2 Chronicles 32:2

(2) And that he was purposed to fight.—Literally, and his face was for the war. (Comp. 2Ch_20:3; Luk_9:53.)

To stop.—To close in with masonry, so as to conceal. (But comp. 2Ki_3:19; 2Ki_3:25.) LXX., ἐμφράξαι τά ὕδατα.

They did help him.—By “gathering much people together” (2Ch_32:4).

PREPARATIONS FOR THE DEFENCE (2Ch_32:2-8).

This section is peculiar to the Chronicles. Its contents are “perfectly credible” (Thenius), and are borne out by Isa_22:8-11, and 2Ki_20:20, and by the inscription of Sennacherib.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 32:2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

Ver. 2. That Sennacherib was come.] See on 2Ki 18:13.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hebrew, face.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib . . . was purposed to fight against Jerusalem--An account of the means taken to fortify Jerusalem against the threatened siege is given only in this passage. The polluting or filling up of wells, and the altering of the course of rivers, is an old practice that still obtains in the wars of the East. Hezekiah's plan was to cover the fountain heads, so that they might not be discovered by the enemy, and to carry the water by subterranean channels or pipes into the city--a plan which, while it would secure a constant supply to the inhabitants, would distress the besiegers, as the country all around Jerusalem was very destitute of water.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. 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, 2Kg 18:13, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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.

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.

2 Chronicles 32:3

ch2 32:3

ch2 32:3

ch2 32:3He 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 how to do it, but with their men, their servants, who assisted those that Hezekiah employed in this work.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Jerusalem; as many cities had fallen. The king entered into an agreement with the Assyrians, who soon broke it.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

When Hezekiah saw and that he purposed Jerusalem. Whether the three verses of ill omen already alluded to (2Ki_18:14-16) may be road precedent to this verse, and purport that the bribes had been paid, and yet had failed of their object, so that Hezekiah was now compelled to brace himself to the occasion, and "took counsel," etc. (next verse); or whether this verse dates (as some think)the quailing heart of Hezekiah, and an offer or part payment of treasure by Hezekiah to Sennacherib, which only increased his insolence, as immediately now related, is uncertain, perhaps. In the face of the emphatic language of the three verses of the parallel, and in consideration of the possible motives as suggested above for our compiler omitting the matter altogether, we incline to the former opinion. That would have the effect of making this verse say that when Hezekiah had his eyes opened to the failure of his bribe a waste payment, for that Sennacherib still "purposed to fight against Jerusalem he finally proceeded to take the right steps. However, the witness and indications of Isa_22:13-19 Isa_29:2-4, may go some wayto shield Hezekiah from the entire blame. The silence of our compiler on the whole matter is the one residuum of fact, and unfortunate in its suggestion.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

that Sennacherib had come and that he intended

Here Sennacherib also represents his army. AT: "that Sennacherib and his army had come and that they intended" (See: Synecdoche)

to fight against Jerusalem

Here "Jerusalem" represents the people there. AT: "to fight against the people of Jerusalem" or "to fight against the army of Jerusalem" (See: Metonymy)

to stop up the waters of the springs that were outside the city

The people of the city would fill up wells and fountain springs with earth and rocks, hiding the water from the Assyrians, but the people would cause the water to flow into the city through secret pathways.

Why should the kings of Assyria come and find a lot of water?

The people use a rhetorical question to emphasize that they do not want the kings of Assyria to find their water. The question can be translated as a statement. AT: "We do not want the kings of Assyria to come here and find a lot of water." (See: Rhetorical Question)

the kings of Assyria

Possible meanings for "kings" are 1) this is an idiom that refers to the one king of Assyria. AT: "the king of Assyria" or 2) this may refer to the king and his other leaders. AT: "the king and the other leaders of Assyria" (See: Idiom)

translationWords

power

water

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.