Chronicles 32-33

Second version of the continuing Hezekiah saga, as well as Manasseh and Amon.

Chapter 32

Hezekiah

I recently posted the II Kings version of this, so there are a lot of details in there. (II Kings 20-21)

The verses right before this chapter really set a tone.

²⁰ Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. ²¹ And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered. II Chronicles 31:20-21, ESV

Hezekiah was one of the good guys. rare among those kings. Rare in general. And he still managed to sin greatly.

This chapter tells a story only alluded to in II Kings. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had invaded Judah and was besieging all of the fortified cities. Hezekiah saw Sennacherib coming for Jerusalem and knew that the water supply was the weakness. If they cut off the water, Jerusalem wouldn't survive the siege. Instead, Hezekiah cut off the stream so Sennacherib wouldn't have access to the abundant water. He also

• built up broken down walls
• built towers
• added a second layer of wall
• built up weapons and shield count
• appointed military officers over the people
• brought everyone together and encouraged them

⁷ “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. ⁸ With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. II Chronicles 32: 7-8, ESV

What a study in crisis management and leadership. The Lord was truly with him. that's what the Lord wanted from Hezekiah's "fathers". Good stewardship with faith in the lord to do the heavy lifting of actually defending.

This is when Sennacherib sent his dignitary to try and talk Hezekiah (or the people of Jerusalem) out of the fortified Jerusalem. I wrote more on this exchange in my II Kings and Isaiah post on this incident; but suffice it to say that the man came packed with lies. He starts by trying to make the people distrust Hezekiah and Hezekiah's relationship with the Lord. He misinterprets what happened when Hezekiah took down the high places and false altars. Then he tries to intimidate them through power and might. And then! And then, he questions God himself. He questions whether God is able to deliver them. He goes even further and answers his own question, "No, God cannot deliver you from us."

If there is a list in heaven of all of the dumbest things any human has ever said, I imagine that man's proclamation is on it.

8.4.24

In this II Chronicles version, starting in verse 16, it goes on to list additional efforts taken by the Assyrian dignitary. His servants spoke against God and Hezekiah; He wrote letters that insulted God; he had people call out in the language of the people of Jerusalem trying to talk them out through fear and intimidation; and they spoke of God as another man-made god.

And in response, in verse 20, Hezekiah did what Hezekiah was so good at doing...he went directly to the Lord. He an Isaiah cried out to God. Verse 21 is a shortened version of God's response. An angel wipes out the Assyrian soldiers, Sennacherib has to return home in defeat, and is murdered by his own people in the temple of his god. The last maybe being God's answer to the dignitary's question about whose God was mighty to save and whose god was man-made. [chef's kiss]

²² 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. ²³ 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. II Chronicles 32: 22-23

It's always nice when a scary story has a happy ending.

I wish I could just stop here; but Hezekiah lived on this side of heaven, so he was a sinner like the rest of us.

²⁴ In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he answered him and gave him a sign. ²⁵ But 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. ²⁶ 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. II Chronicles 32: 24-26

Health, pride, wrath, and humility. Tale as old as time.

Verse 27-30 are a laundry list of Hezekiah prospering, with the assumption that this success and riches came from the generous hand of God for Hezekiah's best attempts to walk righteously.

• immense riches
• honor
• treasuries filled with gold, silver, precious stones, spices, shields, valuable articles
• storehouse filled with grain, wine oil
• pens filled all kinds of cattle and flocks
• cities
• wealth from God

Verse 30, specifically, details how he stopped the water at Gihon and directed them into the west side of Jerusalem, protecting the water source for the fortified city. This alone is quite an amazing story for which I would love to know more. There is some archeological evidence of the this engineering fete that was found in 1880 showing that they dug from both sides, meeting in the middle of the mountain to divert the water!

Verse 31 takes on the embarrassing tale of Hezekiah showing off his wealth to the Babylonians, but only in so far as to explain that God allowed it so Hezekiah could know what is in his heart.

That's really interesting.

We read in the bible that God doesn't tempt us, but He will allow us to be tempted so that we can see our own need for a Savior. I have a friend who is incredibly righteous. She really walks the walk, even under very trying personal circumstances. But she tells the tale of the time she really blew blew. Big sin that she can't defend except to say she had things she thought she really needed. And her biggest reflection from that incident is that she was able to see that she needed a Savoir. Her own righteousness could never be enough.

I can say the same thing; but my sins are much greater in number, shape, and size. I have so many capital S sins, I physically cringe when they come to mind. I don't have guilt; because I know they are all forgiven, but I've kept some shame so that I don't forget that, this side of heaven, I am corrupt and in desperate need of the Lord.

Chapter 32 ends with the standard language of the end of a king's reign, he slept with his fathers, buried in the tombs of David, and his son Manasseh became king. It adds that all of Judah and its inhabitants honored him in his death. Quite a statement.

Chapter 33

Manasseh

Manasseh's story is so sad and evil; but not a lot of new information.

• Started his reign at 12
• ruled 55 years
• did evil in line with those God kicked out of the Promise Land prior to the Hebrews
• undid his father, Hezekiah's, reforms: high places, altars for Baal and Asherim, worship everything in the sky
• built altars in the temple that had been reserved for the Name of God and in the temple courts
• murdered his son's in sacrifice to demon gods
• practiced witchcraft, divination, sorcery, mediums, spiritualists

All of this provoked the Lord to anger, as you might have predicted.

Through all of this, he also mislead Judah into joining him in his deviance. So much so that they did more evil than those the Lord kick out to make a place for His people.

The Lord spoke to them, reminding them of the deal He made with them; but they didn't pay attention.

Therefore...

As you might be imaging, the therefore is not good.

Therefore, Assyria showed up, broke everything and brought Manasseh to Babylon- hooked and bound in chains. (which Isaiah prophesied would happen as part of God's response to Hezekiah showing off all the wealth to the Babylonia officials.)

Also as you might imagine, Manasseh was now in distress. And what happens when all the layers of self we build up are ripped away? He was humbled and he cried out to one single God. Care to guess which of the many gods he had been worshiping and honoring that he chose to cry out to? Yes, the one God of the universe his father had worshiped faithfully and prospered under.

I'll give the exact response, since I cannot summarize it better.

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. II Chronicles 33:13, ESV

It can be on big S and so many you outnumber the evil one who came before you, but if you humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, he will lift you up. You will suffer and bear the scars.

Verse 14 starts the story of Manasseh after he returns from captivity, which is not found in II Kings and Isaiah, if I remember correctly.

• additional, substantial fortifications to Jerusalem
• military commanders in each fortified city in Judah
• removed foreign gods and idols from the temple and from around the city
• set up a proper altar to the Lord
• gave a peace and thanks offering
• ordered the people of Judah to serve THE Lord.

Sadly, the habit had formed and the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the Lord. This is obviously better than sacrificing to false gods, but its still rebelling in wanting to offer worship their own way, instead of at the temple.

At the end of each king's life, common language is used, in particular a phrase that there are records where traditional details are written. From what I understand, most of these don't exist anymore. But the reference here is worth noting for its specificity.

¹⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, behold, they are in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁹ And his prayer, and how God was moved by his entreaty, and all his sin and his faithlessness, and the sites on which he built high places and set up the Asherim and the images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the Chronicles of the Seers. II Chronicles 33: 18-19, ESV

With everything Manasseh did wrong, he repented and became known for his prayers, it sounds like. And God gave him seers. After all of his work with the occult, he was so completely forgiven that God gave him what he was seeking, knowledge greater than himself.

I sometimes wonder if Manasseh received so much as part of Hezekiah's prosperity. That God was still blessing Hezekiah, despite the terrible choices of his son. I'm not claiming that, just wondering.

And verse 20 closes out the life of Manasseh. Buried in his own house, not the tombs of David; and his son, Amon becomes king.

Amon

As detailed in the previous post, Amon's time in the bible is short- 5 verses.

• became king at 21; made it two years.
• did evil as shown to him by his father
• did NOT humble himself as his father did, but multiplied his guilt
• murdered by his servants in his own house.

His sad story continues after his death. His murdered are also murdered. Then they put Josiah as king in his place.

If my wondering was correct about Manasseh's blessing was left-over fruit from Hezekiah, it would stand to reason that Amon's evil was a remnant of Manasseh's evil. Again, we're all responsible for our choices; but it's plain to the casual observer that parents have a pretty strong influence on the spiritual lives of their children.

In the final verdict, Manasseh, despite repentance and despite not being the last king, is blamed for the ultimate fall of Judah. (II Kings: 24:3; Jeremiah 15:1-4)