2 Chronicles 32:14 kjv
Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
2 Chronicles 32:14 nkjv
Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand?
2 Chronicles 32:14 niv
Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand?
2 Chronicles 32:14 esv
Who among all the gods of those nations that my fathers devoted to destruction was able to deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand?
2 Chronicles 32:14 nlt
Which of their gods was able to rescue its people from the destructive power of my predecessors? What makes you think your God can rescue you from me?
2 Chronicles 32 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chr 32:19 | And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men's hands. | Blasphemy against God's unique nature. |
| Is. 36:18-20 | Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you...Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?...who among all the gods of these. | Parallel account of Sennacherib's boast. |
| Is. 37:11 | Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them. And will you be delivered? | Further Assyrian boasts of destructive power. |
| Is. 37:22-23 | This is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning him: ...Whom have you taunted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes. | God's response to Sennacherib's pride. |
| Is. 10:8-14 | For he says, 'Are not my commanders all kings?'...My hand has found like a nest the riches of the peoples... | Assyria's prior boasts and conquests. |
| 1 Kgs. 20:23 | The Syrians said, "Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we." | Ancient belief in localized gods. |
| Ps. 115:3-8 | But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands... | Contrast: The living God vs. powerless idols. |
| Ps. 135:15-18 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, The work of men's hands... | The futility and impotence of false gods. |
| Deut. 4:28 | There you will serve gods, the work of human hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. | Emphasizing the deadness of idols. |
| Jer. 10:10-11 | But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King...The gods who have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish. | Yahweh as the living, true, and sole God. |
| Ex. 15:11 | "Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?" | Affirmation of God's unmatched power. |
| 1 Sam. 17:45 | Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword...but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts..." | Reliance on God, not human strength/idols. |
| Ps. 20:7 | Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God. | Trust in God vs. military might. |
| Ps. 46:1-3, 7 | God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble...The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. | God's power to deliver His people. |
| 2 Kgs. 18:33-35 | Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?...which of all the gods of these lands delivered their land? | Earlier record of Rabshakeh's same argument. |
| Dan. 4:35 | All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth... | God's sovereignty over all rulers/kingdoms. |
| Prov. 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | The fate of the proud, like Sennacherib. |
| Ps. 33:10-11 | The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever. | God overrules human plans and boasts. |
| Hab. 2:18-19 | What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it?...Woe to him who says to wood, 'Awake!' and to a mute stone, 'Arise!' | Mockery of powerless idols. |
| Rom. 1:21-23 | For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God...and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image... | Idolatry's folly and human rejection of God. |
| 1 Cor. 8:4-6 | ...we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods...yet for us there is but one God. | Christian understanding of monotheism vs. idols. |
| Heb. 1:3 | ...and He upholds all things by the word of His power. | Christ's (God's) active and supreme power. |
| Jam. 4:6 | But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." | God's opposition to the proud. |
2 Chronicles 32 verses
2 Chronicles 32 14 Meaning
This verse conveys the supreme arrogance of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, as he boasts of his undeniable military power and his past triumphs over numerous nations and their deities. His statement is a rhetorical challenge, claiming that since no other god of any conquered land has been able to deliver their people from his might, the God of Judah (Yahweh) will likewise be powerless to save Judah from his grasp. It fundamentally misrepresents the unique nature and power of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 32 14 Context
This verse is part of Sennacherib's propaganda campaign against Jerusalem during his siege of the city in 701 BC. Having conquered many fortified cities in Judah, he sends messengers to intimidate King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. The core of his message, repeated through his general Rabshakeh and later in written letters, is an assault on Hezekiah's trust in Yahweh. Sennacherib operates under a polytheistic worldview common in the ancient Near East, where each nation had its territorial god, and victory in war signified the superiority or powerlessness of those gods. He attributes his past successes to the inferiority of these gods compared to his own military might, rather than the true God's purposes. This serves as a direct polemic, presenting Yahweh as merely one more regional deity, unable to protect His people any more than the gods of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, or Ivvah. His aim is to demoralize the Judeans and compel them to surrender by demonstrating the futility of their faith.
2 Chronicles 32 14 Word analysis
- Who: Mî (מִי). A rhetorical interrogative pronoun, not expecting an answer, but asserting an impossibility. It emphatically implies "No one."
- among all the gods: b'kol ’elohey (בְכֹל אֱלֹהֵי). Sennacherib lumps Yahweh into the general category of ’elohey (gods), contrasting Yahweh with his perceived "other gods." This phrase reflects his polytheistic framework, where Yahweh is just one deity among many.
- of the nations: haggoyim (הַגּוֹיִם). Refers to the foreign, non-Israelite peoples and their territorial deities. Sennacherib's campaign was universal in its reach to him.
- that my fathers destroyed: asher hachărimu 'avotay (אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱרִימוּ אֲבוֹתָי). This highlights Assyrian imperial history, presenting their victories as a pattern of divine conquest. "Destroyed" (from ḥāram, חרם) can mean to devote to utter destruction, to put under a ban, emphasizing the completeness of their conquest and the eradication of opposing forces.
- was able: yakol (יכול). This verb signifies capability, strength, and power to prevail or overcome. Sennacherib claims the gods of other nations lacked this crucial ability to "stand up" against his power.
- to deliver: l'hatsil (לְהַצִּיל). Means "to rescue," "to save," "to pluck out," "to free." It is a fundamental role attributed to a protecting deity. Sennacherib denies this capability to any deity he has faced.
- his people: ‘ammo (עַמּוֹ). The specific community or nation that belongs to a god, implying the god's primary responsibility is to that group. Sennacherib directly challenges Yahweh's core function for Judah.
- out of my hand: mīyyādî (מִיָּדִי). This is crucial. Yad (יד) literally means "hand," but it metaphorically represents power, authority, control, and military might. "Out of my hand" signifies "from my complete control and dominion," suggesting an unbreakable grip and irreversible conquest. Sennacherib believes his power is ultimate and unchallenged by any divine force.
2 Chronicles 32 14 Bonus section
- The term "hand" (yad) appearing multiple times in Sennacherib's speech (including previous verses like 2 Chr 32:13) underscores the Assyrian king's self-perception of absolute, unstoppable physical and strategic control, contrasting sharply with Yahweh's 'hand' as the instrument of His ultimate power and divine will, which is about to be displayed in a non-military, miraculous fashion.
- Sennacherib's assumption reflects the standard practice of Assyrian imperialism to dismantle conquered nations' cults, often desecrating their temples or incorporating their gods into the Assyrian pantheon, further demonstrating their gods' subservience to the Assyrian's perceived dominant deities and military might. The unique nature of Yahweh made this tactic ineffective against Judah.
- This verse directly contributes to the biblical theme of Yahweh's absolute sovereignty over all nations and their rulers, even the mightiest emperors like Sennacherib, showcasing that God is not just the God of Israel but the Lord of history.
2 Chronicles 32 14 Commentary
Sennacherib's rhetorical question in 2 Chronicles 32:14 is the epitome of human arrogance confronting divine supremacy. Based on a consistent history of military conquests, the Assyrian king boasts an unbroken record of subduing every nation and rendering their gods powerless. His reasoning, rooted in ancient Near Eastern theology, posits that if his armies could overcome the armies and gods of Hamath, Arpad, and Samaria, then Judah's God, Yahweh, would be no different. This reductionist view failed to grasp the singular, transcendent nature of Yahweh as the one true God, creator of all, whose power extends infinitely beyond any territorial or human limitation. This boast sets the stage for a dramatic display of divine intervention. Sennacherib's prideful declaration is not just military bravado but a direct challenge to God's unique identity as the Sovereign Deliverer. Ultimately, this very confidence would lead to his humiliating defeat, demonstrating that Yahweh's power is not a function of military might or comparative strength against other deities but is inherent and absolute. This verse highlights the profound difference between a god-idol formed by human hands or imagination and the living God who intervenes miraculously for His people.