2 Chronicles 32:20

2Ch 32:20 And for this [cause] Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

Ver. 20. For this cause.] See 2Ki 19:2-3, &c.

And the prophet Isaiah … prayed.] And at the same time prophesied comfortably. {2Ki 19:14-19}

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.

2Ch_32:20

Prayed and cried to heaven.

True prayer

True prayer is not pestering the Throne with passionate entreaties that a certain method of deliverance which seems best to us, should be forthwith effected; but is a calm utterance of need, and a patient, submissive expectance of fitting help, of which we dare not define the manner or the time. They are wisest, most trustful and reverent, who do not seek to impose their notions or wills on the clearer wisdom and deeper love to which they betake themselves, but are satisfied with leaving all to His arbitrament. True prayer is the bending of our own wills to the Divine, not the urging of ours on it. When Hezekiah received the insolent letter from the invader, he took it and spread it before the Lord, asking God to read it, leaving all else to Him to determine: as if he had said, Behold, Lord, this boastful page. I bring it to Thee, and now it is Thine affair more than mine. The burden which we roll on God lies lightly on our own shoulders; and if we do roll it thither, we need not trouble ourselves with the question of how He will deal with it. (Alex. Maclaren, D.D.)

Fire upwards

A story of the wars of the first Napoleon has often come back to me. He was trying in a winter campaign to cut off the march of the enemy across a frozen lake. The gunners were told to fire on the ice and break it, but the cannon balls glanced harmlessly along the surface. With one of the sudden flashes of genius he gave the word, Fire upwards! and the balls crashed down full weight, shattering the whole sheet into fragments, and the day was won. You can fire upwards in this battle even if you are shut out from fighting it face to face. You can do your share within the four walls of your room. (Miss Trotter.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This showeth what is the best refuge in all troubles and dangers.

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

(20) For this cause.—Upon this (‘al zôth). The reference is to the Assyrian blasphemies against Jehovah, which Hezekiah urged in his prayer for deliverance (2Ki_19:16), and to which Isaiah referred in his prophetic answer (Isa_37:23). The prayer of Hezekiah is given in 2Ki_19:15-19; Isa_37:15-20. The parallel passages do not say that Isaiah also prayed; but 2Ki_19:2-4, and Isa_37:2-4, report that the king sent a deputation of nobles to the prophet, requesting his prayers “for the remnant that were left.”

Cried to heaven.—Comp. 2Ch_30:27; 1Sa_5:12.

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

20. And for this cause Hezekiah … prayed] R.V. And Hezekiah … prayed because of this.

heaven] Here used reverently for “God”; cp. 2Ch_28:9; Dan_4:26; Luk_15:21.

20–23 (cp. 2Ki_19:1-4; 2Ki_19:14-19; 2Ki_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.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In those days Hezekiah was sick,.... Of which sickness, and of his prayer, and of the sign given him, see Isa 38:1 and the notes there.

and the notes there.

2 Chronicles 32:25

ch2 32:25

ch2 32:25

ch2 32:25But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him,.... Both in the deliverance of him and his people from the king of Assyria, and the recovery of him from his sickness:

for his heart was lifted up; with pride, because of the wonderful defeat of the Assyrian army in his favour, the miracle wrought at his recovery from illness, the riches and honour conferred upon him, the presents brought him from his neighbours, and especially the embassy of the king of Babylon to him:

therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem; who, in imitation of him, fell into the same sin of pride, with many others; and therefore both he and they were threatened with some tokens of the divine displeasure.

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

CHAPTER XXXII.

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).

For the prayer of Hezekiah, see 2Ki_19:14-19; and for the place of the prayer or prayers of Isaiah, and the indications of their having been offered, see alike 2Ch_19:4-7, and the verses of the grand passage.

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

cried out to heaven

Here "heaven" represents Yahweh. AT: "cried to Yahweh for help" or "pleaded to Yahweh" (See: Metonymy)

with shame on his face

"embarrassed" or "ashamed"

the house of his god

"the temple of his god"

translationWords

Isaiah

prophet

Amoz

cry

heaven

angel

sword

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

And Hezekiah... prayed In II Kings (19:15–19) and in Isaiah (37:15–19) the prayer is delineated.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.