2 Crônicas 32
Adam Clarke · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 32
Clarke writes “God did not permit the pious prince to be disturbed till he had completed the reformation which he had begun.” Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself - It is surprising that after Hezekiah's "faithfulness" Assyria attacked because most often an enemy invasion was a result of disobedience. In this case it is a test for Hezekiah. Compare 2Ch 32:31+ (this was a later test after he was healed of his fatal illness) Even in the matter of the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
2 Crônicas 32
Clarke points out that “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.” Charles Stanley (Life Principles Bible - page 635) - Hezekiah not only prayed to God for deliverance when the Assyrians advanced against him; he also took wise action. Faithful, believing prayer does not encourage passivity or inaction. John Olley makes an excellent point that "In both security and reforms Hezekiah consulted with others (2Ch 32:3; 30:2, 23; cf. 1 Chron. 13:1), and wide community involvement was evident (2 Chron. 32:4; 30:13). Resolute wise leadership embraced both worship of the Lord and security for the people and was possible through consultation and cooperation." J.A. Thompson: It is no denial of one’s trust in God if one makes certain precautionary preparations. “Pray to God and keep your powder dry” is a wise response in the face of danger at any time. Blocking off the water from the springs outside the city was a wise defensive measure because a plentiful water supply made the task of invaders easier. John Walton - The water supply included springs, wells and conduits. The springs and wells outside the city were stopped up in order to prevent the Assyrians from using them. The Assyrian threat caused Hezekiah to secure Jerusalem’s water supply. This is what is referred to as Hezekiah’s tunnel. It is cut through bedrock for 1750 feet from the Gihon spring on the east of the city by the Kidron Valley to the Pool of Siloam on the western flank of the southern tip of the city. In the late 1800s an inscription was found inside the tunnel that describes the diggers’ meeting as they dug from both ends. For more information on water systems see the comment on 2 Samuel 5:8. Tunnel in Solid Rock from Gihon Springs outside City on North to Pool of Siloam Within City on SW ARCHAEOLOGICAL NOTE: Hezekiah's Tunnel and the Siloam Inscription. The tunnel by which Hezekiah brought water into the city (2Ch 32:3-4; 2 Kings 20:20) has been found. The Gihon Spring was situated at the east foot of Ophel Hill (see map below), just outside the wall. Hezekiah's workmen cut a tunnel through solid rock, under the hill, that runs 1,700 feet southwest from the spring to the Pool of Siloam inside the wall, thus diverting the water of the spring from its natural flow into the Brook Kidron. The tunnel is an average height of about six feet and an average width of 2½ feet. Its drop is seven feet. At its southern exit the Siloam Inscription was found. The Siloam Inscription was discovered in 1880 by some schoolboys at the south end of the tunnel. This five-line inscription, written in Hebrew, was carelessly cut from the rock, sent to Istanbul, and now resides in a museum. This inscription describes the construction of the tunnel: "The tunnel was driven through. And this was the way in which it was cut through: While [the stonecutters were lifting up their pick], each man toward his fellow (i.e., from opposite ends), and while there were still three cubits to be cut through, [there was heard] the voice of a man calling to his fellow.... And when the tunnel was driven through, the stonecutters hewed the rock, each man toward his fellow, axe against axe. And the water flowed from the spring toward the reservoir for 1,200 cubits, and the height of the rock above the heads of the stonecutters was 100 cubits." (Halley's Bible handbook BORROW) Help - 'azar means to protect, aid, help, succor, support, give material or nonmaterial encouragement. Azar often refers to aid in the form of military assistance and in many instances refers to help from Jehovah as illustrated by the uses below. Webster says to help means to aid, to assist, to succour (see below), to lend strength or means towards effecting a purpose. To relieve; to cure, or to mitigate pain or disease. To remedy; to change for the better. The Septuagint translates 'azar most often with the word group that includes boáo, boetheo, boethos, all conveying the general idea of running to the aid of one who cries out for help (e.g., see He 2:18+ which uses boetheo) which is similar to the English word succour (from Latin succurrere = to run up, run to help) means literally to run to and so to run to to support, to go to the aid of, to help or relieve when in difficulty, want or distress; to assist and deliver front suffering; as, to succor a besieged city; to succor prisoners. The Theological Lexicon of the OT notes that…Connotations can vary from “to support” (Ezra 10:15), “to help out” (Josh 1:14; cf. Ge 2:18), “to assist” (Ge 49:25) to “to stand with to deliver” (Da 10:13; cf. Lam 4:17) and “to come to aid” (2Sa 21:17; cf. Ps 60:13 = Ps 108:13). To this extent, the Hebrew terms coincide with the English terms “to help” and “help.” (Jenni, E., & Westermann, C. Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament (872). Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers) 2 Chronicles 32:4 So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” who stopped: This was prudently done; for, without water, how could an immense army subsist in ar arid country? No doubt the Assyrian army suffered much through this; as a Christian army did, through the same cause, 1,800 years afterwards. the brook: 2Ch 32:30 30:14 ran through the midst of: Heb. overflowed kings: The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic read king, in the singular number. 2Ch 32:1 2Ki 18:9,13 19:17 Isa 10:8 find: 1Ki 3:9,16,17 19:21 DENYING THE ENEMY SUSTENANCE So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” - The people united to stop the springs outside Jerusalem so the Assyrians would not find abundant water.
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Clarke - “No doubt the Assyrian army suffered much through this (WATER SUPPLY CUT OFF), 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.” Raymond Dillard: Standard siege strategy calls for reducing a city through thirst by cutting off access to the water supply or by poisoning it; plentiful water only eases the task of the invading foe. Hezekiah’s efforts at diverting and concealing the water sources in the area of Jerusalem anticipate the coming siege. Apart from the famous “Hezekiah’s tunnel,” the earlier Warren shaft, and an irrigation channel attributed to the Solomonic period (cf. Eccl 2:6; see H. Shanks, The City of David [Washington, DC: Biblical Archaeological Society, 1975]), comparatively little is known about the water supply of the City of David. Two springs are known to have been in the area, the famous Gihon (2Ch 32:30) in the Kidron Valley east of the city and the spring at Enrogel, two miles south. 2 Chronicles 32:5 And he took courage and rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and erected towers on it, and built another outside wall and strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number. he took courage he strengthened: 2Ch 12:1 14:5-7 17:1,2 23:1 26:8 Isa 22:9,10 broken: 2Ch 25:23 wall: 2Ki 25:4 Jer 39:4 Millo: Judges 9:6 2Sa 5:9 1Ki 9:24 11:27 2Ki 12:20 weapons, 2Ch 26:14,15 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 25:23+ Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, 400 cubits. STRENGTHENING THE CITY'S DEFENSES And he took courage and rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and erected towers on it, and built another outside wall and strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number. This passage does not mention the tribute Hezekiah paid to Sennacherib. See 2 Kings 18:14. Hezekiah energetically rebuilt the walls, raised towers, fortified the Millo, and prepared weapons and shields for battle.
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Clarke - “We have more power than they have. (These words he quotes from the prophet Elisha, 2 Kings 6:16.) This was soon proved to be true by the slaughter made by the angel of the Lord in the Assyrian camp.” John Olley: Trusting in fortifications and military preparedness was always a temptation (cf. Isa. 22:8b–11), but Hezekiah called the people to look not to “an arm of flesh” but to the presence of “the Lord our God.” While in 2 Kings 19:6–7 similar words are spoken later by Isaiah to Hezekiah, the Assyrian envoys’ earlier words in 2 Kings 18:29–36 point to Hezekiah’s having already encouraged reliance on the Lord. HEZEKIAH THE ENCOURAGER “Be strong and courageous” (2Ch 32:7) Courage is commanded before circumstances change; strength here is moral and spiritual resolve, not military advantage. This shows that courage is not a feeling to wait for, but a duty to embrace. “Do not fear or be dismayed” (2Ch 32:7) Courage confronts fear directly. Hezekiah identifies fear as the real danger and calls the people to resist inward collapse before outward attack. “Because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the multitude that is with him” (2Ch 32:7) Courage refuses intimidation by numbers. The threat is named plainly, yet deliberately reduced—numbers and reputation are stripped of their terror. “For the one with us is greater than the one with him” (2Ch 32:7) Courage is encouraged by right perspective. Perspective is restored by comparison: unseen divine presence outweighs visible military power. “With him is only an arm of flesh” (2Ch 32:8) Courage exposes false confidence. Assyria’s strength, though impressive, is exposed as merely human, finite, and ultimately fragile. “But with us is the LORD our God” (2Ch 32:8) Courage is anchored in God’s presence. Confidence rests not in strategy or leadership, but in covenant relationship with Yahweh Himself. “To help us and to fight our battles” (2Ch 32:8) Courage trusts God to fight. God is presented not as a distant deity but as an active Warrior who intervenes personally for His people. “So the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah” (2Ch 32:8) Courage spreads through encouragement. Encouragement accomplishes its purpose: hearts are steadied and faith takes hold before deliverance arrives. God strengthens His people through truth-filled encouragement that shifts their focus from human threat to divine supremacy. God uses courage-filled encouragement to steady His people before He delivers them.