The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 32:17 Explained

2 Chronicles 32:17

KJV: He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.

YLT: and letters he hath written to give reproach to Jehovah, God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, 'As the gods of the nations of the lands that have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah doth not deliver His people from my hand.'

Darby: And he wrote a letter to rail at Jehovah the God of Israel, and to speak against him saying, As the gods of the nations of the countries have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of my hand.

ASV: He wrote also letters, to rail on Jehovah, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of my hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He wrote  also letters  to rail  on the LORD  God  of Israel,  and to speak  against him, saying,  As the gods  of the nations  of [other] lands  have not delivered  their people  out of mine hand,  so shall not the God  of Hezekiah  deliver  his people  out of mine hand. 

What does 2 Chronicles 32:17 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Chronicles 32:16-23 - The Cry To Heaven Answered
Sennacherib's generals were even more insolent than himself. Their aim was to discourage the people and undermine their faith. To destroy confidence in God is the surest method of attack and victory. A significant description of their braggart boastfulness is given in 2 Chronicles 32:19. The only effect, however, was to drive the king and the prophet to prayer, 2 Chronicles 32:20. This is the talisman of victory. Isaiah tells how Hezekiah spread out the blasphemous letter of the invader before God, and challenged His help, that the kingdoms of the earth might know His power, inasmuch as His character was at stake before the heathen.
One angel sufficed for the work of deliverance and Sennacherib returned home a discredited man, to be murdered by his own children. The Lord not only saved Israel, but "guided them" on every side. Shall we not claim similar treatment? And when we are true to God, we may rely on Him to give us favor with men, and enrich our lives with His hid treasures. "Them that honor me, I will honor." [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 32

1  Sennacherib invading Judah, Hezekiah fortifies himself, and encourages his people
9  Hezekiah and Isaiah pray against the blasphemies of Sennarchib
21  An angel destroys the host of the Assyrians
24  Hezekiah praying in his sickness, God gives him a sign of recovery
25  His proud heart is humbled by God
27  His wealth and works
31  His error in the ambassage of Babylon
32  He dying, Manasseh succeeds him

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 32:17 mean?

And letters He wrote to revile Yahweh God of Israel and to speak against Him saying as the gods of the nations of [other] lands which not have delivered their people from my hand so not will deliver the God of Hezekiah His people from my hand
וּסְפָרִ֣ים כָּתַ֔ב לְחָרֵ֕ף לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֵֽאמֹ֨ר עָלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כֵּֽאלֹהֵ֞י גּוֹיֵ֤ הָאֲרָצוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־ הִצִּ֤ילוּ עַמָּם֙ מִיָּדִ֔י כֵּ֣ן לֹֽא־ יַצִּ֞יל אֱלֹהֵ֧י יְחִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ עַמּ֖וֹ מִיָּדִֽי

וּסְפָרִ֣ים  And  letters 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
כָּתַ֔ב  He  wrote 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
לְחָרֵ֕ף  to  revile 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: חָרַף 
Sense: to reproach, taunt, blaspheme, defy, jeopardise, rail, upbraid.
לַיהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְלֵֽאמֹ֨ר  and  to  speak 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עָלָ֜יו  against  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.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֵּֽאלֹהֵ֞י  as  the  gods 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
גּוֹיֵ֤  of  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאֲרָצוֹת֙  of  [other]  lands 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הִצִּ֤ילוּ  have  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
עַמָּם֙  their  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִיָּדִ֔י  from  my  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
כֵּ֣ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
יַצִּ֞יל  will  deliver 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
אֱלֹהֵ֧י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יְחִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ  of  Hezekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִזְקִיָּה 
Sense: 2th king of Judah, son of Ahaz and Abijah; a good king in that he served Jehovah and did away with idolatrous practices.
עַמּ֖וֹ  His  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִיָּדִֽי  from  my  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.