II Chronicles 32:9-15 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 32:9-15 Commentary: Sennacherib's Challenge
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does the Chronicler omit names and location? Study the theological purpose behind Sennacherib's siege speech and what it reveals about trusting God.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Assyrian king attempts to break Jerusalem’s confidence by attacking their trust in God and in Hezekiah’s leadership.
- Key words: trust (בָּטַח), deliver (נָצַל), deceive (נָשָׁא), incite (סוּת), hand (יָד).
- Main debate: Why the Chronicler omits names and location from the Kings account, does he focus solely on theological content or does he assume readers know the details?
- Theological theme: The uniqueness of Yahweh versus the claims of human power; the test of trust in times of siege.
- Best use: Teaching on the nature of faith, spiritual warfare, the reliability of God’s promises, and the courage to stand when attacked.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
9Later, 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?
11Is 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?’
12Did 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’?
13Do 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?
14Who 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?
15So 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!”
WEB World English Bible 2000
9After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was attacking Lachish, and all his forces were with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,
10Sennacherib king of Assyria says, “In whom do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
11Doesn’t Hezekiah persuade you to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, ‘Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria’?
12Hasn’t the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You shall worship before one altar, and you shall burn incense on it’?
13Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?
14Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
15Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you nor persuade you in this way. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand?”
KJV King James Version 1769
9After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,
10Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
11Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
12Hath 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?
13Know 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 mine hand?
14Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
15Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
9After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him), unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,
10Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide the siege in Jerusalem?
11Doth not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Jehovah our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
12Hath 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 upon it shall ye burn incense?
13Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any wise able to deliver their land out of my hand?
14Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
15Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you after this manner, neither believe ye him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
9After this hath Sennacherib king of Asshur sent his servants to Jerusalem--and he is by Lachish, and all his power with him--against Hezekiah king of Judah, and against all Judah, who are in Jerusalem, saying,
10`Thus said Sennacherib king of Asshur, On what are ye trusting and abiding in the bulwark, in Jerusalem?
11`Is not Hezekiah persuading you, to give you up to die by famine, and by thirst, saying, Jehovah our God doth deliver us from the hand of the king of Asshur?
12Hath not Hezekiah himself turned aside His high places, and His altars, and speaketh to Judah and to Jerusalem, saying, Before one altar ye bow yourselves, and on it ye make perfume?
13`Do ye not know what I have done--I and my fathers--to all peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands at all able to deliver their land out of my hand?
14Who among all the gods of these nations whom my fathers have devoted to destruction is he who hath been able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God is able to deliver you out of my hand?
15`And, now, let not Hezekiah lift you up, nor persuade you thus, nor give credence to him, for no god of any nation and kingdom is able to deliver his people from my hand, and from the hand of my fathers: also, surely your God doth not deliver you from my hand!'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
9After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he himself was before Lachish, and all his power with him), unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,
10Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: On what do ye rely that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
11Does not Hezekiah persuade you, to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Jehovah our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
12Has not the same Hezekiah removed his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?
13Do ye not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the countries? Were thegods of the nations of the countries in any wise able to deliver their country out of my hand?
14Who is there among all thegods of those nations that my fathers have utterly destroyed, that was able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
15And now, let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this manner, neither yet believe him; for nogod of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, nor out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
9After this, Sennacherib king of the Assyrians sent his servants to Jerusalem, (for he with all his army was besieging Lachis,) to Ezechias king of Juda, and to all the people that were in the city, saying:
10Thus saith Sennacherib king of the Assyrians: In whom do you trust, that you sit still besieged in Jerusalem?
11Doth not Ezechias deceive you, to give you up to die by hunger and thirst, affirming that the Lord your God shall deliver you from the hand of the king of the Assyrians?
12Is it not this same Ezechias, that hath destroyed his high places, and his altars, and commanded Juda and Jerusalem, saying: You shall worship before one altar, and upon it you shall burn incense?
13Know you not what I and my fathers have done to all the people of the lands? have the gods of any nations and lands been able to deliver their country out of my hand?
14Who is there among all the gods of the nations, which my fathers have destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of this hand?
15Therefore let not Ezechias deceive you, nor delude you with a vain persuasion, and do not believe him. For if no god of all the nations and kingdoms, could deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers, consequently neither shall your God be able to deliver you out of my hand.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 32:9
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the Chronicler deliberately compresses the longer account in 2 Kings 18:17, 19:37. The Cambridge Bible notes the omission of the Assyrian generals’ names (Tartan, Rabsaris, Rabshakeh) and the location of the negotiation. Keil and Delitzsch observe that only the main ideas of the speech are reported, specifically the attempt to shake the people’s trust in Hezekiah and in God. Matthew Henry highlights the blasphemy of the Assyrian claims. Barnes adds that “fathers” refers to predecessors, since Sennacherib belonged to a new dynasty. The Chronicler’s focus is not military detail but the theological challenge: Sennacherib argues that Hezekiah’s removal of the high places and altars actually undermines their protection, and he boasts that no god has ever delivered a people from Assyrian power. The consensus is that the passage is crafted to highlight the question of true trust and the power of Yahweh against all human boasting.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The Assyrian king’s speech is a direct challenge to trust in God, and the Chronicler focuses on this theological confrontation rather than military details.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Hezekiah’s removal of high places | The high places were local sanctuaries often used for Yahweh worship but prone to idolatry and syncretism. | Some see the high places as originally legitimate worship sites that Hezekiah rightly centralized (following Deuteronomy 12), while others argue they were always tainted by Canaanite practices and needed removal. |
| Chronicler’s condensation of Kings | The Chronicler shortens the narrative, omitting the names of Assyrian generals and the location of the negotiation. | Some interpret this as a simple abbreviation for space, while others see a theological purpose: to focus attention on the challenge to God's honor, not on political or military details. |
| Nature of the siege | Jerusalem was under threat, with Sennacherib’s army controlling the countryside. | Was the city actively besieged or merely blockaded? Barnes notes the Hebrew phrase may mean “in straitness,” implying deprivation rather than full assault. |
| Use of “fathers” for predecessors | Sennacherib refers to his royal predecessors, including Sargon, to claim an unbroken record of conquest. | Because Sennacherib belonged to a new dynasty, some commentators see this as a rhetorical exaggeration designed to magnify Assyria’s power. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This scene occurs during Sennacherib’s campaign against Judah in 701 BC. The Assyrian empire under Sargon and Sennacherib had conquered much of the Near East. After Hezekiah’s rebellion, Sennacherib moved south along the coastal plain, attacking Lachish, a fortified city in the Shephelah. Bas-reliefs from Sennacherib’s palace depict its siege. From Lachish, the king dispatched his servants (the Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rab-shakeh, named in 2 Kings 18:17) to Jerusalem with a psychological warfare campaign.
The Chronicler, writing after the exile, shapes the story to address his own community. He omits the names and the location by the aqueduct to focus the reader’s attention on the content of the message. Central to the speech is the attack on Hezekiah’s religious reforms. Hezekiah had centralized worship in Jerusalem, removing the “high places” (בָּמוֹת) and altars. The Cambridge Bible notes that high places in practice often sheltered heathen worship, but they were originally sanctuaries of Yahweh. Sennacherib twists this reform, arguing that by limiting worship to one altar, Hezekiah has offended the local deities and left the people unprotected.
The Assyrian strategy was to undermine morale: if the people lost trust in their king and their God, surrender would follow. The words “trust” (בָּטַח) and “deliver” (נָצַל) recur, contrasting reliance on human power versus divine help. In the surrounding context (2 Chr 32:1-8), Hezekiah had fortified the city and encouraged the people with the words, “An arm of flesh is with him, but Yahweh our God is with us.” The speech of Sennacherib’s servants directly attacks this confidence. The passage sets up a test: will Judah trust the words of the conquering king or the promise of God?
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for this passage. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The main textual question is not about variant readings but about the Chronicler’s editorial choices in selection and omission compared to the parallel in 2 Kings 18:17-35. Different English translations vary slightly in phrasing (e.g., “in the siege” vs. “in straitness”), but these reflect different interpretations of the same Hebrew word rather than manuscript differences.
Reception History
This account has been read across Christian traditions as a demonstration of the blasphemy of the world against God’s people and a call to unwavering trust. During the Reformation, the passage was used to argue that true worship depends on God’s word alone, not on human institutions, Hezekiah’s removal of the high places was seen as a model of reform. In modern preaching, it often appears in sermons on spiritual warfare and the assurance of God’s protection. The Assyrian boast that no god could deliver has been contrasted with the resurrection of Christ, the ultimate proof that God can deliver His people from the mightiest enemy. Churches in persecuted contexts have found encouragement in the story, seeing their own oppressors in Sennacherib’s words.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The enemy’s strategy: attack the foundation of trust, Sennacherib questions the basis of confidence (v.10). He knows that if he can make the people doubt Hezekiah and God, the city will fall.
- The distortion of reform, The Assyrian twists Hezekiah’s religious centralization (v.12). What was an act of obedience is framed as an act of betrayal. Spiritual reforms can be misrepresented by the world.
- The boast of self-sufficiency, Sennacherib appeals to track record (vv.13-15). He equates the God of Israel with the powerless idols of other nations, challenging the uniqueness of Yahweh.
Five-point outline
- The scene set, Sennacherib sends messengers while he besieges Lachish (v.9). The threat is real and close.
- The opening question, “In whom do you trust?” (v.10). The ultimate question of faith, posed by a hostile world.
- The attack on Hezekiah, Two prongs: Hezekiah leads you to death (v.11) and he has destroyed your religion (v.12). The king is painted as both deceiver and destroyer.
- The appeal to evidence, Sennacherib lists conquered nations and their powerless gods (vv.13-14). He argues from history, but his history is incomplete.
- The conclusion: do not believe, He commands the people to reject Hezekiah’s word and trust his own power (v.15). The choice is forced: human track record or divine promise?
Illustration hooks
- The schoolyard bully who taunts you not to trust the teacher, because “they never show up when it counts.” The bully relies on past failures to create fear.
- The job interview where an employer dismisses your previous experience as irrelevant. Like Sennacherib, they want you to forget what has been true.
- The news cycle that floods with stories of disaster and corruption. It whispers that no one can save you, so look after yourself. That is the same lie.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know that trusting God will actually work when so many other things have failed?
- Does removing old religious habits (like a certain place or style of worship) mean I’ve lost God’s protection?
- What do I do when someone uses past defeats to undermine my faith?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows how the enemy of God’s people tries to destroy trust. Sennacherib speaks from a position of worldly power, but his real weapon is doubt. As you reflect, consider the pressures that cause you to question God’s ability to deliver.
Discussion questions
- In verse 10, Sennacherib asks, “In whom do you trust?” Take a moment to answer that question honestly for your own life right now.
- Why does Sennacherib focus on Hezekiah’s removal of the high places? What is he trying to imply about Hezekiah’s reforms?
- How does Sennacherib use past victories to argue against future deliverance? When have you heard a similar argument?
- Look at verse 15. Sennacherib tells the people not to believe Hezekiah. What makes a person more likely to believe a threat than a promise?
- In the larger story (2 Chr 32:1-8), Hezekiah had already encouraged the people with the words “Yahweh our God is with us.” How does that prior encouragement give you perspective when doubt comes?
- What does this passage reveal about the nature of trust? Is it merely a feeling, or something else?
- How can your group help each other hold on to God’s promises when the voices of fear seem louder?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Joshua 10:31 | Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it. |
| Joshua 12:11 | the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; |
| Joshua 15:39 | Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, |
| II Kings 18:17 | The king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field. |
| Isaiah 36:2 | The king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a large army. He stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool in the fuller’s field highway. |
| Isaiah 37:8 | So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he heard that he had departed from Lachish. |
| Micah 1:13 | Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in you. |
| II Kings 18:19 | Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘The great king, the king of Assyria, says, “What confidence is this in which you trust? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that the tribute of silver and gold did not end Sennacherib's hostility. After receiving it, he withdrew his army only to immediately send Rabshakeh with a blasphemous message. Clarke directs readers to the fuller account of these events in 2 Kings 18.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that the Assyrian "siege" may actually mean a distressing blockade, as Jerusalem was cut off from supplies while the enemy controlled the countryside. He also notes Sennacherib's boast about conquering nations whose gods could not save them, and that a slight textual adjustment yields the familiar phrase "gave them rest round about."
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator notes that Sennacherib targeted Lachish rather than Jerusalem because Egypt was his real objective and Lachish lay directly on his path. On the high places, the note clarifies these were originally legitimate sanctuaries of the Lord, not inherently idolatrous; they became problematic in practice by sheltering heathen worship, which is why Hezekiah removed them.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Sennacherib twists Hezekiah’s faithful removal of the high places into a charge against him, arguing this religious reform actually angered God. The Assyrian king then mocks Judah’s trust in the Lord, claiming Hezekiah’s obedience left them with no divine protection.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB does not offer original comment on this verse. Instead, the writer directs readers to the parallel account in 2 Kings for the full treatment, treating the passage as already explained there. The distinctive contribution is simply the cross-reference, not independent exposition.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
The Chronicler omits names and locations found in Kings, condensing the Assyrian speeches to their essential points. He arranges the narrative as a rhetorical climax, moving from the servants’ words to the king’s letter and finally shouts to the people, all to highlight the blasphemy of treating Israel’s God like the helpless idols of other nations.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights Sennacherib's blasphemous reasoning: he measured the living God by the dead idols of conquered nations, as if both were the same kind of powerless thing. The Assyrian's servants spoke against the Lord directly, not just against Hezekiah, showing that attacking God's people is ultimately an attack on God himself.