2 Chronicles 32:7

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Hezekiah addresses the assembled people of Judah at the city gate as Assyrian forces approach. He speaks to the military commanders and the populace he has just gathered for defense.

The words — The Hebrew imperative חִזְק֣וּ (chiz.Ku) commands the people to "be strong," paired with אִמְצ֔וּ (im.Tzu) meaning "be courageous." These verbs directly counter the subsequent prohibitions against being afraid (תִּֽירְא֣וּ) or dismayed (תֵּחַ֗תּוּ).

The thread — The same encouragement to reject fear because of divine presence appears in Elisha’s confrontation with the Aramean army (2 Kings 6:16) and Paul’s rhetorical defense of God’s sovereignty (Romans 8:31). The call to strength also echoes the exhortation to rely on divine power in Ephesians 6:10.

Why it lands — The verse demands a conscious rejection of fear by anchoring confidence in God’s presence rather than military strength. It requires the reader to assess threats against divine reality instead of human capability.

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

חִזְק֣וּchiz.Kube strong וְאִמְצ֔וּve./'im.Tzuand/ be courageous אַל־'al-may not תִּֽירְא֣וּti.re.'Uyou be afraid וְאַל־ve./'al-and/ may not תֵּחַ֗תּוּte.Cha.tuyou be dismayed מִפְּנֵי֙mi./pe.Nei<from>/ because of מֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king of אַשּׁ֔וּר'a.ShurAssyria וּמִלִּפְנֵ֖יu./mi./li/f.Neiand/ from/ <to>/ before כָּל־kol-all הֶהָמ֣וֹןhe./ha.Monthe/ multitude אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which עִמּ֑וֹi.M/o[is] with/ him כִּֽי־ki-for עִמָּ֥נוּ'i.Ma./nu[is] with/ us רַ֖בrav[one] great מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃me./'i.M/omore than/ with/ him

King James Version

Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:

Cross-references

2 Kings 6:16 “Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
2 Chronicles 20:15 And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
1 John 4:4 You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
2 Kings 18:30 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’
1 Chronicles 28:20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.
Isaiah 35:4 Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
Daniel 10:19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
Zechariah 8:9 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.