Sennacherib B. C. 726. II. CHRONICLES. A. M. 3278. as well to the great as to the small: 16 Besides their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their || charges according to their courses; 17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites m from twenty years old and upward, in their charges, by their courses; 18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their 11 set office they sanctified themselves in holiness: 11 m 1 Chron. xxiii. 24, 27. 11 Or, trust. Lev. xxv. 34; portions belonging to the priests, who abode in their several cities, while their brethren came up to Jerusalem. Verse 16. From three years old and upward-To whom a portion of these things was allotted, as is here implied. Unto every one that entereth into the house of the Lord-That were capable of entering thither and doing service there, which they were at twenty years old, as is expressed here, verse 17, and 1 Chron. xxiii. 24, through the whole company of the priests and Levites. Verse 18. For in their set office they sanctified themselves unto holiness-This is alleged as a reason why their wives and children were provided for out of the holy things, because they sequestered themselves from worldly affairs, by which they might otherwise have provided for their families, and entirely devoted themselves to holy administrations. Verse 19. Also of the priests that were in the fields -Care was taken of those that lived in the country, though at the greatest distance, as well as of those invades Judah. 19 Also of the sons of Aaron the A. M. 3278. B. C. 726. priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites. 20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good, and, right and truth, before the LORD his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. Num. xxxv. 2.- Verses 12-15.- -P 2 Kings xx. 5. that lived in or near Jerusalem. And they that were not waiting in their courses, but at home with their families, had provision made for them, as if they had been at the house of God, by the care of the forenamed persons, who had the charge of the whole. Verses 20, 21. Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah-His pious zeal was extended through his whole kingdom; and all parts of the country, as well as those that lay next him, shared in the good fruits of his government. And wrought that which was good, and right, and truth-Whatsoever he thought was pleasing to God, conformable to the law, and profitable for his people, he performed with integrity of heart. And in every work that he began he did it with all his heart, and prospered-He prosecuted it with vigour, and brought all his good intentions to a good issue. And in all that he did in the service of the house of God, and in the government of his kingdom, he prospered. What is undertaken with a sincere and disinterested regard to the glory of God, will succeed to our own honour and comfort at last. CHAPTER XXXII. Sennacherib invading Judah, Hezekiah fortifies himself, 1-8. The insolent letters and messages sent by Sennacherib, 9–19. The destruction of his army, 20-23. Hezekiah's sickness, riches, and death, 24–33. A. M. 3291. B. C. 713. AFTER a FTER these things, and the es- || and encamped against the fenced A. M. 3291. tablishment thereof, Sennacherib cities, and thought to win them for king of Assyria came and entered into Judah, a 2 Kings xviii. 13, &c.; Isa. xxxvi. 1, &c. Verse 1. After these things, and the establishment thereof-An emphatical preface, signifying, that notwithstanding all his zeal for God, God saw fit to exercise him with a sore trial. And God ordered it at this time, that he might have an opportunity of showing himself strong on the behalf of his returning people. It is possible we may be in the way of himself. - Hebrew, to break them up. B. C. 713. our duty, and yet meet with trouble and danger. God permits this, for the trial of our confidence in him, and the manifestation of his care over us. It was well ordered, however, by the Divine Providence, that this trouble did not come upon Hezekiah and his kingdom till the reformation was finished and established; for, if it had come sooner, it might, and probably would, have put a stop to that good work. The insolent letters CHAPTER XXXII. sent by Sennacherib. A. M. 3291. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that || selves upon the words of Hezekiah A. M. 3291. Sennacherib was come, and that 2 he king of Judah. B. C. 713. was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the foun 9 B. C. 713. After this did Sennacherib B. C. 710. king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against tains which were without the city: and they | Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto did help him. Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 3. 4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came, and entered into Judah-He was now, as Nebuchadnezzar was afterward, the terror, and scourge, and great oppressor of that part of the world, who aimed to raise a boundless monarchy for himself, upon the ruins of all his neighbours. His predecessor, Shalmaneser, had lately made himself master of the kingdom of Israel, and carried the ten tribes captive; and Sennacherib thought, in like manner, to win Judah to himself. Thus pride and ambition put men upon grasping at universal dominion. Verses 3, 4. To stop the waters of the fountainsTo fill them up with earth and other things cast into them, that it might not be known there was any water there, and withal to draw the waters by secret passages and pipes to Jerusalem. And the brook that ran through the midst of the land-The brook Kidron, which being but small, except when much rain fell, they easily filled up the spring of it. Saying, Why should the kings of Assyria find much water-Which was scarce in that country, and the want of it might greatly distress the Assyrian army. Verse 5. He built up all the wall that was broken 10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem? 11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, m The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 12 n Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places, and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it? 13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of my hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, 2 Kings vi. 16.- h Jer. xvii. 5; 1 John iv. 4. 1 Chapter xiii. 12; Rom. viii. 31. 6 Heb. leaned. k 2 Kings xviii. 17. 7 Hebrew, dominion.-12 Kings xviii. 19. Or, in the strong hold. m2 Kings xviii. 30.- 2 Kings xviii. 22.- 2 Kings xviii. 33, 34, 35. -Which Joash, king of Israel, had broken down, and which had not since been repaired. And raised it up to the towers-Either as high as the towers, or tops of the wall; or from the gate of Ephraim as far as the two towers, which were at the corner-gate, having been raised there for the defence of it. So that the wall, that had been broken down, was all rebuilt. See chap. xxv. 23. And repaired MilloOf which see note on 1 Kings ix. 15. Verses 9, 10. After this did Sennacherib send his servants to Jerusalem-Of this and the following verses, see notes on 2 Kings xviii. 17, &c., and xix. 10, &c. Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege, &c.-Or rather, why do ye stay till Jerusalem is besieged; or, resolve to stand a siege? For the city was not yet besieged. Verses 11, 12. To give over yourselves to die by famine, &c.--It appears by this he did not intend to storm the city, but to keep them pent up till they were starved. Hath not Hezekiah taken away his high places, &c.—He speaks thus through his ignorance of the divine law, which enjoined them to worship only at Jerusalem. P2 Kings xviii. 29.- -42 Kings xix. 9.2 Kings xix. 12. $ 2 Kings xviii. 28.- 2 Kings xviii. 26, 27, 28.- Lu 2 Kings xix. 18.- -2 Kings xix. 15.- ―y 2 Kings xix. 2, 4.- -22 Kings Verse 15. How much less shall your God deliver you-Seeing I have destroyed so many nations, and some of them stronger than you, in spite of all their gods, it is not probable that your God should defend you, inasmuch as none of the others could defend their worshippers. Isaiah, pray to God. AboutTM B. C. 710. 20 And for this cause Hezekiah A. M. 3294. B. C. 710. the king, and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. 21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. 9 Verses 22, 23. Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem--By this work of wonder he was glorified as the Protector and Saviour of his people; from the hand of Sennacherib, and of all others--For such a deliverance as this was an earnest of great mercy in store for them; and guided Verses 18, 19. That they might take the city-By them on every side-That is, defended them from all a surrender of it into their hands. They spake their enemies; just as a shepherd doth his sheep, against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods which he leads into places of safety. And many of the people-They set the God of Israel, the Cre- || brought gifts unto the Lord--When they were conator of heaven and earth, upon the same footing with vinced he had such wonderful power, having seen it the idols of the heathen. exerted for the defence of his people, strangers were thereby induced to supplicate his favour, and those who had been enemies to him and his people, to deprecate his wrath; and both brought gifts to his temple, in token of their desire of the former, or fear of the latter. And presents to Hezekiah--In token of the esteem and honour in which they held him, and to obtain an interest in him. So that he was magnified in the sight of all nations-Or, of all those nations; namely, the nations which were not very remote from Canaan, and heard of these things. Verse 21. The Lord sent an angel--The Jewish comment, termed the Targum, says, The Word of the Lord (the Eternal Word) sent Gabriel to do this execution, and that it was done with lightning, and in the passover night, the same night wherein the firstborn in Egypt were slain. Which cut off the mighty men, and the leaders and captains-With a vast number of common soldiers, 2 Kings xix. 35. || They that came forth of his own bowels slew himSee 2 Kings xix. 37. And with him the Assyrian empire began to fall, and never recovered its former Verse 25. Hezekiah rendered not again according strength. For the next year after Sennacherib's to the benefit done him-Was not humble, grateful, death, the Medes revolted, being encouraged to it, no and devoted to God, as in reason and duty he ought doubt, by this great loss at Jerusalem. And by their to have been, considering God's marvellous interpoexample, several other nations fell off from the As-sitions in his favour, and the great and extraordinary syrians, and asserted their independence. deliverances he had wrought out for him and his Character and death B. C. 713. B. C. 713. A. M. 3291. his heart was lifted up: therefore || upper water-course of Gihon, and A. M. 3291. there was wrath upon him, and upon brought it straight down to the west Judah and Jerusalem. side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 26 Notwithstanding, Hezekiah humbled himself for 12 the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of 13 pleasant jewels: 28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, 29 Moreover, he provided him cities, and pos- Chapter xxvi. 16; Hab. ii. 4.- Chap. xxiv. 18.— Jer. wrath 31 Howbeit, in the business of B. C. 712. the 14 ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to m try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his 15 goodness, behold, they are written in "the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 And Hezekiah slept with his B. C. 698. fathers, and they buried him in the 16 chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. 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, 2 Kings xx. 12, &c. Therefore there was 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 im|| itated him in it, as they confess in the next verse. Verse 26. Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart-For the sins of the heart, though they should never show themselves in any external way, either by word or deed, must be acknowledged to God and repented of, if we would find mercy; and self-humiliation is a necessary branch of repentance. Both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem--Who humbled themselves with Hezekiah, either because they were conscious they had been guilty of the same sin, or, at least, feared they might share in the Verse 33. All Judah did him honour at his death punishment. So that the wrath of the Lord came-They buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres, not upon them in the days of Hezekiah--In his days made as great burning for him as for Asa; or, which there were peace and truth; so much doth repent- is a much greater honour, made great lamentation ance avail to put by, or at least to put off, the tokens of God's anger. Verse 29. He provided him cities--He repaired, fortified, and beautified them, for the honour and safety of his kingdom. And possessions of flocks and herds in abundance--The riches of those countries consisted chiefly in abundance of cattle. Verse 30. Hezekiah stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon--A rivulet near Jerusalem, consisting of two streams, the upper, which was brought into one pool, called the upper pool, (Isa. vii. 3,) and the lower, which was brought into another, called the lower pool, Isa. xxii. 9. The former he diverted, and brought by pipes into Jerusalem, which was a work of great art and labour. And brought it straight down to the city of David-Whereas before it fetched a compass, and therefore might have been beneficial to the Assyrian host. Verse 31. To inquire of the wonder done in the land--Either the destruction of the Assyrians, or the going back of the sun. These miracles were wrought to alarm and awaken a stupid, careless world, and to turn them from dumb and lame idols to the living God. God left him-To himself, and suffered Satan to try him, that he might know he had infirmities and sins as well as virtues. O, what need have great men, and good men, and useful men, to study their own follies and infirmities, and to beg earnestly of God, that he would hide pride from them! The wicked reign II. CHRONICLES. of Manasseh. for him, as they afterward did for Josiah. Though || memory of those kings was blessed among them. It it is to be feared that the generality of the people did is a debt we owe to those who have been eminently not comply with those of their kings, who were useful in their day, to do them honour at their death, pious, in their endeavours to reform the nation; yet when they are out of the reach of flattery, and we they could not but praise those endeavours, and the have seen the end of their conversation. CHAPTER XXXIII. The wicked reign of Manasseh, 1–10. His captivity, prayer, and reformation, 11-17. The conclusion of his reign, 18-20. 4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, f In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven 8 in the two courts of the house of the LORD. B. C. 698. 7 And 1he set a carved image, the A. M. 3306. || idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law, and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses. 9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. 10 11 Wherefore the LORD brought B. C. 677. upon them the captains of the host And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: to his people: but they would not hearken. i also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. a 2 Kings xxi. 1, &c. b Deut. xviii. 9; 2 Chron. xxviii. 3. 1 Heb. he returned and built. 2 Kings xviii. 4; Chap. xxx. 14; xxxi. 1; xxxii. 12. -d Deut. xvi. 21. Deut. xvii. 3. Deut. xii. 11; 1 Kings viii. 29; ix. 3; Chap. vi. 6; vii. 16. Chap. iv. 9. NOTES ON CHAPTER XXXIII. Verse 1. Manasseh was twelve years old, &c.— This and the following verses, to verse 11, are taken out of 2 Kings xxi. 1, &c., where the reader will find them explained. of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and P bound him with 3 fetters, and carried him to Babylon. h Lev. xviii. 21; Deut. xviii. 10; 2 Kings xxiii. 10; Chap. xxviii. 3; Ezk. xxiii. 37, 39. - Deut. xviii. 10, 11.2 Kings xxiv. 6. 2 Kings xxi. 7.- Psa. cxxxii. 14.- 2 Sam. vii. 10.- - Deut. xxviii. 36; Job xxxvi. 8.- -2 Hebrew, which were the king's.- -P Psa. cvii. 10, 11. Or, chains. carried captive to Babylon. Others think it more probable that the king of Babylon is here called the king of Assyria, because he had added Assyria to his empire, and that having been informed by his ambassadors of the great riches which were in HezeVerse 11. The Lord brought upon them the cap-kiah's treasures at Jerusalem, and being assured of tains of the host of the king of Assyria-Some suppose that Esar-haddon, the successor of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, is here meant, and that, in consequence of the royal family failing in Babylon, he found means to bring that kingdom under his yoke again; or that, by force of arms, or some other means, he recovered it from Merodach-Baladan. | They say that he held it thirteen years, and that it was during this time that Manasseh was taken and Manasseh's degeneracy from the piety of his father, and from that God whose power alone made Hezekiah formidable, he thought this a fit season to invade Manasseh's kingdom, which the Jews say he did, in the twenty-second year of his reign. Which took Manasseh among the thorns--In some thicket where he thought to have hid himself from the As syrians till he could make an escape: or, as the Hebrew'nin, bachochim, may be rendered, with |