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Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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World English Bible

2 Chronicles 32:4

So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Cedron;   Gihon;   Hezekiah;   Jerusalem;   Kidron;   Sennacherib;   Siege;   Thompson Chain Reference - Hezekiah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fountains and Springs;   Sieges;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jerusalem;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Sennacherib;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ahaz;   Chronicles, the Books of;   Cistern;   Hezekiah;   Jerusalem;   Kedron;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Siloam;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Fountain;   Sennacherib ;   Siloah, Siloam ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Hezekiah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jerusalem;   Kidron, the Brook;   Siloam;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hezekiah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Many people gathered and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land; they said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?”
Hebrew Names Version
So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Ashshur come, and find much water?
King James Version
So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
English Standard Version
A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?"
New Century Version
Many people came and cut off all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. They said, "The king of Assyria will not find much water when he comes here."
New English Translation
A large number of people gathered together and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the district. They reasoned, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?"
Amplified Bible
So many people came together, and they stopped up all the springs and the brook which flowed [underground] through the region, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find an abundance of water?"
New American Standard Bible
So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
So many of the people assembled themselues, and stopt all the fountaines, and the riuer that ranne through the middes of the countrey, saying, Why should the Kings of Asshur come, and finde much water?
Legacy Standard Bible
So many people gathered and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed in the midst of the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?"
Berean Standard Bible
Many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?" they said.
Complete Jewish Bible
a large crowd was gathered to block all the springs and the stream flowing through the countryside. They reasoned, "Why should the kings of Ashur come and find an ample supply of water?"
Darby Translation
And there was gathered together much people, and they stopped all the fountains, and the torrent that flows through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?
Easy-to-Read Version
Many people came together and stopped all the springs and the stream that flowed through the middle of the country. They said, "The king of Assyria will not find much water when he comes here!"
George Lamsa Translation
So there was gathered a great multitude of the people of Israel together, who concealed all the fountains and the great brooks that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Lest the king of Assyria come and find much water.
Lexham English Bible
Then many people were gathered, and they blocked off all the springs and the river that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?"
Literal Translation
And many people were gathered, and they stopped all the fountains, and the torrent that was rushing through the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and there gathered together a greate people, and couered all ye welles and water brokes in the myddes of the londe, and sayde: Lest the kynges of Assur fynde moch water wha they come.
American Standard Version
So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
Bible in Basic English
So they got together a great number of people, and had all the water-springs and the stream flowing through the land stopped up, saying, Why let the kings of Assyria come and have much water?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For there gathered many of the people together, and stopt all the welles, and the broke that ran through the middes of the land, saying: Why shall the kinges of the Assyrians come and finde much water?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying: 'Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?'
King James Version (1611)
So there was gathered much people together, who stopt all the fountaines, and the brooke that ranne through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and finde much water?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he collected many people, and stopped the wells of water, and the river that flowed through the city, saying, Lest the king of Assyria come, and find much water, and strengthen himself.
English Revised Version
So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
he gaderide togidere a ful greet multitude, and thei stoppiden alle the wellis, and the ryuer, that flowide in the myddis of the lond; and seiden, Lest the kyngis of Assiriens comen, and fynden abundance of watris.
Update Bible Version
So many people were gathered together, and they stopped all the fountains, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
Webster's Bible Translation
So there were assembled many people, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
New King James Version
Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, "Why should the kings [fn] of Assyria come and find much water?"
New Living Translation
They organized a huge work crew to stop the flow of the springs, cutting off the brook that ran through the fields. For they said, "Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find plenty of water?"
New Life Bible
Many people were gathered, and they stopped all the wells and the small river which flowed through the land. They said, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?"
New Revised Standard
A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the wadi that flowed through the land, saying, "Why should the Assyrian kings come and find water in abundance?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And there were gathered together much people, so they stopped all the fountains, and the torrent that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, - Wherefore should the kings of Assyria come, and find many waters?
Douay-Rheims Bible
So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
Revised Standard Version
A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?"
Young's Literal Translation
and much people are gathered, and they stop all the fountains and the brook that is rushing into the midst of the land, saying, `Why do the kings of Asshur come, and have found much water?'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?"

Contextual Overview

1 After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 3 he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city; and they helped him. 4 So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? 5 He took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised [it] up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo [in] the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. 6 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 spoke comfortably to them, saying, 7 Be strong and of good courage, don't be afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater with us than with him: 8 with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Yahweh our God to help us, and to fight our battles. The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

who stopped: This was prudently done; for, without water, how could an immense army subsist in ar arid country? No doubt the Assyrian army suffered much through this; as a Christian army did, through the same cause, 1,800 years afterwards.

the brook: 2 Chronicles 32:30, 2 Chronicles 30:14

ran through the midst of: Heb. overflowed

kings: The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic read king, in the singular number. 2 Chronicles 32:1, 2 Kings 18:9, 2 Kings 18:13, 2 Kings 19:17, Isaiah 10:8

find: 1 Kings 3:9, 1 Kings 3:16, 1 Kings 3:17, 1 Kings 19:21

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 3:25 - stopped 2 Kings 20:20 - he made a pool Nahum 3:14 - Draw

Cross-References

Genesis 4:7
If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don't do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it."
Genesis 23:6
"Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. In the choice of our tombs bury your dead. None of us will withhold from you his tomb, but that you may bury your dead."
Genesis 27:29
Let peoples serve you, Nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, Let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, Blessed be everyone who blesses you."
Genesis 27:37
Isaac answered Esau, "Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers have I given to him for servants. With grain and new wine have I sustained him. What then will I do for you, my son?"
Genesis 32:5
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, men-servants, and maid-servants. I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.'"
Genesis 32:18
Then you shall say, 'They are your servant, Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord, Esau. Behold, he also is behind us.'"
Genesis 33:8
Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" Jacob said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."
Exodus 32:22
Aaron said, "Don't let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
1 Samuel 26:17
Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.
1 Kings 20:32
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and [put] ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Your servant Ben-hadad says, please let me live. He said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So there was gathered much people together,.... At the instance of Hezekiah, his nobles and officers:

who stopped all the fountains; perhaps by laying planks over them, and earth upon them, so that it could not be discerned there were any fountains there:

and the brook that ran through the midst of the land; which, according to Kimchi, was Gihon, 2 Chronicles 32:30, which was near Jerusalem; the stream of this very probably they turned into channels under ground, whereby it was brought into the city into reservoirs there provided, that that might have a supply during the siege, while the enemy was distressed for want of it:

saying, why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water? by which means they would be able to carry on the siege to a great length, when otherwise they would be obliged to raise it quickly: mention is made of kings of Assyria, though there was but one, with whom there might be petty kings, or tributary ones; and, besides, as he boasted, his princes were altogether kings, Isaiah 10:8.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The “brook” intended is probably not the Kidron, but the natural water-course of the Gihon, which ran down the Tyropoeon valley (compare the 1 Kings 1:3 note).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Chronicles 32:4. Stopped all the fountains — This was prudently done, for without water how could an immense army subsist in an arid country? No doubt the Assyrian army suffered much through this, as a Christian army did eighteen hundred years after this. When the crusaders came, in A.D. 1099, to besiege Jerusalem, the people of the city stopped up the wells, so that the Christian army was reduced to the greatest necessities and distress.


 
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