themselves with water, which was an article of great importance: and they did help him ; to stop the fountains, not only with their advice... read more
So there was gathered much people together ,.... At the instance of Hezekiah, his nobles and officers: who stopped all the fountains ; perhaps by laying planks over them, and earth upon them, so that it could not be discerned there were any fountains there: and the brook that ran through the midst of the land ; which, according to Kimchi, was Gihon, 2 Chronicles 32:30 , which was near Jerusalem; the stream of this very probably they turned into channels under ground, whereby it was... read more
Also he strengthened himself ,.... In the Lord his God, and fortified his city, and put it in the best manner of defence he could: and built up all the wall that was broken ; which was broken from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate by Joash king of Israel; and though it might have been repaired by Uzziah, it might again be broken down in the times of Ahaz, by Pekah, king of Israel, or some other enemy, see 2 Chronicles 25:3 . and raised it up to the towers ; from the corner... read more
And he set captains of war over the people ,.... To teach them the exercises of war, to lead them on against the enemy, to direct them where to stand, and what to do in defence of the city: and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city ; the street which led to the gate, and was large and commodious to assemble the people in: and spake comfortably to them ; to animate and encourage them to hold out the siege, and do all they could to repel the enemy; ... read more
Be strong and courageous ,.... Be of good heart and spirit, and quit yourselves like men: be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him ; which was very large; for no less than 185,000 were slain of them by an angel in one night, 2 Kings 19:35 . for there be more with us than with him ; though not in number, yet in power and might; and if angels are meant, they are more in number; but it seems, by what follows, that Hezekiah had only... read more
With him is an arm of flesh ,.... Only weak, frail, mortal men, not at all to be feared; nothing in comparison of the Lord: but with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our battles ; who is the Lord God Almighty, who has the host of heaven at his command, and with whom all the inhabitants of the earth are as nothing; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord our God is for us to help us, and fight our battles:" and the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of... read more
When Hezekiah saw - This was in the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah; and at first the Jewish king bought him off at the great price of three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold; and even emptied his own treasures, and spoiled the house of the Lord, to gratify the oppressive avarice of the Assyrian king. See the whole account, 2 Kings 18:13 , etc. read more
Stopped all the fountains - This was prudently done, for without water how could an immense army subsist in an arid country? No doubt the Assyrian army suffered much through this, as a Christian army did eighteen hundred years after this. When the crusaders came, in a.d. 1099, to besiege Jerusalem, the people of the city stopped up the wells, so that the Christian army was reduced to the greatest necessities and distress. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 32:1-8
Here is, I. The formidable design of Sennacherib against Hezekiah's kingdom, and the vigorous attempt he made upon it. This Sennacherib was now, as Nebuchadnezzar was afterwards, the terror and scourge and great oppressor of that part of the world. He aimed to raise a boundless monarchy for himself upon the ruins of all his neighbours. His predecessor Shalmaneser had lately made himself master of the kingdom of Israel, and carried the ten tribes captives. Sennacherib thought, in like manner,... read more