II Kings 20:12-21, II Chronicles 32:25-30
“At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.” (II Kings 20:12)
Assyria had started massive expansion which peaked under Tiglathpileser III about 730 BC. Although they continued to expand under Shalmenezer, they were over extended and when Sennacherib was forced to withdraw to Nineveh to rebuild his army, the Assyrian Empire went into serious decline, finally collapsing when Ashurbanipal was died in 627 BC. About the time Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, the Babylonians began to try to break away from Assyria.
Since Judah was the only country not controlled by Assyria, Berodachbaladan wished to ally himself with them in his efforts to break Assyria’s hold. Hezekiah’s sickness offered and excuse for initiating contact, and Berodachbaladan sent messengers with a letter to Hezekiah.
“And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.” (II Kings 20:13)
Flattered by the attention, and eager to show off his power and wealth, Hezekiah revealed everything to the messengers, from the storehouses of the temple and treasury to their newest technologies and manufacturing. He even showed off their newest weapons and strategies. Unfortunately, as II Chronicles 32:25 tells us, “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.”
“Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee?
And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
And he said, What have they seen in thine house?
And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.
And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” (II Kings 20:14-18)
While Babylon was just trying to break away from Assuria at the time, God had revealed that in the future, they would conquer the Assyrian Empire, and the things Hezekiah had shown them would be remembered, providing an incentive for coming back to conquer Judah. When that happened, Judah would be conquered and the rulers carried away as slaves, although the entire population would not be replaces as the Assyrians had done in Israel.
“Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for 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.” (II Chronicles 32:26)
Realizing what his pride had led to, Hezekiah repented, as well as the people, and God’s anger was turned away. Please notice that compared to the other kings of Judah, Hezekiah’s sin of pride was pretty minimal, but still important. Even the most minor sin has serious consequences.
II Chronicles 32:31 stresses that God basically stepped away to let Hezekiah make his own decision and demonstrate how serious he was about serving God. “Howbeit in the business of the 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 try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.” Sometimes God has to do something like this for us to understand just how weak and ungodly we are. God already knew.
“Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?” (II Kings 20:19)
Rather than beating himself up for being so foolish or worrying about the future, Hezekiah wisely chose to rejoice that God was blessing him during his life. Far too many people miss present blessings borrowing tomorrow’s troubles today.
“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 pleasant jewels; Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much. This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.” (II Chronicles 32:27-30)
God continued to bless Hezekiah for his faithfulness. He had to build warehouses to store his gold, silver, and precious stones. He collected entire warehouses of different spices, many of which were worth more than their weight in gold. He had warehouses full of weapons, and for collectible items, besides ones for storing excess crops. He also built various farming and ranching centers, and rerouted the Gihon river to provide a more dependable source of water for Jerusalem. He built a storage pond or pool and an aqueduct to fill it so water would be readily available.
“And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.” (II Kings 20:20-21)
“And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the 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.” (II Chronicles 32:33)
Judah had refused to even let several of their rulers be buried in the Royal cemetery. Hezekian was so highly respected that he was buried right close to David in a place of honor, and the entire nation turned out to honor him at the funeral. What a difference from the kings of Israel that they didn’t even bother to bury.
“At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.” (II Kings 20:12)
Assyria had started massive expansion which peaked under Tiglathpileser III about 730 BC. Although they continued to expand under Shalmenezer, they were over extended and when Sennacherib was forced to withdraw to Nineveh to rebuild his army, the Assyrian Empire went into serious decline, finally collapsing when Ashurbanipal was died in 627 BC. About the time Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, the Babylonians began to try to break away from Assyria.
Since Judah was the only country not controlled by Assyria, Berodachbaladan wished to ally himself with them in his efforts to break Assyria’s hold. Hezekiah’s sickness offered and excuse for initiating contact, and Berodachbaladan sent messengers with a letter to Hezekiah.
“And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.” (II Kings 20:13)
Flattered by the attention, and eager to show off his power and wealth, Hezekiah revealed everything to the messengers, from the storehouses of the temple and treasury to their newest technologies and manufacturing. He even showed off their newest weapons and strategies. Unfortunately, as II Chronicles 32:25 tells us, “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.”
“Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee?
And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
And he said, What have they seen in thine house?
And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.
And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” (II Kings 20:14-18)
While Babylon was just trying to break away from Assuria at the time, God had revealed that in the future, they would conquer the Assyrian Empire, and the things Hezekiah had shown them would be remembered, providing an incentive for coming back to conquer Judah. When that happened, Judah would be conquered and the rulers carried away as slaves, although the entire population would not be replaces as the Assyrians had done in Israel.
“Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for 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.” (II Chronicles 32:26)
Realizing what his pride had led to, Hezekiah repented, as well as the people, and God’s anger was turned away. Please notice that compared to the other kings of Judah, Hezekiah’s sin of pride was pretty minimal, but still important. Even the most minor sin has serious consequences.
II Chronicles 32:31 stresses that God basically stepped away to let Hezekiah make his own decision and demonstrate how serious he was about serving God. “Howbeit in the business of the 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 try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.” Sometimes God has to do something like this for us to understand just how weak and ungodly we are. God already knew.
“Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?” (II Kings 20:19)
Rather than beating himself up for being so foolish or worrying about the future, Hezekiah wisely chose to rejoice that God was blessing him during his life. Far too many people miss present blessings borrowing tomorrow’s troubles today.
“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 pleasant jewels; Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much. This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.” (II Chronicles 32:27-30)
God continued to bless Hezekiah for his faithfulness. He had to build warehouses to store his gold, silver, and precious stones. He collected entire warehouses of different spices, many of which were worth more than their weight in gold. He had warehouses full of weapons, and for collectible items, besides ones for storing excess crops. He also built various farming and ranching centers, and rerouted the Gihon river to provide a more dependable source of water for Jerusalem. He built a storage pond or pool and an aqueduct to fill it so water would be readily available.
“And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.” (II Kings 20:20-21)
“And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the 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.” (II Chronicles 32:33)
Judah had refused to even let several of their rulers be buried in the Royal cemetery. Hezekian was so highly respected that he was buried right close to David in a place of honor, and the entire nation turned out to honor him at the funeral. What a difference from the kings of Israel that they didn’t even bother to bury.
The aquaduct mentioned in 2 Kings 20:20 is actually a tunnel cut through solid rock on the south side of Mt. Moriah. Starting at the Spring of Gihon, the tunnel is not a straight east-west route but one roughly resembling a letter "S". According to Jewish tradition, the route was diverted during cutting due to the nearby presence of the tomb of King David.
ReplyDeleteIt is a brilliant piece of civil engineering, with each end began at the same time and meeting in the middle, where a graffito on the wall commemorating where the two teams broke through. The tunnel is still fully functional to this day.
As a visitor, I waded through this tunnel several times under candlelight in 1976, when the water level was just above ankle deep, then once more in 1993 when the water was chest deep. The experience can be very claustrophobic, because there is a point where the ceiling is so low, I had to crouch down, with the water near chin level. As I approached the exit at the Pool of Siloam, the floor dipped, with the need to swim back out to the welcoming daylight.
The structure is today known as Hezekiah's Tunnel.
Your comment once again demonstrates the historical reliability of the scripture. Thanks for sharing it.
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