2 Chronicles 32:6
in 2 Chronicles 32Hezekiah appointed military commanders over the people and gathered the people in the square of the city gate. Then he encouraged them, saying,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
KJV
And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 32
Commentary
9 notes on this verseNote, Those that trust God with their safety must yet use proper means for their safety, otherwise they tempt him, and do not trust him. God will provide, but so must we also.
This site's exposition
reinforced the supporting terraces of the City of David
on 2 Chronicles 32:5-6
The wall repair and the commanders set over the people belong to a building record that 2 Kings 20:20 summarizes in a single line. The “supporting terraces of the City of David”, the Millo of older translations on the city’s eastern slope, had needed repair since Solomon’s day.
This site's exposition
in the square of the city gate
Hezekiah sets commanders over the people before he speaks, so the planning comes ahead of the prayer of verse 20. Matthew Henry notes that those who trust God for their safety must still use the means at hand. The square by the gate was where the city met.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
With our enemy is an arm of flesh, which he trusts to; but with us is the Lord, whose power is irresistible, our God, whose promise is inviolable, a God in covenant with us, to help us, and to fight our battles, not only to help us to fight them, but to fight them for us if he please:" and so he did here.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And he set captains of war over the people,.... To teach them the exercises of war, to lead them on against the enemy, to direct them where to stand, and what to do in defence of the city: and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city; the street which led to the gate, and was large and commodious to assemble the people in: and spake comfortably to them; to animate and encourage them to hold out the siege, and do all they could to repel the enemy; saying; as follows.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib . . . was purposed to fight against Jerusalem--An account of the means taken to fortify Jerusalem against the threatened siege is given only in this passage.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he . . . gathered them together . . . in the street--that is, the large open space at the gate of Eastern cities. Having equipped his soldiers with a full suit of military accoutrements, he addressed them in an animated strain, dwelling on the motives they had to inspire courage and confidence of success, especially on their consciousness of the favor and helping power of God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Set captains of war over the people - in the street of the gate of the city - That is, the open places at the gate of the city, whither the people came for judgment, etc.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The street of the gate ... - Or, “the square at the gate” (compare 2Ch 29:4 note). The gate intended is probably that of Ephraim 2Ch 25:23 - the great northern gate, opposite the “Camp of the Assyrians “ - represented by the modern Damascus gate.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּתֵּ֛ן | vaiyiten | and he appointed | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| שָׂרֵ֥י | sarei | commanders of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| מִלְחָמ֖וֹת | milchamot | wars | H4421 → | 320 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָעָ֑ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וַיִּקְבְּצֵ֣ם | vaiyikbetzem | and he assembled them | H6908 → | 127 times |
| אֵלָ֗יו | ʾelav | to himself | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| רְחוֹב֙ | rechov | [the] open place of | H7339 → | |
| שַׁ֣עַר | shaar | [the] gate of | H8179 → | 374 times |
| הָעִ֔יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | to | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לְבָבָ֖ם | levavam | heart their | H3824 → | 252 times |
| לֵאמֹֽר׃ | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
וַיִּתֵּ֛ןand he appointed
vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times
שָׂרֵ֥יcommanders of
sareiH8269 →421 times
מִלְחָמ֖וֹתwars
milchamotH4421 →320 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָעָ֑םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
וַיִּקְבְּצֵ֣םand he assembled them
vaiyikbetzemH6908 →127 times
אֵלָ֗יוto himself
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
רְחוֹב֙[the] open place of
rechovH7339 →
שַׁ֣עַר[the] gate of
shaarH8179 →374 times
הָעִ֔ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
וַיְדַבֵּ֥רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
עַל־to
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
לְבָבָ֖םheart their
levavamH3824 →252 times
לֵאמֹֽר׃<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 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
Isaiah 40:2“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her…
it leads to
- Hosea 2:14
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her and lead her to the wilderness, and speak to her tenderly.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Zechariah 9:12
Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; even today I declare that I will restore to you double.
- Isaiah 61:7
Instead of shame, My people will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation, they will rejoice in their share; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy…
- Jeremiah 33:8–9
And I will cleanse them from all the iniquity they have committed against Me, and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me.
- Revelation 18:6
Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.
- Hosea 2:14
Through
Nehemiah 8:16And the people went out, brought back branches, and made booths on their own rooftops, in their courtyards, in the court of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 14:13
There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the…
- Nehemiah 12:39
over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. And they stopped at the Gate of…
- Nehemiah 3:26
and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the tower that juts out.
- 2 Kings 14:13
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; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.