2 Chronicles 32:9-19

How do the Assyrian messages try to undermine Judah’s trust?

Berean Standard Bible

9 Later, as Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces besieged Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem with a message for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem: 10 “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: What is the basis of your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 11 Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria?’ 12 Did not Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn sacrifices’? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have the gods of these nations ever been able to deliver their land from my hand? 14 Who among all the gods of these nations that my fathers devoted to destruction has been able to deliver his people from my hand? How then can your God deliver you from my hand? 15 So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not let him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand!” 16 And the servants of Sennacherib spoke further against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 He also wrote letters mocking the LORD, the God of Israel, and saying against Him: “Just as the gods of the nations did not deliver their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” 18 Then the Assyrians called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them in order to capture the city. 19 They spoke against the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the earth—the work of human hands.

What is the context?

Sennacherib’s servants tell the people that Hezekiah’s confidence will leave them to die of hunger and thirst. They point to the removal of high places and altars as though reducing their number must offend God.

They compare the Lord with the gods of conquered nations and repeat the challenge in letters. Loud speech in Hebrew is directed toward those on the wall to frighten them and help capture the city.

The narrator exposes the argument’s central error: they speak about Jerusalem’s God as though He were one of the human-made gods. The threat works by misrepresenting both the reform and the One in whom the people trust.

How is this passage commonly understood?

2 Kings 18:17–37 gives the longer confrontation and its effort to reach the people directly. Wesley emphasizes the dishonor directed against God. The scene concerns the particular content and purpose of these threats; it does not make every criticism of a religious leader an equivalent assault on God.

What is our position?

We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.

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