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John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 32
MacArthur - A 1,700 ft. long tunnel cut through solid rock (below Jerusalem) redirected water from the spring Gihon outside of Jerusalem (to the E) toward the S of Jerusalem into the pool of Siloam within the city to provide water in time of siege. The tunnel was a remarkable feat of engineering and boring skill, often 60 ft. below the ground and large enough to walk through. It was discovered in 1838, but not until 1909 was it cleared of the debris left by the destruction of Jerusalem back in 586 b.c. This may not have been the first water shaft, since David may have entered Jerusalem 300 years earlier through a water shaft (cf. 2Sa 5:6-8). Ryrie - An inscription found in 1880 near the mouth of the Siloam tunnel describes this remarkable engineering feat by which water was brought from the Spring of Gihon to a place inside the city. Diggers worked from both ends, meeting almost exactly in the middle of this 1,200 cubit-long tunnel (since it measures 1,777 ft, or 541 m, the cubit being about 18 in). Raymond Dillard: “succeed” (2Ch 32:30), is another term characteristic of the Chronicler’s theology of immediate retribution. In saying that Hezekiah succeeded in all that he did, the Chronicler is emphasizing only one part of the attitude taken to the Babylonian emissaries in the earlier two accounts (2 Kgs 20:17–19 // Isa 39:6–8). In the earlier accounts Hezekiah’s display was a harbinger of a day when the Babylonians would carry away Judah’s wealth and royal household, though Hezekiah would have peace and security during his reign. The Chronicler regards this testing as successful, focusing only on its positive outcome. GIHON (2) [ISBE] - (gichon, gichon (in 1 K), from root gayach "to burst forth"): A spring in Jerusalem, evidently sacred, and, for that reason, selected as the scene of Solomon's coronation (1 Ki 1:38). It is without doubt the spring known to the Moslems as `Ain Umm edition deraj ("the spring of the steps") and to the Christians as `Ain Sitti Miriam ("the spring of the lady Mary"), or commonly as the "Virgin's Fount." It is the one true spring of Jerusalem, the original source of attraction to the site of the early settlers; it is situated in the Kidron valley on the East side of "Ophel," and due South of the temple area. See JERUSALEM. The water in the present day is brackish and impregnated with sewage. The spring is intermittent in character, "bursting up" at intervals: this feature may account for the name Gihon and for its sacred characters. In New Testament times it was, as it is today, credited with healing virtues. See BETHESDA. Its position is clearly defined in the Old Testament. Manasseh "built an outer wall to the city of David, on the West side of Gihon, in the valley" ( = Nahal, i.e. the Kidron; 2 Ch 33:14). From Gihon Hezekiah made his aqueduct (2 Ch 32:30), now the Siloam tunnel. The spring is approached by a steep descent down 30 steps, the water rising deep underground; the condition is due to the vast accumulation of rubbish--the result of the many destructions of the city--which now fills the valley bed. Originally the water ran down the open valley. The water rises from a long deep crack in the rock, partly under the lowest of the steps and to a lesser extent in the mouth of a small cave, 11 1/2 ft. long by 5 ft. wide, into which all the water pours. The village women of Siloam obtain the water at the mouth of the cave, but when the supply is scanty they actually go under the lowest step--where there is a kind of chamber--and fill their vessels there. At the farther end of this cave is the opening leading into the aqueduct down which the water flows to emerge after many windings at the pool of Siloam. The first part of this aqueduct is older than the time of Hezekiah and led originally to the perpendicular shaft, connected with "Warren's tunnel" described elsewhere (see SILOAM; ZION). The preeminent position of importance which Gihon held in the eyes of the earlier inhabitants of Jerusalem is shown by the extraordinary number of passages, rock cuttings, walls and aqueducts which exist all about the spring. Walls have been made at different periods to bank up the waters and direct them into the channels provided for them. Of aqueducts, besides the "Siloam aqueduct," two others have been formed. One running from the source at a considerable lower level than that of Hezekiah was followed by the present writer (see PEFS, 1902, 35-38) for 176 ft. It was very winding, following apparently the West side of the Kidron valley. It was a well-cemented channel, about 1 1/2 ft. wide and on an average of 4 1/2 ft. high, roofed in with well-cut stones. There are no certain indications of age, but in the writer's opinion it is a much later construction than Hezekiah's aqueduct, though the rock-cut part near the source may be older. It was discovered by the Siloam fellahin, because, through a fault in the dam, all the water of the "Virgin's Fount" was disappearing down this channel. A third aqueduct has recently been discovered running off at a higher level than the other two. It is a channel deeply cut in the rock with curious trough-like stones all along its floor. It appears to be made for water, but one branch of it actually slopes upward toward its end. The pottery, which is early Hebrew, shows that it is very ancient. The whole accumulated debris around the source is full of pre-Israelite and early Israelite pottery. E. W. G. Masterman 2 Chronicles 32:31 Even in the matter of the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart. Even in the matter of the envoys: 2Ki 20:12,13 Isa 39:1,2-8 envoys: Heb. interpreters the wonder: 2Ki 20:8-11 Isa 38:8 left him: Judges 16:20 Ps 27:9 Ps 51:11,12 Ps 119:116,117 Joh 15:5 to test him: Ge 22:1 De 8:2,16 Job 1:11,12 2:3-6 Ps 139:1,2,23,24 Pr 17:3 Zec 13:9 Mal 3:2,3 1Pe 1:7 Jas 1:13 that He might: De 8:2 Dt 13:3 Related Passages: 2 Kings 20:8-11+ Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD the third day?” 9 Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” 10 So Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” 11 Isaiah the prophet cried to the LORD, and He brought the shadow on the stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. Isaiah 38:8+ “Behold, I will cause the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, to go back ten steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down. 2 Kings 20:12+ At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 2 Kings 20:17-18+ ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD. 18 ‘Some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away; and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” Deuteronomy 8:2-3+ “You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests hearts. Judges 16:20 She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. GOD TESTS HEARTS TO PURIFY HEARTS! Even in the matter of the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder (mopeth; LXX - teras - omen, something so unusual it arouses close observation; something that astounds because of transcendent association) that had happened in the land, God left ('azab; LXX - egkataleipo) him alone only to test (nacah/nasah LXX = peirazo) him, that He might know (yada) all that was in his heart - The Great Physician in effect does His "Electrocardiogram" (EKG) of Hezekiah's heart! It is surprising that this is the only use of the Hebrew verb test (nacah/nasah in all the chapters on the kings (1 Kings-2 Chronicles)! 🙏 THOUGHT - Do you get an annual medical examination? What about a daily "cardiac" examination? The former is important for our physical life, but the latter is more important, because it is about our spiritual life! A good test that is inexpensive (in contrast to modern medical care!) is Psalm 139:23-24+ - "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." Notice there are five commands, not that we can in one sense command God to do anything, but more reflective of the deep desire of our heart begging Him to do a divine cardiac checkup. I think I will pause and pray this now! Bob
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MacArthur - Babylon "was gradually gaining power as Assyria declined due to internal strife and weak kings. Assyria was crushed in 612 b.c. and Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, became the world ruler (cf. 2Ki 20:14)." (MacArthur Study Bible) 🙏 THOUGHT - "God wants genuine character and faithfulness in his people, and He will expose them to trials in order to train and shape them. The path of sanctification is not an easy one (cf. Ge 22:1) (ED: BUT IT IS THE BEST PATH!)." (J.A. Thompson) August Konkel: The visit of the Babylonian envoys is cast in terms of well-known eastern interest in astrology (2Ch 32:31). Kings accounts for the visit as an inquiry into Hezekiah’s health (2 Kings 20:12). For the Chronicler, they came investigating a sign, no doubt a reference to the return of the shadow (2 Kings 20:8-11). This is presented as a test from God, the real cause for their appearance. God was not testing Hezekiah’s actions but needed to know what was in his heart (the expression is derived from Dt 8:2). Though this is not presented as a test in Kings, the story there does show that Hezekiah responded positively to the prophet’s warning and resigned himself to the divine will (2 Kings 20:12-19). The story in both versions ends on a positive note, indicating Hezekiah’s devotion to the divine purpose whether the final outcome be good or bad. Andrew Hill: Hezekiah’s “success” (2Ch 32:30) may be viewed as God’s reward for overcoming the circumstances of God’s testing in his life (2Ch 32:31). Divine testing is a recurring Old Testament theme, not because God needs to know the intents of the human heart, but rather because the Lord tests the hearts of his servants so that they might respond to him in complete faith as a result of the discernment that emerges from this kind of self-knowledge (cf. Deut. 8:2-3). Wonder (sign) (04159) mopheth means wonder, sign, miracle, marvel, portent and often used to refer to a display of God's power (plagues Ex 7:3, 11:9, Ps 105:5). False prophets produced false wonders (Dt 13:1). Some of God's signs are in the heavenlies (Joel 2:30). Isaiah's children served as signs (Isa 8:18, cf Ezek 12:6,11, Zech 3:8). In Scripture, “signs and wonders” (Heb. môpēt) refer to extraordinary acts by which God reveals His power, authenticates His word, and advances His redemptive purposes, with the Exodus from Egypt serving as the foundational model: the plagues and deliverance are repeatedly recalled as definitive demonstrations of God’s saving might and covenant faithfulness (Exod 7:3; 11:9–10; Deut 4:34; 6:22; 29:3; 34:11; Neh 9:10; Ps 78:43; 105:5, 27; 135:9; Jer 32:20), so that these wonders became a paradigm for how God acts “even to this day.” Nearly half the OT occurrences of môpēt are tied to the Exodus, yet the term also describes prophetic signs that were foretold and then fulfilled to confirm God’s message, such as the torn altar before Jeroboam (1 Kgs 13:3–5), Isaiah and his children as signs to Israel (Isa 8:18), and Ezekiel’s enacted prophecies of exile (Ezek 12:6, 11; 24:24, 27). Scripture carefully qualifies their value: signs may accompany divine blessing or judgment (Deut 4:34; 28:15ff), may even be performed by false prophets whose true test is fidelity to the LORD (Deut 13:1–3), and therefore are never the final ground of faith—explaining why Jesus rebuked a sign-seeking generation (Matt 12:38–39). Looking forward, Joel’s promise of cosmic and earthly wonders (Joel 2:30) finds partial fulfillment in the New Testament (Acts 2:19), showing that biblical “wonders” consistently function as God-given pointers to His word, His character, and His saving acts, rather than ends in themselves. Test (tempt) (05254) nacah/nasah LXX = peirazo) n most OT uses has idea of testing or proving quality of someone or something and doing so often through adversity or hardship. As the following context makes clear (note "to see," lit., "to know," in 3:4), the purpose of this divine test was to determine if Israel was truly loyal. An examination of parallel passages shows that such divine tests were designed to reveal otherwise hidden character qualities. Testing which shows what someone is really like generally involves difficulty or hardship. Baker - 5254. נָסָה nāsāh: A verb meaning to test, to try, to prove. Appearing nearly forty times in the Old Testament, this term often refers to God testing the faith and faithfulness of human beings, including Abraham (Gen. 22:1); the nation of Israel (Ex. 15:25; 16:4; 20:20; Deut. 8:2, 16; 13:3[4]; Judg. 2:22; 3:1, 4); Hezekiah (2 Chr. 32:31); David (Ps. 26:2). Although people were forbidden from putting God to the test, they often did so (Ex. 17:2, 7; Num. 14:22; Deut. 6:16; 33:8; Ps. 78:18, 41, 56; 95:9; 106:14; Isa. 7:12). Testing, however, does not always suggest tempting or enticing someone to sin, as when the Queen of Sheba tested Solomon’s wisdom (1 Kgs. 10:1; 2 Chr. 9:1); and Daniel’s physical appearance was tested after a ten-day vegetarian diet (Dan. 1:12, 14). Finally, this term can refer to the testing of equipment, such as swords or armor (1 Sam. 17:39). (Complete Word Study Dictionary- Old Testament) NACAH - 34V - NOTE FIRST USE = Gen. 22:1; Exod. 15:25; Exod. 16:4; Exod. 17:2; Exod. 17:7; Exod. 20:20; Num. 14:22; Deut. 4:34; Deut. 6:16; Deut. 8:2; Deut. 8:16; Deut. 13:3; Deut. 28:56; Deut. 33:8; Jdg. 2:22; Jdg. 3:1; Jdg. 3:4; Jdg. 6:39; 1 Sam. 17:39; 1 Ki. 10:1; 2 Chr. 9:1; 2 Chr. 32:31; Job 4:2; Ps. 26:2; Ps. 78:18; Ps. 78:41; Ps. 78:56; Ps. 95:9; Ps. 106:14; Eccl. 2:1; Eccl. 7:23; Isa. 7:12; Dan. 1:12; Dan. 1:14 C H
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MacArthur - WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART? - Truth for Today (BORROW) God withdrew from him [King Hezekiah], in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart. 2Ch 32:31 God didn’t need to test Hezekiah to know what was in his heart. God already knew by omniscience. But He tests us so we can find out. He assists us in doing a spiritual inventory on ourselves by bringing trials into our lives to demonstrate the strength or weakness of our faith. If you’re currently experiencing a trial and are shaking your fist at God and wondering why it’s happening, that’s a good indication that you have weak faith. If, on the other hand, you’re resting and rejoicing in the Lord, having placed the trial into His care, then you have strong faith. DIAL OF AHAZ [ISBE]- di'-al, a'-haz: 1. Hezekiah's Sickness and the Sign: One of the most striking instances recorded in Holy Scripture of the interruption, or rather reversal, of the working of a natural law is the going back of the shadow on the dial of Ahaz at the time of Hezekiah's recovery from his illness. The record of the incident is as follows. Isaiah was sent to Hezekiah in his sickness, to say: "Thus saith Yahweh, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Yahweh. .... And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I shall go up unto the house of Yahweh the third day? And Isaiah said, This shall be the sign unto thee from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps? And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps. And Isaiah the prophet cried unto Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz" (2 Ki 20:5-11). And in Isa 38:8, it is said, "Behold, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which is gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial whereon it was gone down." 2. The Sign a Real Miracle: The first and essential point to be noted is that this was no ordinary astronomical phenomenon, nor was it the result of ordinary astronomical laws then unknown. It was peculiar to that particular place, and to that particular time; otherwise we should not read of "the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent .... to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land" (2 Ch 32:31). It is impossible, therefore, to accept the suggestion that the dial of Ahaz may have been improperly constructed, so as to produce a reversal of the motion of the shadow at certain times. For such a maladjustment would have occasioned the repetition of the phenomenon every time the sun returned to the same position with respect to the dial. The narrative, in fact, informs us that the occurrence was not due to any natural law, known or unknown, since Hezekiah was given the choice and exercised it of his own free will, as to whether a shadow should move in a particular direction or in the opposite. But there are no alternative results in the working of a natural law. "If a state of things is repeated in every detail, it must lead to exactly the same consequences." The same natural law cannot indifferently produce one result, or its opposite. The movement of the shadow on the dial of Ahaz was, therefore, a miracle in the strict sense of the term. It cannot be explained by the working of any astronomical law, known or unknown. We have no information as to the astronomical conditions at the time; we can only inquire into the setting of the miracle. 3. The "Dial" a Staircase: It is unfortunate that one important word in the narrative has been rendered in both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) by a term which describes a recognized astronomical instrument. The word "dial" (ma'aloth) is usually translated "degrees," "steps," or "stairs," and indeed is thus rendered in the same verse. There is no evidence that the structure referred to had been designed to serve as a dial or was anything other than a staircase, "the staircase of Ahaz." It was probably connected with that "covered way for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without," which Ahaz turned "round the house of Yahweh, because of the king of Assyria" (2 Ki 16:18 the Revised Version, margin). This staircase, called after Ahaz because the alteration was due to him, may have been substituted for David's "causeway that goeth up," which was "westward, by the gate of Shallecheth" (1 Ch 26:16), or more probably for Solomon's "ascent by which he went up unto the house of Yahweh" which so impressed the queen of Sheba (2 Ch 9:4). 4. Time of Day of the Miracle: At certain times of the day the shadow of some object fell upon this staircase, and we learn from both 2 Ki and Isa that this shadow had already gone down ten steps, while from Isa we learn in addition that the sun also was going down. The miracle therefore took place in the afternoon, when the sun moves on its downward course, and when all shadows are thrown in an easterly direction. We are not told what was the object that cast the shadow, but it must have stood to the west of the staircase, and the top of the staircase must have passed into the shadow first, and the foot of the staircase have remained longest in the light. The royal palace is understood to have been placed southeast of the Temple, and it is therefore probable that it was some part of the Temple buildings that had cast its shadow down the stairway in full view of the dying king, as he lay in his chamber. If the afternoon were well advanced the sun would be moving rapidly in altitude, and but little in azimuth; or, in other words, the shadow would be advancing down the steps at its quickest rate, but be moving only slowly toward the left of those who were mounting them. It may well have been the case, therefore, that the time had come when the priests from Ophel, and the officials and courtiers from the palace, were going up the ascent into the house of the Lord to be present at the evening sacrifice; passing from the bright sunshine at the foot of the stairs into the shadow that had already fallen upon the upper steps. The sun would be going straight down behind the buildings and the steps already in shadow would sink into deeper shadow, not to emerge again into the light until a new day's sun had arisen upon the earth. 5. Hezekiah's Choice of the Sign: We can therefore understand the nature of the choice of the sign that was offered by the prophet to the dying king. Would he choose that ten more steps should be straight-way engulfed in the shadow, or that ten steps already shadowed should be brought back into the light? Either might serve as a sign that he should arise on the third day and go up in renewed life to the house of the Lord; but the one sign would be in accordance with the natural progress of events, and the other would be directly opposed to it. It would be a light thing, as Hezekiah said, for the shadow to go forward ten steps; a bank of cloud rising behind the Temple would effect that change. But no disposition of cloud could bring the shadow back from that part of the staircase which had already passed into it, and restore it to the sunshine. The first change was, in human estimation, easily possible, "a light thing"; the second change seemed impossible. Hezekiah chose the seemingly impossible, and the Lord gave the sign and answered his prayer. We need not ask Whether the king showed more or less faith in choosing the "impossible" rather than the "possible" sign. His father Ahaz had shown his want of faith by refusing to put the Lord to the test, by refusing to ask a sign, whether in the heaven above or in the earth beneath. The faith of Hezekiah was shown in asking a sign, which was at once in the heaven above and in the earth beneath, in accepting the choice offered to him, and so putting the Lord to the test. And the sign chosen was most fitting, Hezekiah lay dying, whether of plague or of cancer we do not know, but his disease was mortal and beyond cure; he was already entering into the shadow of death. The word of the Lord was sure to him; on "the third day" he would rise and go up in new life to the house of God. 6. Meaning of the Sign: But what of the sign? Should the shadow of death swallow him up; should his life be swiftly cut off in darkness, and be hidden until a new day should dawn, and the light of a new life, a life of resurrection, arise? (Compare Jn 11:24.) Or should the shadow be drawn back swiftly, and new years be added to his life before death could come upon him? Swift death was in the natural progress of events; restoration to health was of the impossible. He chose the restoration to health, and the Lord answered his faith and his prayer. We are not able to go further into particulars. The first temple, the royal palace, and the staircase of Ahaz were all destroyed in the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, and we have no means of ascertaining the exact position of the staircase with respect to Temple or palace, or the number of the steps that it contained, or the time of the day, or the season of the year when the sign was given. It is possible that if we knew any or all of these, a yet greater significance, both spiritual and astronomical, might attach to the narrative. 7. The Fifteen "Songs of Degrees": Fifteen years were added to the life of Hezekiah. In the restoration of the second temple by Herod fifteen steps led from the Court of the Women to the Court of Israel, and on these steps the Levites during the Feast of Tabernacles were accustomed to stand in order to sing the fifteen "songs of degrees" (Pss 120 through 134). At the head of these same steps in the gateway, lepers who had been cleansed from their disease presented themselves to the priests. It has been suggested that Hezekiah himself was the compiler of these fifteen "songs of the steps," in thankfulness for his fifteen years of added life. Five of them are ascribed to David or as written for Solomon, but the remaining ten bear no author's name. Their subjects are, however, most appropriate to the great crises and desires of Hezekiah's life. His great Passover, to which all the tribes were invited, and so many Israelites came; the blasphemy of Rabshakeh and of Sennacherib's threatening letter; the danger of the Assyrian invasion and the deliverance from it; Hezekiah's sickness unto death and his miraculous restoration to health; and the fact that at that time he would seem to have had no son to follow him on the throne--all these subjects seem to find fitting expression in the fifteen Psalms of the Steps. E. W. Maunder 2 Chronicles 32:32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. devotion, 2Ch 31:20,21 in the vision: Isa 36:1-39:8 in the book: 2Ki 18:1-20:21 FORMAL CONCLUSION TO HEZEKIAH'S REIGN Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah This is a standard biblical closing formula. It signals that the Chronicler has given a theological summary, not an exhaustive biography. Many additional details of Hezekiah’s reign—political, military, and administrative—exist beyond what Chronicles records. And his deeds of devotion (hesed; LXX - eleos - compassion, gracious action demonstrating God's compassion) - This phrase is significant. The Chronicler intentionally highlights Hezekiah’s piety and faithfulness to the LORD, not merely his accomplishments. His reforms, prayers, humility, and trust in God are presented as his defining legacy, even though his life included moments of weakness. Don't miss the fact that the word used to sum up his life as deeds of devotion is the great Hebrew word hesed which is overwhelmingly used of God, but it is occasionally used of human beings. And you might be interested to know that hesed is used in the descriptions of only 2 other kings, King David and King Josiah, with Josiah's description almost identical to that of King Hezekiah. I would suggest that these facts would "rank" Hezekiah as one of the top 3 great kings in all the history of Israel! 2Sa 10:2 Then David said, “I will show kindness (hesed) to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console him concerning his father. But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, 2Ch 35:26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion (hesed) as written in the law of the LORD, What ultimately matters is not how much a king achieves, but how he walked with his God. Behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz This points to a prophetic record, not just royal archives. By naming Isaiah, the Chronicler emphasizes that Hezekiah’s story was interpreted and preserved through divine revelation (“vision”), underscoring that God Himself was the ultimate author of the account. in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. This refers to an official historical source (now lost) used by biblical writers. It shows that Chronicles is rooted in real history, drawing from recognized records, while shaping that history to teach spiritual truth. ESV Study note on written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, - Not the canonical book of Isaiah’s prophecy but a historical work now lost (see notes on 1 Kings 14:19). Believer's Study Bible - Events from the life of Hezekiah are also recorded in the Books of Kings and Isaiah. The Hebrew text implies that the "vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz," is the original text and that the account in Kings is an excerpt of Isaiah's narrative (Isa. 36:1-39:8; cf. 2 Kin. 18:9-20:19; Isa. 7:1). According to tradition, Isaiah suffered martyrdom by being sawn asunder by the servants of King Manasseh, who ascended to the throne in 696 B.C. at the age of 12. Since Isaiah probably outlived Hezekiah, it seems appropriate that he would be knowledgeable of the events associated with the death of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and the ascension of Esarhaddon in his stead in 681 B.C. (cf. Isa. 37:37, 38). Devotion (lovingkindness) (02617) hesed/chesed/heced is the idea of faithful love in action and often in the OT refers to God's lovingkindness expressed in His covenant relationship with Israel (His "loyal love" to His "Wife" Israel [cp Hos 2:18, 19, 20-see note, Is 54:5, Je 31:32] = His "loyalty to covenant"). God's hesed His denotes persistent and unconditional tenderness, kindness, and mercy, a relationship in which He seeks after man with love and mercy (cp God immediately seeking man Ge 3:9, who was immediately hiding Ge 3:8 trying to cover their shame Ge 3:7 - contrast God's lovingkindness manifest by spilling blood to provide skins to cover their shame! Ge 3:21). Hesed expresses both God’s loyalty to His covenant and His love for His people along with a faithfulness to keep His promises. Ḥesed (חֶסֶד) refers primarily to God’s steadfast, covenant-keeping love, accounting for roughly 85–88% of its ~245 OT occurrences. It describes Yahweh’s loyal love that is faithful, enduring, and rooted in covenant commitment rather than sentiment (Exod 34:6–7; Ps 136; Isa 54:10). In a smaller but significant number of passages (~12–15%), ḥesed describes human behavior, emphasizing loyal love, kindness, mercy, and faithfulness shown within relationships—always derivative of God’s own character (Gen 20:13; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:8). When applied to humans, ḥesed is never self-generated merit but a response to God’s initiating grace, calling His people to mirror His covenant loyalty in ethical faithfulness, mercy, and love toward others. And example is Ruth in Ru 3:10 "Then he said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness (hesed) to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich." Ḥesed is used in Scripture with both God and man as its subject, but always with God as the ultimate source and standard: when applied to humans, it most often describes kindness, loyalty, and covenant faithfulness toward others—family, friends, guests, masters, servants, and especially the lowly and needy (e.g., 2 Sam 9:7), while only rarely does it denote human affection or fidelity toward God (most clearly in Jer 2:2). The prophets use ḥesed to summarize covenant faithfulness as a way of life, not mere ritual, declaring that God desires steadfast love rather than sacrifice (Hos 6:6) and calling His people to “love mercy” as the heart of biblical ethics (Mic 6:8). Behind every human expression of ḥesed, however, stands God’s own steadfast love, one of His most central attributes, repeatedly described as “abounding in ḥesed” (Exod 34:6; Neh 9:17; Ps 103:8; Jonah 4:2). Indeed, the entire covenant history of Israel—and even creation itself (Ps 136:5–9)—is grounded in God’s enduring ḥesed, a love that remains constant amid human failure, extending to “a thousand generations” (Deut 7:9) and enduring forever (Ps 136). 2 Chronicles 32:33 So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place. slept: 1Ki 1:21 2:10 11:43 did him: 2Ch 16:14 Ge 50:10,11 Nu 20:29 De 34:8 1Sa 2:30 25:1 Pr 10:7 And Manasseh: 2Ch 33:1-20 HEZEZIAH HONORED IN HIS SLEEP So Hezekiah slept with his fathers - This common biblical expression refers to death emphasizing that Hezekiah died as part of the faithful line of Davidic kings, not in disgrace or judgment. Bob