Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
to give over
2 Kings 18:27 But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
Isaiah 36:12,18 But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you? …
The Lord out God
2 Chronicles 32:15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
2 Kings 18:30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
2 Kings 19:10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
to give you over to death by famine and thirst
The threat of siege warfare was real, as cities under siege would often face starvation and dehydration. Jerusalem, being a fortified city, was vulnerable to such tactics. The Assyrians had a reputation for their brutal sieges, as evidenced by their conquest of Samaria in 722 BC. The fear of famine and thirst would have been a powerful tool to incite panic among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
when he says, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us
Hezekiah's faith in God's deliverance is a central theme in this narrative. This statement echoes the promises of divine protection found throughout the Old Testament, such as in Psalm 46:1, which speaks of God as a refuge and strength. Hezekiah's reliance on God contrasts with the Assyrian reliance on military might. This faith is later vindicated when God miraculously delivers Jerusalem, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 32:21.
from the hand of the king of Assyria?’
The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, represents the epitome of earthly power and opposition to God's people. The Assyrian empire was known for its vast military campaigns and conquests. This phrase highlights the tension between earthly kingdoms and the kingdom of God. The deliverance from Assyria can be seen as a type of Christ's ultimate victory over sin and death, as Jesus is often depicted as the deliverer of His people, fulfilling prophecies such as those found in Isaiah 9:6-7.
Sennacherib’s spokesmen stand outside Jerusalem’s walls, shouting these words to shake the people’s confidence (2 Kings 18:28-30; Isaiah 36:14-15). They accuse Hezekiah of deception, implying that his call to trust the LORD is naïve and reckless. The charge assumes:
• The king’s faith-filled leadership is mere propaganda.
• Any hope anchored in God, rather than in political compromise, is “misleading.”
Yet Hezekiah’s reforms and trust are rooted in God’s covenant promises (2 Chronicles 31:20-21). The taunt reveals a classic tactic of the enemy: undermine faith by sowing doubt about godly leadership (Genesis 3:1; Numbers 14:2-4).
Assyrian sieges strangled cities until food and water vanished (2 Kings 25:1-3). The threat is not empty:
• Siege warfare typically produced famine (Deuteronomy 28:52-53).
• Thirst drove people to despair (Jeremiah 38:9).
• Parents could be forced to desperate extremes (Lamentations 4:10).
Sennacherib weaponizes this fear. He twists a real danger into an argument against trusting God, suggesting that obedience equals ruin. Scripture, however, repeatedly shows God sustaining His people amid scarcity (Exodus 16:13-18; 1 Kings 17:14-16), turning famine into an arena for faith.
The envoys quote words Hezekiah has spoken publicly: “Be strong and courageous… with us is the LORD our God” (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). Instead of quoting in full, they detach the phrase from its context of encouragement:
• Hezekiah’s words echo covenant promises (Deuteronomy 20:1; Joshua 1:9).
• They flow from prayerful consultation with Isaiah (2 Kings 19:1-4).
Enemies often isolate godly statements to make them sound foolish (Psalm 56:5). The issue is not whether Hezekiah spoke; the issue is the listeners’ heart posture—will they view his words through faith or fear?
This is the crux: Who ultimately has power—Assyria or the LORD? Scripture answers resoundingly:
• God delivers from superior armies (2 Chronicles 14:11-12; Psalm 44:3).
• Hezekiah reminds Judah that the LORD “will surely deliver” (2 Kings 18:30).
• Isaiah prophesies the same outcome (Isaiah 37:33-35).
When the night comes, the angel of the LORD strikes 185,000 Assyrians (2 Chronicles 32:21), validating the promise word-for-word. The taunt dissolves; God’s faithfulness stands.
2 Chronicles 32:11 records the enemy’s attempt to sever Judah’s trust in God by labeling Hezekiah’s faith as deception and forecasting starvation. The verse exposes a familiar strategy: magnify physical threats, minimize divine power, and mock spiritual leadership. By holding fast to the LORD, Hezekiah and his people discover that the promise “the LORD our God will deliver us” is not wishful thinking but historical fact—God literally intervenes, rescues Jerusalem, and silences Assyria. The passage urges believers to reject fear-based narratives and anchor themselves in the unwavering reliability of God’s Word.
(11) Doth not Hezekiah persuade you.--Is not Hezekiah inciting you (2Kings 18:32; 1Chronicles 21:1). The, verb recurs in 2Chronicles 32:15.To give over yourselves . . . by thirst.--In order to deliver you to dying . . . by thirst. A softening down of the coarse expression recorded in 2Kings 18:27. Esarhaddon in the record of his Egyptian campaign uses similar language: "siege-works against him I constructed, and food and water, the life of their souls, I cut off."
Verse 11. - The policy of Sennacherib, in the direct attempt to undermine Hezekiah by appealing straight to his people, instead of to himself or his ministers of state, is yet more pronounced in expression, as seen in 2 Kings 18:26, 27.