II Chronicles Chapter 32
Please read: II Chronicles 32 –
There are some details not covered in this book that we can read about in II Kings 18. Those details include the fact that not only had the Assyrians taken control of the northern kingdom, but they had taken control of many cities of the southern kingdom too. And the king of Judah tried to save his kingdom by paying them off. The Bible says that the king gave them much gold and silver and he even stripped the gold off the doors of the temple. But of course, it was not enough for the power-hungry Assyrians. As we get into chapter 32 the Assyrians are encroaching upon the city of Jerusalem.
King Hezekiah made a declaration to the people that they didn’t need to be afraid because God would protect them; and he was correct. God did a great miracle that caused the Assyrians to retreat home. Prior to that the Assyrians had slaughtered a great number of people in the city of Lachish, a city that was southwest of Jerusalem. And before arriving to attack Jerusalem they sent messengers who tried to intimidate them by playing mind games with the people of Jerusalem. They shouted loud proclamations about the strength of their army and how no one nor any god of any country had been able to stop them.
“An interesting wall relief taken from the excavation of Sennacherib’s royal palace in Nineveh is preserved in the British Museum. It portrays the Assyrian king on a portable throne in his military camp outside Lachish. Prisoners of war are marching by on foot, and all the booty from the city is being displayed on ox-wagons.” [Dilday]
Let's Reflect
1. The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, had been making his way south conquering city after fortified city. He had his sights on Jerusalem. King Hezekiah put a plan into motion to protect his city. He built up the wall that was broken. He fortified the towers including the Millo in the city of David. He made weapons and he put commanders over armies. According to verses 2-4 what other wise thing did he do?
2. But the most important thing that King Hezekiah did is found in verses 7 and 8. What did he proclaim?
3. The Assyrian king sent messengers from Lachish (where their current besiege was taking place) to Jerusalem to intimidate the people. These messengers known as “the Tartan, the Rab-saris, and the Rabshakeh” (II Kings 18:17), shouted to the people in the Hebrew language to make sure they were understood and feared. What did they claim they were capable of as stated by a rhetorical question found in verses 13-14 and the answer in verse 15?
4. According to verse 11 what did they say that Hezekiah had done to the people of Judah?
5. Not only did they shout these horrible intimidations at the people, but they had brought with them letters that they read out loud. Who had written these letters?
6. Verse 19 sums up the attitude of these Assyrian messengers. What was their attitude?
7. King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah upon hearing the intimidation of the Assyrian messengers did what was needed – they fell on their knees and prayed. Verse 21 tells us about God’s answer to their prayers. What did God do?
8. God took care of King Sennacherib in a way that no one imagined, I’m sure. Who killed the man?
9. The verses ending the chapter describe the great wealth of King Hezekiah. And we read how he had a brief season of pride in himself after God had healed him of a great sickness. But we also read that he did what, when he realized the wrath of God was upon himself and Judah?
10. What other book in the Bible, written by a prophet, will tell us more about the reign of King Hezekiah?
