HEZEKIAH'S PRIDE, SUCCESS AND DEATH
Key verse: 26
NIV
Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death(A)
24 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.(B) 25 But Hezekiah’s heart was proud(C) and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath(D) was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah repented(E) of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.(F)
27 Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor,(G) and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. 28 He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. 29 He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.(H)
30 It was Hezekiah who blocked(I) the upper outlet of the Gihon(J) spring and channeled(K) the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. 31 But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon(L) to ask him about the miraculous sign(M) that had occurred in the land, God left him to test(N) him and to know everything that was in his heart.
32 The other events of Hezekiah’s reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah rested with his ancestors and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.
Cross references
- 2 Chronicles 32:24 : 32:24-33pp — 2Ki 20:1-21; Isa 37:21-38; 38:1-8
- 2 Chronicles 32:24 : ver 31
- 2 Chronicles 32:25 : S 2Ki 14:10
- 2 Chronicles 32:25 : S 2Ch 19:2
- 2 Chronicles 32:26 : Jer 26:18-19
- 2 Chronicles 32:26 : 2Ch 34:27, 28; Isa 39:8
- 2 Chronicles 32:27 : S 1Ch 29:12; S 2Ch 9:24
- 2 Chronicles 32:29 : Isa 39:2
- 2 Chronicles 32:30 : S 2Ki 18:17
- 2 Chronicles 32:30 : S 1Ki 1:33
- 2 Chronicles 32:30 : S 2Sa 5:8
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 : Isa 13:1; 39:1
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 : S ver 24; Isa 38:7
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 : S Ge 22:1; Dt 8:16
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Hezekiah's Pride and Achievements
24 (A)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 (B)did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for (C)his heart was proud. Therefore (D)wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But Hezekiah (E)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.
27 And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of (F)costly vessels; 28 storehouses also for the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds. 29 He likewise provided cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions. 30 This same Hezekiah (G)closed the upper outlet of the waters of (H)Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31 And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, (I)who had been sent to him to inquire about (J)the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, (K)in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they are written (L)in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, (M)in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the (N)upper part of the tombs of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
Read full chapterCross references
- 2 Chronicles 32:24 : See 2 Kgs. 20:1-11; Isa. 38:1-8
- 2 Chronicles 32:25 : [Ps. 116:12]
- 2 Chronicles 32:25 : See ch. 26:16
- 2 Chronicles 32:25 : ch. 19:2; 24:18
- 2 Chronicles 32:26 : Jer. 26:18, 19; [ch. 33:12]
- 2 Chronicles 32:27 : ch. 36:10
- 2 Chronicles 32:30 : 2 Kgs. 20:20; [Isa. 22:9, 11]
- 2 Chronicles 32:30 : 1 Kgs. 1:33
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 : 2 Kgs. 20:12; Isa. 39:1
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 : ver. 24
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 : Deut. 8:2
- 2 Chronicles 32:32 : See Isa. 36–39
- 2 Chronicles 32:32 : See 2 Kgs. 18–20
- 2 Chronicles 32:33 : [2 Sam. 15:30]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Hezekiah's pride and repentance (24-26)
Hezekiah had been a humble man of prayer. Once, in his latter years, after tasting the strong wine of success and prosperity, he was sick. He prayed; God answered his prayer and healed him. But he became proud. He was not thankful, and did not acknowledge God's work in his life, so God became angry. God hates pride and ingratitude. A good past record does not give one license for pride. Hezekiah repented of the pride in his heart, and God forgave him.
2. Hezekiah's mistake (27-33)
Hezekiah's pride led him to do something very foolish. He allowed envoys from the Babylonian Empire to inspect his wealth and power freely. They turned out to be spies, and within a few years, Jerusalem was conquered by Babylon and God's people were scattered and enslaved. (2Ki 2
:12-21) Pride destroys men and nations.
Prayer: Lord, guard my heart against useless pride and help me to serve you with a humble, thankful heart all my days.
One Word: Pride goes before a fall
