2 Chronicles 32:2

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.

32:1-23 Those who trust God with their safety, must use proper means, else they tempt him. God will provide, but so must we also. Hezekiah gathered his people together, and spake comfortably to them. A believing confidence in God, will raise us above the prevailing fear of man. Let the good subjects and soldiers of Jesus Christ, rest upon his word, and boldly say, Since God is for us, who can be against us? By the favour of God, enemies are lost, and friends gained.

Verse 2. - When Hezekiah saw... and that he purposed... Jerusalem . Whether the three verses of ill omen already alluded to ( 2 Kings 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 Isaiah 22:13-19 ; Isaiah 29:2-4 , may go some way to 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. 2 Chronicles 32:2

PREPARATIONS FOR THE DEFENCE ( 2Chronicles 32:2-8 ). This section is peculiar to the Chronicles. Its contents are “perfectly credible” (Thenius), and are borne out by Isaiah 22:8-11, and 2Kings 20:20, and by the inscription of Sennacherib. (2) And that he was purposed to fight.—Literally, and his face was for the war. (Comp. 2Chronicles 20:3; Luke 9:53.) To stop.—To close in with masonry, so as to conceal. (But comp. 2Kings 3:19; 2Kings 3:25.) LXX., ἐμφράξαι τά ὕδατα. They did help him.—By “gathering much people together” (2Chronicles 32:4).

2-8. 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.

Preparations of Hezekiah for the strengthening and defending of Jerusalem. - We find an account of this neither in 2 Kings 18 nor in Isaiah 36 ; but the fact is confirmed both by Isaiah 22:8-11 , and by the remark 2 Kings 20:20 (cf. 2 Chronicles 32:30 of our chapter). 2 Chronicles 32:2-4 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib advanced, and his face was to war against Jerusalem, i.e., that he purposed to capture Jerusalem, he consulted with his princes and his valiant men to cover the waters of the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him, brought much people together, and covered all the springs, and the brook which ran through the midst of the land. סתם does not denote to obstruct, but only to hide by covering and conducting the water into subterranean channels. The brook which flowed through the midst of the land is the Gihon, which was formed by the waters flowing from the springs, and was dried up by these springs being covered and the water diverted. For further information, see on 2 Chronicles 32:30. The object of this measure is stated in the words which follow: Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water? i.e., why should we provide them with much water, when they advance against the city and besiege it? The plural, kings of Assyria, is rhetorical, as in 2 Chronicles 28:16.