(5) Also he strengthened himself.--And he took courage. (2Chronicles 15:8; 2Chronicles 18:1.)

Built up all the wall that was broken.--Isaiah 22:9-10, where "many breaches" are spoken of, and it is said that "houses were pulled down to fortify the wall."

Raised it up to the towers.--Heb., and went up on the towers, or, and caused to go up on the towers. A different division of the Hebrew letters will give the sense "and raised upon it towers," which is probably correct. Thenius prefers to keep the ordinary reading, which he understands to mean, and heightened the towers; alleging that 2Chronicles 26:9 shows that the wall was already furnished with towers. The LXX. has simply ??? ???????, "and towers;" the Vulgate, "et exstruxit turres desuper." The Syriac renders, "Let them show themselves strong, and make another wall opposite the wall, and let them stop up the ditch which David made."

Another wall without.--Literally, and on the outside of the wall (he built) another--viz., the wall enclosing the lower city or Aera, which he "built," that is, repaired and strengthened. (See Isaiah 22:11, "the two walls.")

Repaired.--2Chronicles 11:11.

Millo.--The rampart. See Note on 1Chronicles 11:8.

In the city of David.--To wit, the city of David.

Darts.--Shelah. See Note on 2Chronicles 23:10, and comp. 2Chronicles 26:14. The Hebrew is "missiles in abundance, and shields."

Verse 5. - He strengthened himself; i.e., as in our several previous instances of the occurrence of the phrase (1 Chronicles 11:10; 2 Chronicles 12:1; 2 Chronicles 25:11; 2 Chronicles 26:8), he took all possible means to make himself and people and city strong to withstand the invader. All the wall that was broken (see Isaiah 22:9). Although we read that the devastation wrought by Joash (2 Chronicles 25:23) was very largely repaired by Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:9) and by Jotham (2 Chronicles 27:3), it is not explicitly said that the broken four hundred cubits of wall, from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, were made absolutely good again, although in the matter of towers and fortifications much was evidently done. Note also the word "all" here, side by side with the "much" of 2 Chronicles 27:3. And raised (it) up to the towers. Discard this Authorized Version rendering. The meaning cannot be certainly pronounced upon, but perhaps it may be intended to say that he heightened the towers. The objection is that the same verb is wanted for the next clause, and that its rendering would need to be there slightly reduced again to a mere statement of raising from the ground (i.e. building) another wall without. Repaired Millo (see note, 1 Chronicles 11:8).

32:1-23 Those who trust God with their safety, must use proper means, else they tempt him. God will provide, but so must we also. Hezekiah gathered his people together, and spake comfortably to them. A believing confidence in God, will raise us above the prevailing fear of man. Let the good subjects and soldiers of Jesus Christ, rest upon his word, and boldly say, Since God is for us, who can be against us? By the favour of God, enemies are lost, and friends gained.Also he strengthened himself,.... In the Lord his God, and fortified his city, and put it in the best manner of defence he could:

and built up all the wall that was broken; which was broken from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate by Joash king of Israel; and though it might have been repaired by Uzziah, it might again be broken down in the times of Ahaz, by Pekah, king of Israel, or some other enemy, see 2 Chronicles 25:3.

and raised it up to the towers; from the corner tower to the tower of the gate of Ephraim, which, as before observed, had been broken down:

and another wall without; a second wall, either all around the city, or at such a part of it which was weakest; Josephus (z) says the city of Jerusalem had three walls about it:

and repaired Millo in the city of David; a wall on the north side of the city:

and made darts and shields in abundance; darts to cast from the walls of the city, to annoy the enemy with, and shields to defend them from those of the enemy.

(z) De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 3.