2 Chronicles 32:25

2Ch 32:25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit [done] unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

Ver. 25. But Hezekiah rendered not again.] His returns were not answerable to his receipts. Plerique omnes sumus ingrati. The rain comes down from heaven in showers; it goes up but in mists: so do our praises return slowly and slenderly. We serve God, for most part as little children serve us, who, when they be come in to us from their play, and have got something of us they want, away they go, without reverence or respect of us; but if they know we will have duty, then they do it, but in such a fashion that we may see their hearts are on their game abroad more than on their duty.

For his heart was lifted up.] Not as good Jehoshaphat’s was, {2Ch 17:6} but worse, with pride and self-conceit, whilst he considered not his distance from God and dependence upon God, but acted as if he had been some petty god within himself. Such a blab Satan will easily blow up in the best hearts, if they watch not.

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 32:25. Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done him — Was not humble, grateful, and devoted to God, as in reason and duty he ought to have been, considering God’s marvellous interpositions in his favour, and the great and extraordinary deliverances he had wrought out for him and his kingdom; but God’s favour to him became the food and fuel of his pride. For his heart was lifted up — On account of that prodigious victory over the Assyrians, his miraculous restoration from sickness, and the honour since done him by an embassy from the great king of Babylon. All which, probably, raised in him too great an opinion of himself, as if these things were done for his piety and virtues. And instead of walking humbly with God, and giving the glory of all to him, he took, in part at least, the honour to himself, and vainly showed his riches and precious treasures to the Babylonish ambassadors, 2Ki 20:12, &c. Therefore there was wrath upon him — For pride is a sin which God particularly hates, especially in his own people; and they that exalt themselves must expect to be abased, and put under humbling providences. Thus wrath came on David for his pride in numbering the people. And upon Judah and Jerusalem — Who were justly punished for Hezekiah’s sin, because they imitated him in it, as they confess in the next verse.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He was lifted up with the pride of his victory and treasures, and showeth them for an ostentation to the ambassadors of Babylon.

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

Verse 25. Hezekiah rendered not again] He got into a vain confidence, took pleasure in his riches, and vainly showed them to the messengers of the king of Babylon. See on 2Kg 20:12, &c.

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

(25) But Hezekiah.—For Hezekiah’s pride, see the account of his reception of the Babylonian embassy (2Ki_20:12-19; Isaiah 39).

According to the benefit done unto him.—In his illness he promised to walk humbly all his days (Isa_38:15); but when he had recovered, “his heart was lifted up.”

Therefore there was wrath upon him.—And wrath fell upon him. The token of this was seen in Isaiah’s prophetic rebuke, foretelling that the royal treasures would be carried away to Babylon, and that some of Hezekiah’s sons would be eunuchs in the palace there (2Ki_20:16-18; Isa_39:5-7).

And upon Judah and Jerusalem.—Which shared in the king’s guilty pride and confidence in the arm of flesh. (Comp. 1Ch_27:24; 2Ch_19:10.)

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

25. his heart was lifted up] Cp. 2Ch_32:31; 2Ki_20:12-15.

wrath] Heb. qeçeph, a visitation of divine wrath; cp. 2Ch_19:2; 2Ch_19:10; 2Ch_24:18, 2Ch_29:8.

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.

This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper water course of Gihon,.... Which Procopius Gazeus says was the same with Siloam, and which it seems had two streams, and this was the upper one; Mr. Maundrell says (c), the pool of Gihon"lies about two furlongs without Bethlehem gate westward; it is a stately pool, one hundred and six paces long, and sixty seven broad, and lined with wall and plaster, and was, when we were there, well stored with water:"

and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David; through canals under the plain of the city of David; as the Targum, by a subterraneous passage; and Siloam, as Dr. Lightfoot (d) observes from Josephus, was behind the west wall, not far from the corner that pointed toward the southwest:

and Hezekiah prospered in all his works; natural, civil, and religious, Ch2 31:21.

(c) Journey from Aleppo, &c. p. 108. (d) Chorograph. in John, c. 5. sect. 2.

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

His heart was lifted up - Compare the marginal reference. Hezekiah’s pride was shown in his unnecessarily exhibiting his treasures to the ambassadors from Babylon (see 2Ki 20:13).

There was wrath upon him - Compare 2Ki 20:17-18.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Up, by riches, and the splendid embassy from Babylon. C. --- Prosperity is more dangerous than adversity. W. --- Few are able to bear good fortune with moderation. H.

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).

His heart was lifted up, for that prodigious victory over the Assyrians, above, 2Ch 32:21, and for his miraculous restoration from sickness, and the confirmation of that work by a strange and supernatural motion of the sun, and by the honour since done him by an embassy from the great and potent king of Babylon; all which probably raised in him too great an opinion of himself, as if these things were done, if not by his power, yet, at least, for his piety and virtues. And instead of walking humbly with God, and giving the glory of all entirely to him, he took the honour to himself, and vain-gloriously showed his riches and precious treasures to the Babylonish ambassadors, 2Ki 20:12, &c.

Upon Judah and Jerusalem; who might justly be punished for Hezekiah’s sin, because they followed him in it, as they confess in the next verse.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The parallel, 2Ki_20:12-19 and Isa 39, fully explain the circumstances here referred to, and we may conclude that Hezekiah"s sin consisted in the spirit in which he acted, displaying his treasures, so that it was in the fullest sense a sin of" the heart.

Vers. 25, 26.

Hezekiah"s fall and repentance.

I HEZEKIAH"S SIN.

1. Its character.

(1) Ingratitude. "He rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him." That benefit had been great deliverance from a more powerful assailant than the King of Assyria, even from the king of terrors (Job_18:14) and ought to have awakened undying thankfulness in Hezekiah"s besom, as, indeed, he promised it would. (Isa_38:20) But it did not. Ingratitude, a sin of which Uzziah (2Ch_26:16) and Rehoboam (2Ch_12:1) before him bad been guilty, with which men in general are often chargeable (Luk_17:17; Rom_1:21; 2Ti_3:2) and into which the best of men occasionally fall. (2Sa_12:7, 2Sa_12:8, 2Sa_12:9)

(2) Pride. "His heart was lifted up." Like other good men before and since, his vows upon his sick-bed were better than his performances when health was restored. He had engaged "to go softly all his years, because of the bitterness of his soul"; (Isa_38:15) but instead, his heart was lifted up, not as Jehoshaphat"s had been, "in the ways of the Lord", (2Ch_17:6) but as Uzziah"s (2Ch_26:16) and Amaziah"s (2Ch_25:19) had been, in self-sufficiency the allusion being to his behaviour in connection with the Babylonian envoys, who shortly after his recovery visited Jerusalem, and endeavoured to enlist him in a league against Assyria (see homily on ver. 31).

2. Its punishment. The wrath of Jehovah was threatened

(1) upon himself, the immediate offender, which was righteous (2Ch_19:2 2Ch_24:18; cf.; Rom_1:18) and

(2) upon Judah and Jerusalem, by the law of imputation, and in accordance with the solidarity of nations. The punishment of sin often falls on the innocent, because of their connection with the guilty. Children suffer for the evil-doing of their parents, and subjects for that of their rulers. "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children"s teeth are set on edge" (Jer_31:29; Eze_18:2)

II HEZEKIAH"S REPENTANCE.

1. The self-abasement of the king. "He humbled himself for the pride of his heart." The wrath of Jehovah, pronounced against him and his people by Isaiah, was the Babylonish captivity. When Hezekiah heard the prophet"s threatening, he realized that he had sinned, and humbled himself before Jehovah, saying, "Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken" (2Ki_20:14-19; Isa_38:3-8)

1. The concurrence of the people. "He and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Probably they had not been unfavourable to a Babylonian alliance against Assyria, and were really "art and part" co-criminals with Hezekiah; if they had no share in Hezekiah"s action, they had still cause to humble themselves before God on account of Hezekiah their king.

2. The clemency of Jehovah. The judgment was to fall on Hezekiah"s sons rather than on himself, which Hezekiah recognized as a mercy, and acknowledged by adding, "Is it not so i.e. good if peace and truth shall be in my days?

LESSONS.

1. The possibility of spiritual declension.

2. The duty of repentance,

3. The obligation of gratitude.

4. The sin of pride. W.

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

Lifted up - For that prodigious victory over the Assyrians, for his miraculous restoration from sickness, and for the honour since done him by an embassy from the great king of Babylon. All which probably raised in him too great an opinion of himself, as if these things were done for his piety and virtues.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

But...did not repay Him according to that which He had bestowed upon him Hezekiah did not repay the Holy One, blessed be He in accordance with that which He had bestowed upon him by healing him.

for his heart became haughty as it is written (ibid. 20:13): “and he showed them his entire treasure-house...and in all his kingdom.”

and there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem because of this, and the author of this Book abridged it here because it is described in II Kings (20) and in Isaiah (39).

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.