The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 28:20 Explained

2 Chronicles 28:20

KJV: And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

YLT: And Tilgath-Pilneser king of Asshur cometh in unto him, and doth distress him, and hath not strengthened him,

Darby: And Tilgath-Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and troubled him, and did not support him.

ASV: And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Tilgathpilneser  king  of Assyria  came  unto him, and distressed  him, but strengthened  him not. 

What does 2 Chronicles 28:20 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Chronicles 28:12-27 - A Wicked King's Blind Folly
This sending of the captives home, clothed, shod, and anointed was a beautiful act, and anticipates the spirit of Christianity. This is the true way of making and maintaining peace. Magnanimity is, after all, the best solvent of national hatred, and lays the foundations of enduring brotherhood. The Edomites and Philistines smote Judah and weakened it, but they were only the instruments. We are distinctly told that the Lord brought Israel low, 2 Chronicles 28:19. The relief bought from the king of Assyria at so great a sacrifice secured a temporary respite. See 2 Kings 16:7-9. In the end, however, it only added to his distress, 2 Chronicles 28:20. None can help the man who has forfeited the help of God. If He is against us, who can be for us!
The more distressed Ahaz was, the more he trespassed. See Isaiah 1:5-6. With blind infatuation he went step by step farther from God, sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, and offered wanton insult to God's house. The detestation of the people was evidenced in their treatment of his remains. See Proverbs 10:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 28

1  Ahaz, reigning wickedly, is greatly afflicted by the Syrians
6  Judah, being captivated by the Israelites, is sent home by the counsel of Oded
16  Ahaz sending for aid to Assyria, is not helped thereby,
22  In his distress he grows more idolatrous
26  He dying, Hezekiah succeeds him

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 28:20 mean?

And came to him - Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria and distressed him and not did assist him
וַיָּבֹ֣א עָלָ֔יו תִּלְּגַ֥ת פִּלְנְאֶ֖סֶר מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיָּ֥צַר ל֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א חֲזָקֽוֹ

וַיָּבֹ֣א  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עָלָ֔יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
תִּלְּגַ֥ת  - 
Parse:
פִּלְנְאֶ֖סֶר  Tiglath-pileser 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: תִּגְלַת פִּלְאֶסֶר 
Sense: an Assyrian king who attacked Samaria or northern kingdom of Israel in the reign of Pekah.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁ֑וּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
וַיָּ֥צַר  and  distressed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צוּר 
Sense: to bind, besiege, confine, cramp.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חֲזָקֽוֹ  did  assist  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.