Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 32:5
Then Hezekiah worked resolutely to rebuild all the broken sections of the wall and to raise up towers on it. He also built an outer wall and reinforced the supporting terraces of the City of David, and he produced an abundance of weapons and shields.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Hezekiah directs fortification efforts in Jerusalem as Assyrian forces approach, following the sealing of local water sources. The narrative records his administrative and military preparations rather than a speech to a specific audience.
The words — The text highlights וַ/יִּתְחַזַּ֡ק (va/i.yit.cha.Zak), meaning "he strengthened himself," and וַ/יִּבֶן֩ (va/i.yi.Ven), meaning "he rebuilt," describing Hezekiah's decisive actions on the city wall. These verbs frame the physical repairs as an act of personal resolve.
The thread — The passage references the City of David, connecting to 2 Samuel 5:9 where David establishes the fortress and 1 Kings 9:24 where Solomon builds structures there. Conversely, 2 Chronicles 25:23 documents a king breaking down Jerusalem's wall rather than repairing it.
Why it lands — The text records concrete military preparations and structural repairs without offering theological commentary. It asks the reader to observe how historical narratives document practical defense measures during national crisis.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 25:23 There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section of four hundred cubits.
- 1 Kings 9:24 As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter had come up from the City of David to the palace that Solomon had built for her, he built the supporting terraces.
- 2 Samuel 5:9 So David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built it up all the way around, from the supporting terraces inward.
- 2 Kings 25:4 Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah,
- Isaiah 22:9 You saw that there were many breaches in the walls of the City of David. You collected water from the lower pool.
- Judges 9:6 Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo gathered beside the oak at the pillar in Shechem and proceeded to make Abimelech their king.
- 1 Kings 11:27 and this is the account of his rebellion against the king. Solomon had built the supporting terraces and repaired the gap in the wall of the city of his father David.
- 2 Kings 12:20 And the servants of Joash rose up and formed a conspiracy and killed him at Beth-millo, on the road down to Silla.
- 2 Chronicles 12:1 After Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he and all Israel with him forsook the Law of the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 14:5 He also removed the high places and incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom was at peace.