About the Author of the Blogsite, Not the Author of the Bible::

About the Author of the Blogsite, Not the Author of the Bible: I was uncertain of how to accomplish this, mindful of Revelation 22:18-19, which says that nobody is to add to, or to take away from what was written in the Bible. After lots of prayerful contemplation, the Lord had it on my heart that I’m not to change the meaning of what is written in the Bible. He has also shown ways to add to people’s understating of that meaning, without altering the meaning, by putting that info within [brackets]. This is primarily accomplished with the KJV Bible and lots of prayers, but at times, BibleGateway.com, Biblehub.com, NIV Bible, Webster Dictionary, and other internet resources, as needed. Debra Seiling

About Understanding the Bible:

Understanding the Bible: After reading Isaiah 28:10 many times over the years and not totally understanding it, it recently became apparent to me that the Lord God has this passage as the means for understanding the Bible. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. Isaiah 28:10 KJV. Being prayerful about this passage, and looking up 'precept' in the Webster's Dictionary, it gave this passage a whole new meaning, once 'commandment' is substituted for 'precept'. Within brackets are additional words the Lord had on my heart to aid in understanding the meaning. For commandment must be [built up] upon commandment; commandment upon commandment; line upon line, line upon line; [developing understanding] here a little, and there a little.

The Table Format:

The Table Format: I was overwhelmed with how to explain the process for determining if someone had leprosy in Leviticus 13, which seemed very complicated. After praying, "Lord, if this is difficult for me to understand after reading it many times, how can this be explained to others?" The thought the Lord God had on my heart was for me to put it into a vertical chart to visually see the process. This made it much easier for me to follow the progression. After doing so, I prayed, "Lord, how can this be conveyed to readers, so that they can understand this process?" The thought the Lord God had on my heart was to put it within the lines of a table. Being a stiff-necked, stubborn person, as it's often called in the Bible, I prayed, asking the Lord God if He's sure that's really what He wanted me to do? I reluctantly put Leviticus 13 into a table format. When I read this difficult leprosy process within a table format, it suddenly became easier for me to understand. That's because it builds line upon line, as explained in the Understanding the Bible section. Shortly after that, the Lord God had it on my heart, to put all of The Books of the Bible in Smaller Chunks within a table format, to aid in understanding, line upon line.

12/19/2023

2 Chronicles 32:1-33 Hezekiah Prepares to Defend Judah Against Assyria

 

Hezekiah Prepares to Defend Judah Against Assyria

2 Chronicles 32:1-33                     2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

After [these things were] established, Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, came & [invaded] Judah & [set camp near] the fenced cities & [planned] to [conquer] them for himself. 

When Hezekiah saw Sennacherib was [there] & that he [planned] to fight against Jerusalem, [Hezekiah consulted] with his [officials] & his mighty men to stop [the flow of] the water of the [springs outside] the city & they helped him.

[Many] people gathered together to [stop] all the [springs] & the brook that ran through the [middle] of the land. [They said,] Why should [Assyria’s] kings come & find [so] much water? 

Also, [Hezekiah worked hard & rebuilt] the walls that were broken & raised up [towers on the wall] & another wall [outside] & repaired Milo, in the city of David & made [an] abundance of [spears] & shields. 

And [Hezekiah appointed military officers] over the people & gathered them to him & [spoke kindly] to them in the [entrance gate’s street] of the city, saying, [Don’t be] afraid or [worried, because] of [Assyria’s] king & all the multitude with him. There are more [of] us, than [are] with him. 

With [Assyria's] king is an arm of flesh, but with us, the Lord our God is with us to help us, to fight our battles. The people [calmed down after] the words of Hezekiah, [Judah’s] king. 

Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, [sent] his servants to Hezekiah, in Jerusalem, [which he & his forces planned the attack] against Lachish. [His servants said,] Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, [says,] Who do you trust, that you [stay] in Jerusalem [when there’s an attack?] 

[Does] Hezekiah persuade you to die [of starvation] & thirst, saying, The Lord, our God, shall deliver us out [of Assyria’s king’s] hand? [Hasn’t this] same Hezekiah taken away [the] high places & altars & has commanded Judah & Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before one altar & burn incense upon it? 

[Don’t] you know what my father & I have done to all the people of other lands? Were the gods of those lands & nations able to deliver their lands out of [my] hands? 

[What] god among [all] those nations that my father [totally] destroyed [was able] to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of [my] hand?

Therefore, [don’t] let Hezekiah deceive you [or] persuade you on this [matter.] [Don’t] believe him, [because if] no god of any nation [or] kingdom was able to deliver his people, out of my hand or the land of my [forefathers,] how [can] your God deliver you out of my hand?

[Sennacherib’s] servants [still] said more & wrote letters against the Lord God & against Hezekiah, [God’s] servant, saying, [Since] the gods of other nations & lands [haven’t] delivered their people out of my hand, the God of Hezekiah shall not [be able to] deliver his people out of my hand.

Then, they cried [out loudly] in the Jew’s [language] to the people on the wall of Jerusalem to [frighten & worry] them, [so] that they might [capture] the city. They spoke against the God of Jerusalem [like they did] against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of [men’s] hands.

[Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.] And for this [reason] Hezekiah, the king & Isaiah, the prophet, [Amoz’] son, prayed & cried [out] to heaven. 

The Lord sent an angel, [who] cut off all of [Assyria’s] mighty men of valor, the leaders & captains in the camp of [Assyria’s] king. So, [Sennacerib] returned with shame to his own land. 

When he came into the house of his god, [those in his own family struck him down] there, with a sword. The Lord saved Hezekiah & the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king & from all [others & God] guided them on every side. 

Many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem & presents to Hezekiah, [Judah’s] king, so he was [highly regarded] in the sight of all the nations from [then on.] [When] Hezekiah was sick, [near] death & prayed to the Lord, [God spoke] to him & gave him a [miraculous] sign. 

But [Hezekian’s] heart was lifted up [in pride & didn’t show God respect for all God had] done [for] him. Therefore, [God’s anger] was upon him & Judah & Jerusalem. 

[Then,] Hezekiah humbled his [prideful] heart & the inhabitants of Jerusalem, [as well,] so that the [Lord’s anger didn’t] come upon them [during Hezekiah’s life.] 

Hezekiah had honor & was [exceedingly] rich & made himself treasuries for: silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields & all [types] of [precious] jewels. [Hezekiah] also [made] store houses for the [extra grain,] wine & oil, and stalls for all [types of livestock & pens] for flocks.]

[Also, Hezekiah] provided himself cities & an abundance of flocks & herds, [since] God had given him [lots of property.] Hezekiah also stopped the upper water [outlet] of Gihon & brought [the water] straight down to the west [side] of the city of David. 

Hezekiah, prospered in all [he did.] [But] in the [matter when] the ambassadors of [Babylon’s rulers] came to [Hezekiah] to [ask about] the [miraculous] wonder done in the land, God left [Hezekiah,] to [test] him, to know what was in his heart.

Now, the rest of [Hezekiah’s actions] & all his goodness, are written in the vision of the prophet, Isaiah, [Amoz’] son, & the Book of Kings of Judah & Israel. 

Hezekiah [died] & slept with his [forefathers] & they buried him in the [best tombs] of [David’s] sons. All Judah & the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored [Hezekiah] at his death. His son, Manasseh [ruled] in [Hezekiah’s place.]