2 Chronicles 32:31
in 2 Chronicles 32And so when ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon were sent to him to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone to test him, that He might know all that was in Hezekiah’s heart.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire 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.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 32
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
At the same time, there is reason to believe that they proposed a defensive league against the Assyrians. God left him, to try him, &c.--Hezekiah's offense was not so much in the display of his military stores and treasures, as in not giving to God the glory both of the miracle and of his recovery, and thus leading those heathen ambassadors to know Him.
This site's exposition
God left him alone to test him
The verse gives the purpose behind the embassy: “God left him alone to test him, that He might know all that was in Hezekiah’s heart”. The envoys came “to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land”, the recovery and the victory the chapter has just told.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But when his prayer was heard, and 185,000 men of the Assyrian army had been destroyed in one night by the angel, and when a victory so great and so marvellous had been wrought for him by God, he held more firmly than ever the …
But the Chaldaeans and the Medes and Persians, having a somewhat wider knowledge, were instructed by the building of the Tower, and the deluge, and by what happened in the case of Hezekiah and Jonah, and by the Captivity, and by Daniel and the Three …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
These miracles were wrought to alarm and awaken a stupid careless world, and turn them from dumb and lame idols to the living God; and men were startled by them, but not converted till a greater wonder was done in that land, in the appearing of Jesus Christ, Matt. ii.
), either the destruction of the Assyrian army or the going back of the sun. The Assyrians were their enemies; they came to enquire concerning their fall, that they might triumph in it. The sun was their god; they came to enquire concerning the favour he had shown to Hezekiah, that they might honour him whom their god honoured,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Howbeit, in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire the wonder that was done in the land,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. The formidable design of Sennacherib against Hezekiah's kingdom, and the vigorous attempt he made upon it. This Sennacherib was now, as Nebuchadnezzar was afterwards, the terror and scourge and great oppressor of that part of the world.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Of the ambassadors - See 2Ki 20:13 (note), and the observations at the end of that chapter.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְכֵ֞ן | vekhen | and thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| בִּמְלִיצֵ֣י׀ | bimlitzei | in [the] envoys of | H3887 → | |
| שָׂרֵ֣י | sarei | [the] officials of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| בָּבֶ֗ל | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| הַֽמְשַׁלְּחִ֤ים | hamshalechim | who sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| עָלָיו֙ | ʾalav | to him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לִדְרֹ֗שׁ | lidrosh | to enquire | H1875 → | 164 times |
| הַמּוֹפֵת֙ | hamofet | the sign | H4159 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיָ֣ה | hayah | it had happened | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בָאָ֔רֶץ | vaaretz | in the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| עֲזָב֖וֹ | azavo | he left him | H5800 → | 215 times |
| הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לְנַ֨סּוֹת֔וֹ | lenasoto | to put to [the] test him | H5254 → | |
| לָדַ֖עַת | ladaat | to know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | everything | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ | bilvavo | in heart his | H3824 → | 252 times |
וְכֵ֞ןand thus
vekhenH3651 →771 times
בִּמְלִיצֵ֣י׀in [the] envoys of
bimlitzeiH3887 →
שָׂרֵ֣י[the] officials of
sareiH8269 →421 times
בָּבֶ֗לBabylon
bavelH894 →262 times
הַֽמְשַׁלְּחִ֤יםwho sent
hamshalechimH7971 →845 times
עָלָיו֙to him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
לִדְרֹ֗שׁto enquire
lidroshH1875 →164 times
הַמּוֹפֵת֙the sign
hamofetH4159 →
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הָיָ֣הit had happened
hayahH1961 →3559 times
בָאָ֔רֶץin the land
vaaretzH776 →2504 times
עֲזָב֖וֹhe left him
azavoH5800 →215 times
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
לְנַ֨סּוֹת֔וֹto put to [the] test him
lenasotoH5254 →
לָדַ֖עַתto know
ladaatH3045 →945 times
כָּל־everything
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃in heart his
bilvavoH3824 →252 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 15:5I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
it leads to
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
- John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
- Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
- Philippians 4:13
Through
Genesis 22:1Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:7
so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 11:17
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,
- 1 Peter 1:7
Through
Deuteronomy 8:2Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your…
it leads to
- James 1:3
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
- James 1:3
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 8; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 12; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.