2 Kings 20:20

A channel for carrying water. There are still remains of one that carried water from what are called Solomon's pools to Jerusalem. We read that Hezekiah, by means of a pool and a conduit, brought water into Jerusalem. 2 Kings 20:20; compare also 2 Chronicles 32:30.

The pool still exists under the name of the Birket Silwan. It is supplied with water from a spring higher up the hill, called the Virgin's Fountain. Several travellers have gone through the passage that connects the two. In some parts they walked upright, and elsewhere they stooped, knelt, or crawled on hands and knees. A short inscription was found at the pool. It only said that the passage was begun at both ends at the same time and met in the middle. The letters are ancient. This has led to the suggestion that the passage was made in the days of Hezekiah, who made changes to the watercourses.

Verse 20 speaks of other acts of Hezekiah recorded in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah. It names especially his bringing water into the city by a tunnel (or aqueduct). This emphasises the positive character of goodness in Hezekiah. If our reputation includes such positive good done for the people of God, this is worthwhile.

An important project of Hezekiah was bringing running water into Jerusalem by a tunnel. He diverted the water from the Upper Gihon River (2 Chronicles 32:30). This pictures him making the truth of the Word of God (the water) available to all the people, so that they might get it for themselves. How good it is if leaders help others to find blessing in Scripture for themselves!

These chronicles were drawn up during the reigns of all the rulers of those times, whether Jewish or Gentile. They have nothing to do with the Word of God. What it has not pleased the Lord to record or to explain is found written there. These chronicles have been lost; perhaps someone will one day find fragments of them. The believer has no need of any of them; he has God's Word. There, in God's account, he finds all that is necessary for him. He also finds the divine assessment of people, events, and things. Certain deeds may be recorded in non-inspired writings, even with great accuracy. But such deeds are never accompanied by anything more than a human assessment.

In various places the writer refers to books which contain more about the life of the king in question. He may have based his accounts on them... The author of the books of Kings wrote a God-inspired work. He was able to use these "references" under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

If this good king had been able to foresee the wickedness of his unworthy son, he would surely have had no desire to recover from his sickness... We must not presume to judge God's honoured servant. But it does appear that he would have done better to submit humbly to God's will in his sickness. He could surely have left it to God to care for the succession... Nothing to his honour is recorded as done by him after his recovery from his sickness.