2 Chronicles 32 - 34 and Psalm 37
In summary:
The renewed devotion of the people of Judah toward Yahweh is put to the test in Sennacherib’s invasion. Afterwards we read of the responses of Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon and Josiah to Yahweh’s word and the need for repentance.
The renewed devotion of the people of Judah toward Yahweh is put to the test in Sennacherib’s invasion. Afterwards we read of the responses of Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon and Josiah to Yahweh’s word and the need for repentance.
In more detail:
If we reread the narrative of Sennacherib’s invasion in 2 Kings 18 – 19, it seems like there is plenty that would interest the Chronicler – the discourse of the Rabshakeh en his pride (2 Kings 18:17-37), Hezekiah’s humble request for prayer to the prophet Isaiah (2 Kings 19:1-5), Hezekiah’s exemplary prayer before Yahweh (2 Kings 19:14-19), Yahweh’s response confirming His election of Jerusalem and His covenant with David (2 Kings 19:20-34, especially 19:31-34) and his miraculous victory (2 Kings 19:35-37). The Chronicler could repeat many of these same themes that have interested him throughout 1 and 2 Chronicles in a fascinating narrative.
But the Chronicler’s narrative of the invasion in comparison almost seems disappointing at first glance. He adds a discourse by Hezekiah to motivate the people, but it is only two verses long (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). He removes large sections of the
message of Sennacherib’s servant (2 Chronicles 32:9-15); he edits it with the summary phrase: “And his servants said still more against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah” (2 Chronicles 32:16). Hezekiah’s humble prayer request to the prophet Isaiah disappears, and his humble prayer before Yahweh is reduced to a single verse (2 Chronicles 32:20). What happened? Why did he pass up the opportunity to repeat and expand on some of his favorite themes?
I believe that there are two factors that we must consider:
First, it may be that the Chronicler believed that his readers and listeners already know the story well and already had drawn these conclusions from the narratives in 2 Kings and Isaiah (both of which he seems to mention in 2 Chronicles 32:32). There was no need to repeat them in so much detail.
Second, it is striking that he dedicates so much space to Sennacherib’s message and so little to Hezekiah’s prayer. Notice too, that he highlights Sennacherib’s shame in his defeat and death (2 Chronicles 32:21) and the great blessing granted to Hezekiah and Judah: “So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he
provided for them on every side. And many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward” (2 Chronicles 32:22-23). The Chronicler is describing the kind of blessing that we haven’t seen since the reigns of David and Solomon! He lists some of these blessings (2 Chronicles 32:27-30) and he summarizes them by saying, “And Hezekiah prospered in all his works” (2 Chronicles 32:30). Instead of a shameful death like Sennacherib, “Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper part of the tombs of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death” (2 Chronicles 32:33).
Therefore, I believe that the Chronicler’s intention in this narrative was to compare the pagan perspective of their gods (multiple altars, a plurality of gods, each one with his own powers) with Yahweh’s faithfulness in His covenant. Instead of including another exemplary prayer like those of Solomon and Jehoshaphat, instead of repeating a well-known prayer available from other sources, and instead of putting too much attention on Hezekiah whose faithfulness he has described already in detail, the Chronicler quoted more from Sennacherib… with the purpose of making Yahweh’s faithfulness stand out, especially in comparison: “They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands” (2 Chronicles 32:19).
The victory is glorious, not so much because of the prayer or works of Hezekiah but because of Yahweh who protects Jerusalem and His anointed and who judges His enemies in righteousness.
Yahweh also justly punishes His own who exalt themselves in pride. The Chronicler assumes that his readers already know the story of Hezekiah’s miraculous cure (2 Kings
20:1-11, summarized in 2 Chronicles 32:24) and his reception of the Babylonian
ambassadors (2 Kings 20:12-19, summarized in 2 Chronicles 32:25-26); he shortens
these two events and wraps up their lesson by saying, “Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah” (2 Chronicles 32:25-26).
But we have an even more striking example of repentance in Manasseh. First, he surpassed all the kings of Judah in evil; to find a comparison, we have to go back to the time of the Canaanites (2 Chronicles 33:2, 9). As we saw in our commentary on 2 Kings 21, it seems as if his rebellion was aimed directly at the covenant. Therefore he is the first king who suffers the shame of capture and exile (2 Chronicles 33:10-11). And the
Chronicler adds his singular example of repentance: “And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13). And if Yahweh can restore a king as evil as Manasseh upon his repentance, any exiled believer could find hope to return to Jerusalem if he repents with all his heart from his rebellion against Yahweh.
After Amon’s lack of repentance (2 Chronicles 33:23), another form of genuine repentance stands out in the example of Josiah. Instead of a repentance that was personal only, Josiah directs all the people along this path. He clears the land of idolatry as Hezekiah had done in his day (2 Chronicles 31:1); he repairs the temple as had been done in Joash’s day (2 Chronicles 24:4-14); and in another giant step of restoration, the responded in repentance to the reading of the book of the law (2 Chronicles 34:19-21). When it is revealed to him that he will not see the judgment that will come over Jerusalem, he does not respond in disappointment but instead confirms the covenant with Yahweh (2 Chronicles 34:30-32).
Notice, therefore, that in a historical period when all of Judah is sliding rapidly under divine judgment, the Chronicler underlines three examples of repentance in Hezekiah, Manasseh and Josiah and among them, Amon’s lack of repentance. Although the whole society in general is about to suffer Yahweh’s just wrath, leaders with a humble heart can find refuge in their gracious and merciful God and even may serve as spokesmen to announce Yahweh’s abundant pardon to His faithful remnant who repent of their sins and keep His covenant.
If we reread the narrative of Sennacherib’s invasion in 2 Kings 18 – 19, it seems like there is plenty that would interest the Chronicler – the discourse of the Rabshakeh en his pride (2 Kings 18:17-37), Hezekiah’s humble request for prayer to the prophet Isaiah (2 Kings 19:1-5), Hezekiah’s exemplary prayer before Yahweh (2 Kings 19:14-19), Yahweh’s response confirming His election of Jerusalem and His covenant with David (2 Kings 19:20-34, especially 19:31-34) and his miraculous victory (2 Kings 19:35-37). The Chronicler could repeat many of these same themes that have interested him throughout 1 and 2 Chronicles in a fascinating narrative.
But the Chronicler’s narrative of the invasion in comparison almost seems disappointing at first glance. He adds a discourse by Hezekiah to motivate the people, but it is only two verses long (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). He removes large sections of the
message of Sennacherib’s servant (2 Chronicles 32:9-15); he edits it with the summary phrase: “And his servants said still more against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah” (2 Chronicles 32:16). Hezekiah’s humble prayer request to the prophet Isaiah disappears, and his humble prayer before Yahweh is reduced to a single verse (2 Chronicles 32:20). What happened? Why did he pass up the opportunity to repeat and expand on some of his favorite themes?
I believe that there are two factors that we must consider:
First, it may be that the Chronicler believed that his readers and listeners already know the story well and already had drawn these conclusions from the narratives in 2 Kings and Isaiah (both of which he seems to mention in 2 Chronicles 32:32). There was no need to repeat them in so much detail.
Second, it is striking that he dedicates so much space to Sennacherib’s message and so little to Hezekiah’s prayer. Notice too, that he highlights Sennacherib’s shame in his defeat and death (2 Chronicles 32:21) and the great blessing granted to Hezekiah and Judah: “So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he
provided for them on every side. And many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward” (2 Chronicles 32:22-23). The Chronicler is describing the kind of blessing that we haven’t seen since the reigns of David and Solomon! He lists some of these blessings (2 Chronicles 32:27-30) and he summarizes them by saying, “And Hezekiah prospered in all his works” (2 Chronicles 32:30). Instead of a shameful death like Sennacherib, “Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper part of the tombs of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death” (2 Chronicles 32:33).
Therefore, I believe that the Chronicler’s intention in this narrative was to compare the pagan perspective of their gods (multiple altars, a plurality of gods, each one with his own powers) with Yahweh’s faithfulness in His covenant. Instead of including another exemplary prayer like those of Solomon and Jehoshaphat, instead of repeating a well-known prayer available from other sources, and instead of putting too much attention on Hezekiah whose faithfulness he has described already in detail, the Chronicler quoted more from Sennacherib… with the purpose of making Yahweh’s faithfulness stand out, especially in comparison: “They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands” (2 Chronicles 32:19).
The victory is glorious, not so much because of the prayer or works of Hezekiah but because of Yahweh who protects Jerusalem and His anointed and who judges His enemies in righteousness.
Yahweh also justly punishes His own who exalt themselves in pride. The Chronicler assumes that his readers already know the story of Hezekiah’s miraculous cure (2 Kings
20:1-11, summarized in 2 Chronicles 32:24) and his reception of the Babylonian
ambassadors (2 Kings 20:12-19, summarized in 2 Chronicles 32:25-26); he shortens
these two events and wraps up their lesson by saying, “Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah” (2 Chronicles 32:25-26).
But we have an even more striking example of repentance in Manasseh. First, he surpassed all the kings of Judah in evil; to find a comparison, we have to go back to the time of the Canaanites (2 Chronicles 33:2, 9). As we saw in our commentary on 2 Kings 21, it seems as if his rebellion was aimed directly at the covenant. Therefore he is the first king who suffers the shame of capture and exile (2 Chronicles 33:10-11). And the
Chronicler adds his singular example of repentance: “And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13). And if Yahweh can restore a king as evil as Manasseh upon his repentance, any exiled believer could find hope to return to Jerusalem if he repents with all his heart from his rebellion against Yahweh.
After Amon’s lack of repentance (2 Chronicles 33:23), another form of genuine repentance stands out in the example of Josiah. Instead of a repentance that was personal only, Josiah directs all the people along this path. He clears the land of idolatry as Hezekiah had done in his day (2 Chronicles 31:1); he repairs the temple as had been done in Joash’s day (2 Chronicles 24:4-14); and in another giant step of restoration, the responded in repentance to the reading of the book of the law (2 Chronicles 34:19-21). When it is revealed to him that he will not see the judgment that will come over Jerusalem, he does not respond in disappointment but instead confirms the covenant with Yahweh (2 Chronicles 34:30-32).
Notice, therefore, that in a historical period when all of Judah is sliding rapidly under divine judgment, the Chronicler underlines three examples of repentance in Hezekiah, Manasseh and Josiah and among them, Amon’s lack of repentance. Although the whole society in general is about to suffer Yahweh’s just wrath, leaders with a humble heart can find refuge in their gracious and merciful God and even may serve as spokesmen to announce Yahweh’s abundant pardon to His faithful remnant who repent of their sins and keep His covenant.
