2 Chronicles 32 18

2 Chronicles 32:18 kjv

Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.

2 Chronicles 32:18 nkjv

Then they called out with a loud voice in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might take the city.

2 Chronicles 32:18 niv

Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city.

2 Chronicles 32:18 esv

And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city.

2 Chronicles 32:18 nlt

The Assyrian officials who brought the letters shouted this in Hebrew to the people gathered on the walls of the city, trying to terrify them so it would be easier to capture the city.

2 Chronicles 32 verses

2 Chronicles 32 18 Meaning

2 Chronicles 32:18 describes the continuation of the Assyrian tactic during their siege of Jerusalem, where Sennacherib's envoys, specifically the Rabshakeh, cried out loudly in the local language, Hebrew, to the people gathered on the city wall. Their intention was to terrify and demoralize the defenders and citizens, thereby breaking their will to resist and making it easier for the Assyrians to capture the city without further direct combat. This was psychological warfare, directly challenging the Judahites' trust in their God.

2 Chronicles 32 18 Context

This verse is situated during Sennacherib's invasion of Judah (c. 701 BCE), specifically during the siege of Jerusalem. King Hezekiah had led a major spiritual reformation, removing idols and restoring proper worship of Yahweh, which directly challenged Assyrian polytheism. However, his rebellion against Assyria prompted this devastating invasion. Verses 2 Chronicles 32:1-8 describe Hezekiah's preparations for defense, strengthening the city, and encouraging his people to trust in the Lord despite the overwhelming Assyrian military might. The verses immediately preceding 2 Chronicles 32:18 (especially 32:9-17) recount the Rabshakeh's earlier messages of intimidation and blasphemy, delivered in Hebrew to further their psychological attack. The Assyrian strategy, exemplified in this verse, was to erode the Judahites' faith in their God and their king, portraying Yahweh as just another local deity unable to deliver His people, similar to the gods of other conquered nations. This represented a direct polemic against the unique sovereignty and power of the one true God, Yahweh.

2 Chronicles 32 18 Word analysis

• And they cried: This refers to the Assyrian representatives, primarily the Rabshakeh, who was the chief officer sent by Sennacherib. The action signifies a public, deliberate, and high-volume declaration intended to be widely heard.
• with a loud voice: (Hebrew: qōl gāḏôl - קוֹל גָּדוֹל). This emphasizes the magnitude of their vocal projection, indicating their intent to reach and impact a large audience over a distance, specifically those on the wall and possibly within the city. It underscores the severity and urgency of their message.
• in the Jews' speech: (Hebrew: Yəhûḏîṯ - יְהוּדִית). This is specifically "Judean," or "Hebrew" language, which was the native tongue of the people of Judah. The significance here is profound: it wasn't just general noise or an incomprehensible foreign tongue. The Assyrians purposefully used Hebrew to ensure that the citizens and defenders clearly understood every word of their intimidating message and blasphemous taunts against God. This highlights the precision of their psychological warfare.
• unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall: The direct target audience. The "wall" was the city's primary defense, manned by soldiers and potentially overlooked by concerned citizens. Targeting them was a strategic move to undermine the resolve of those on the frontline and visible to the enemy.
• to affright them: (Hebrew: ləyāreʾām - לְיָרְאָם, "to cause them to fear"). This directly states the primary objective: to instill terror. The Assyrians understood that fear could be a more potent weapon than military force alone, capable of weakening resolve and inducing surrender without further bloodshed. This tactic aims to create psychological incapacitation.
• and to trouble them: (Hebrew: ûləhaḇbîlām - וּלְהַבִּילָם, "to confuse/terrify them"). This word encompasses notions of making one panic, disheartened, or bewildered. It suggests not just fear, but a state of disarray and loss psychologically, a breaking of morale. It’s an intensification of "affright," aiming for a deeper level of psychological breakdown.
• that they might take the city: This reveals the ultimate objective of all the previous actions. The psychological warfare of intimidation and demoralization was not an end in itself but a means to achieve the capture of Jerusalem with minimal Assyrian casualties. If the people surrendered out of fear and despair, the city would fall easily.

2 Chronicles 32 18 Bonus section

The scene described in this verse illustrates a common strategy of warfare in the ancient Near East, where intimidation and propaganda played significant roles alongside military strength. This particular event with Sennacherib and Jerusalem, chronicled in multiple biblical books (2 Kings, Isaiah, and 2 Chronicles), underscores the consistent theological message of God's sovereignty over earthly powers, even the mighty Assyrian empire. It serves as a profound historical precedent for believers, reminding them that while external pressures may be immense and words may be wielded to create fear and doubt, true security lies not in human defenses or reasoning, but in unwavering trust in God. The divine response to this human audacity and blasphemy is crucial to the narrative: it is not through human counter-speech or military might that Jerusalem is saved, but through the direct and supernatural intervention of God, vindicating His name and silencing the boasts of His adversaries. This instance highlights that the war on faith often uses the same tactic: trying to make believers doubt God's power and faithfulness.

2 Chronicles 32 18 Commentary

2 Chronicles 32:18 captures a pivotal moment of psychological warfare during Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem. The Assyrians, under the direction of the Rabshakeh, were not merely launching physical attacks; they were expertly wielding words as weapons. Their deliberate use of the "Jews' speech" (Hebrew) indicates a sophisticated strategy to directly communicate their blasphemous claims and terrifying threats to the Judahite population. The purpose was clear: to sow fear (affright) and sow panic or despair (trouble) among the defenders and citizens. By comparing Yahweh to the vanquished gods of other nations, they sought to erode the people's faith in God's ability to deliver them, thereby leading to a voluntary surrender and the easy taking of the city. This verse underlines that battles are often fought as much in the minds and hearts of people as they are on the battlefield. It also sets the stage for God's dramatic and miraculous intervention, showing that even the most potent human psychological tactics are powerless against the Almighty when His people trust in Him. The enemy's words sought to create internal chaos, contrasting sharply with the divine peace available through faith.