Who is Sennacherib in this passage and what is he doing?

Sennacherib is the king of Assyria, a powerful empire that is attacking Judah. At this moment he is personally besieging the city of Lachish, but he sends his servants and letters to Jerusalem, where Hezekiah rules. Through them he speaks to Hezekiah and the people on the city wall. He questions what they are trusting in, mocks their hope that the Lord will save them, and tries to scare them into surrender. He uses past victories over other nations to claim that Israel’s God cannot help them either.

What does Sennacherib mean by asking, “Whereon do ye trust”?

When Sennacherib asks, “Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?” he is really saying, “What are you relying on that makes you think you can hold out against me?” He is mocking any hope they have, whether in military strength, allies, or in the Lord. He assumes that a city under siege must give in, and he cannot understand faith in the living God. His words are meant to shake their confidence and make them doubt God’s power to rescue them.

Why does Sennacherib bring up Hezekiah removing the high places and altars?

Sennacherib twists Hezekiah’s reforms to make them sound like a bad thing. Hezekiah had removed the high places and extra altars so that the people would worship at the one altar God chose in Jerusalem. Sennacherib pretends this is an offense against God and tells the people that Hezekiah has taken away their places of worship. He wants them to think their king has angered God and that trusting his leadership will only lead to famine, thirst, and death inside the city.

What does this passage teach about the difference between God and idols?

Sennacherib talks about the Lord as if He were just another local god, like the idols of other nations that Assyria had already defeated. He brags that no god has been able to save any people from his hand, and then argues that the God of Jerusalem will fail the same way. The passage shows his foolishness. He treats the living God as if He were a man-made statue. By putting the Lord on the same level as idols, he exposes his own blindness and sets himself against the true God.

Why do Sennacherib’s servants speak in the Jews’ language to the people on the wall?

Sennacherib’s servants speak loudly in the local language so everyone on the wall can understand them. They do not just talk to Hezekiah’s officials; they go straight for the ordinary people. Their goal is to frighten and trouble them so much that the city will give up without a fight. They want to break the people’s trust in God and in their king. By shouting threats and mocking God in their own tongue, they try to plant fear and doubt deep in their hearts.

How do Sennacherib’s words show pride and blasphemy?

Sennacherib’s words drip with pride because he takes the credit for all his victories and talks as if no one, not even God, can stop him. He says no god of any nation has saved its people from his hand and argues that “much less” will the God of Jerusalem rescue His people. This is blasphemy because he insults the Lord, treating Him like a powerless idol made by human hands. He writes letters and sends speeches that openly rail against God and mock His name.

What was Sennacherib trying to achieve by calling Hezekiah a deceiver?

By calling Hezekiah a deceiver, Sennacherib is trying to turn the people against their own king. He claims that Hezekiah is persuading them to stay in the city only so they can die of hunger and thirst. He says Hezekiah’s trust in the Lord is false and that the people should not believe him. This is a tactic to break their unity. If they stop trusting their godly leader, they may be more willing to surrender and open the gates to Assyria without a battle.

What does this passage show about attacks on faith during hard times?

This passage shows that in times of danger, attacks often focus on faith in God. The Assyrian king does not just threaten with soldiers; he uses words to challenge trust in the Lord. He asks what they are relying on, mocks God’s power, and points to past defeats of other nations to make faith look foolish. These tactics aim to make God’s people feel alone and abandoned. It reminds readers that enemies may try to weaken faith first, before they strike in other ways.

2Chr.32.9

2 Chronicles 32:9

King James Version (KJV)

¶ After 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,

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Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

Cross References

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