2 Chronicles 32 25

2 Chronicles 32:25 kjv

But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 32:25 nkjv

But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 32:25 niv

But Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD's wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 32:25 esv

But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 32:25 nlt

But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the LORD's anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 32 verses

2 Chronicles 32 25 Meaning

This verse details King Hezekiah's spiritual decline after receiving immense blessings and deliverance from God. Despite divine favor, his heart became proud, causing him to not respond with fitting gratitude or humility for the benefits he had received. Consequently, God's displeasure, referred to as "wrath," came upon Hezekiah and the people of Judah and Jerusalem. It highlights the dangers of pride and ingratitude, especially after experiencing great success and divine intervention.

2 Chronicles 32 25 Context

Chapter 32 of 2 Chronicles initially celebrates King Hezekiah's incredible faith and the Lord's miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian King Sennacherib (vv. 1-23). This victory, coupled with the restoration of temple worship, led to Hezekiah's great prosperity, respect from other nations, and abundant riches (vv. 27-29). Verse 25 then serves as a sharp contrast, marking a moral and spiritual downturn in Hezekiah's life despite, or perhaps because of, his unparalleled blessings and success. It describes a failure of heart that leads to divine judgment, setting the stage for the testing by the Babylonian envoys in verse 31 and the subsequent account in Isaiah 39.

2 Chronicles 32 25 Word analysis

• But (וְהִמָּן, vehiman): A connective particle serving as a disjunctive conjunction, introducing a contrast or shift in narrative. It indicates a turning point from the positive accounts of God's favor and Hezekiah's achievements to a negative aspect of his character.

• Hezekiah (חִזְקִיָּהוּ, H̱izqîyấhû): The king of Judah, whose name means "Yahweh is my strength" or "Yahweh strengthens." Ironically, in this verse, he fails to acknowledge this very source of strength, attributing success to himself.

• did not render (לֹא־הֵשִׁיב, lō’-hêšîḇ): Literally, "he did not return" or "did not give back." This is an active failure to respond appropriately. It signifies a lack of reciprocity, specifically a failure to show gratitude, praise, or obedience to God who had acted beneficently towards him.

• according to the benefit received (כְּגוּמֻל, kəḡumul): From the root gamal (גמל), which denotes "to deal bountifully with," "to requite," or "to bestow a benefit." This phrase highlights the divine acts of grace and deliverance Hezekiah had experienced (healing, victory, wealth). Hezekiah failed to reciprocate God's generosity with appropriate thanks, honor, and humility. The expected "repayment" was spiritual, not material.

• for his heart was lifted up (כִּי־גָבַהּ לְבָבוֹ, kî-ḡāḇah ləḇāḇô): This is a classic biblical idiom for pride or haughtiness. The word gavah (גָבַהּ) means "to be high," "exalted," or "lofty." When applied to the heart (levav), it signifies a swelled head, arrogance, and a self-reliant attitude that forgets divine dependence. This internal disposition led to his failure to "render" properly. It contrasts sharply with the humility expected of a recipient of God's grace.

• therefore (וַיְהִי, wayhî): A direct consequential particle, indicating the immediate result of Hezekiah's pride and ingratitude.

• wrath (קֶצֶף, qetsep): Refers to God's indignation or strong displeasure. It's an expression of divine judgment or disciplinary anger that results from sin. It signifies a broken covenant relationship where God withdraws favor or imposes discipline.

• was on him (עָלָיו, ‘ālāyw): Directly on Hezekiah. His personal sin of pride invoked personal consequence.

• and on Judah and Jerusalem (וְעַל־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלַם, wə‘al-yəhûḏāh wîrûšālaim): The consequence extended beyond Hezekiah to the entire nation. This demonstrates the corporate nature of kingship in Israel; a king's sin often had national implications, particularly if the people acquiesced or shared in the sin's spirit.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "did not render according to the benefit received": This phrase precisely articulates ingratitude. It is not just a passive failure but an active decision to withhold due response to an incredible benefactor. It underscores a fundamental breach in the vertical relationship with God.
  • "for his heart was lifted up": This serves as the causal clause, identifying pride as the root of Hezekiah's ingratitude and disobedience. It emphasizes that the sin originated from an internal spiritual state—an elevated sense of self-importance that diminished God's glory.
  • "therefore wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem": This climactic part shows the divine response. God's disciplinary "wrath" indicates His righteousness and opposition to sin, highlighting that divine favor is conditional on a responsive, humble heart. The expansion of wrath to the nation implies their participation or tolerance of their leader's pride, or the wider impact of leadership sins.

2 Chronicles 32 25 Bonus section

The event of Hezekiah showing his treasures to the Babylonian envoys (2 Chr 32:31; Isa 39:1-2) is considered a concrete manifestation of the pride and lack of rendering "according to the benefit received" mentioned in 2 Chronicles 32:25. It illustrates how an internal spiritual condition (pride and ingratitude) translates into outward, self-exalting actions, exposing vulnerability. Although wrath "was on" Hezekiah and the nation, his subsequent repentance (2 Chr 32:26) demonstrated God's mercy in postponing severe judgment until after his time, a clear demonstration of the principle that humility can avert divine wrath. This episode serves as a significant theological lesson throughout scripture, echoing themes in the Deuteronomic history that blessings (from covenant faithfulness) are conditional and that prosperity can test a person's faithfulness as much as adversity.

2 Chronicles 32 25 Commentary

Verse 25 is a sober reminder that spiritual danger often lurks not in adversity, but in prosperity. Hezekiah, after experiencing miraculous deliverance and immense blessing, allowed his heart to be inflated with pride, leading to a profound ingratitude toward the source of his success. This highlights a common human failing: when people are exalted or greatly blessed, they often forget their dependence on God and begin to attribute their achievements to their own strength or wisdom. This internal shift, the "lifting up of the heart," is a severe offense to God because it usurps His glory. God, who had lavished His grace upon Hezekiah, righteously responds with disciplinary wrath, not only on the king but also on the nation, serving as a powerful lesson on the pervasive effects of leadership sin. It anticipates the divine test in verse 31, where God allowed circumstances (the Babylonian envoys) to reveal the pride already residing in Hezekiah's heart.