2 Chronicles 32:7

To teach them the exercises of war, to lead them on against the enemy, to direct them where to stand, and what to do in defence of the city: and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city; the street which led to the gate, and was large and commodious to assemble the people in: and spake comfortably to them; to animate and encourage them to hold out the siege, and do all they could to repel the enemy; saying; as follows. 2 Chronicles 32:7 Ver. 7. Be strong and courageous,.... Be of good heart and spirit, and quit yourselves like men: be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him; which was very large; for no less than 185,000 were slain of them by an angel in one night, 2 Kings 19:35 for there be more with us than with him; though not in number, yet in power and might; and if angels are meant, they are more in number; but it seems, by what follows, that Hezekiah had only the Lord his God in his thoughts and view. 2 Chronicles 32:8 Ver. 8. With him is an arm of flesh,....

Be strong and courageous,.... Be of good heart and spirit, and quit yourselves like men: be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him; which was very large; for no less than 185,000 were slain of them by an angel in one night, 2 Kings 19:35. for there be more with us than with him; though not in number, yet in power and might; and if angels are meant, they are more in number; but it seems, by what follows, that Hezekiah had only the Lord his God in his thoughts and view.

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.

(7) Be not afraid . . . the multitude. —Comp. 2Chronicles 20:15 , “Be not afraid nor dismayed for this great multitude.” “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid” occurs in Deuteronomy 31:6 (Heb.). For there be more with us than with him.—A reminiscence of 2Kings 6:16, “Be not thou afraid; for more are they that are with us than they that are with them.” It is not necessary to suppose that the chronicler professes to give the exact words of Hezekiah’s exhortation, but only the substance and spirit of it.

6. he … gathered them together … in the street—that is, the large open space at the gate of Eastern cities. Having equipped his soldiers with a full suit of military accoutrements, he addressed them in an animated strain, dwelling on the motives they had to inspire courage and confidence of success, especially on their consciousness of the favor and helping power of God.

And, moreover, he set captains of war over the people, i.e., the populace of Jerusalem, assembled them in the open space at the city gate (which gate is not stated; cf. Nehemiah 8:1 , Nehemiah 8:16 ), and addressed them in encouraging words; cf. 2 Chronicles 30:22 . On 2 Chronicles 32:7 , cf. 2 Chronicles 20:15 , Deuteronomy 31:6 , etc. "For with us is more than with him." רב, quite general, the closer definition following in 2 Chronicles 32:8 : "With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Jahve, our God, to help us." An arm of flesh equals frail human power; cf. Isaiah 21:3 : their (the Egyptians') horses are flesh, not spirit; Jeremiah 17:5 ; Psalm 56:5 . "And the people leaned themselves on (i.e., trusted in) the words of Hezekiah." These statements are not inconsistent with the account in 2 Kings 18:14-16 , that Hezekiah began to negotiate with the Assyrian king Sennacherib when he had begun to take the fenced cities of the land unto Lachish, promised to pay him tribute, and actually paid the sum demanded, employing for that purpose even the sheet gold on the temple doors. These negotiations are passed over, not only in our narrative, but also in Isaiah 36 , because they had no influence upon the after course and the issue of the war. Sennacherib was not induced to withdraw by the payment of the sum demanded, and soon after the receipt of it he sent a detachment from Lachish against Jerusalem, to summon the city to surrender.