The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 32:20 Explained

2 Chronicles 32:20

KJV: And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

YLT: And Hezekiah the king prayeth, and Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, concerning this, and they cry to the heavens,

Darby: And because of this, king Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed and cried to heaven.

ASV: And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And for this [cause] Hezekiah  the king,  and the prophet  Isaiah  the son  of Amoz,  prayed  and cried  to heaven. 

What does 2 Chronicles 32:20 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 32:20 mean?

And prayed Hezekiah King and Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet because of this and cried out to heaven -
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֞ל יְחִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וִֽישַֽׁעְיָ֧הוּ בֶן־ אָמ֛וֹץ הַנָּבִ֖יא עַל־ זֹ֑את וַֽיִּזְעֲק֖וּ הַשָּׁמָֽיִם פ

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֞ל  And  prayed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּלַל 
Sense: to intervene, interpose, pray.
יְחִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ  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.
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וִֽישַֽׁעְיָ֧הוּ  and  Isaiah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְשַׁעְיָה 
Sense: the major prophet, son of Amoz, who prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem during the days of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah; author of the prophetic book by his name; tradition has it that he was sawn asunder in the trunk of a carob tree by king Manasseh and that this is the incident referred to in Heb :37.
בֶן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָמ֛וֹץ  of  Amoz 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָמֹוץ  
Sense: father of Isaiah.
הַנָּבִ֖יא  the  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
עַל־  because 
Parse: Preposition
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.
זֹ֑את  of  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
וַֽיִּזְעֲק֖וּ  and  cried  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: זָעַק  
Sense: to cry, cry out, call, call for help.
הַשָּׁמָֽיִם  to  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation