32
1 After
these things and
this faithfulness, Sennacherib
king of Assyria
came, entered into
Judah, encamped
against the
fortified cities,
and intended to
win them
for himself.
2 When
Hezekiah saw that
Sennacherib had come,
and that he
was planning to
fight against
Jerusalem,
3 he
took counsel with
his princes and
his mighty men
to stop the
waters of
the springs which
were outside of
the city, and
they helped him.
4 Then
many people
gathered together
and they stopped
all the springs
and the brook
that flowed
through the middle
of the land, saying, “Why
should the kings
of Assyria come,
and find abundant
water?”
5 He
took courage,
built up all
the wall that
was broken down,
and raised it
up to the
towers, with the
other wall outside,
and strengthened
Millo in David’s
city, and made
weapons and
shields in
abundance.
6 He
set captains of
war over the
people, gathered
them together to
him in the wide
place at the
gate of the
city, and spoke
encouragingly to
them, saying,
7 “Be
strong and
courageous. Don’t be
afraid or dismayed
because of the
king of Assyria,
nor for all
the multitude who
is with him;
for there is
a greater one
with us than
with him.
8 An
arm of flesh
is with him,
but the LORD
our God is
with us to
help us and
to fight our
battles.” The
people rested
themselves on the
words of Hezekiah
king of Judah.
9 After
this, Sennacherib
king of Assyria
sent his servants
to Jerusalem, (now
he was attacking
Lachish, and all
his forces were
with him), to
Hezekiah king of
Judah, and to
all Judah who
were at Jerusalem,
saying,
10 Sennacherib
king of Assyria
says, “In whom do
you trust, that
you remain under
siege in Jerusalem?
11 Doesn’t
Hezekiah persuade
you to give
you over to
die by famine
and by thirst,
saying, ‘The LORD
our God will
deliver us out
of the hand
of the king
of Assyria’?
12 Hasn’t the
same Hezekiah
taken away his
high places and
his altars,
and commanded Judah
and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You
shall worship
before one altar,
and you shall
burn incense on
it’?
13 Don’t you
know what I
and my fathers
have done to
all the peoples
of the lands? Were
the gods of the
nations of
those lands in any
way able to
deliver their land
out of my
hand?
14 Who
was there among
all the gods of
those nations
which my fathers
utterly destroyed
that could deliver
his people out
of my hand,
that your God
should be able
to deliver you
out of my
hand?
15 Now
therefore don’t let
Hezekiah deceive
you nor persuade
you in this
way. Don’t believe him,
for no god
of any nation
or kingdom was
able to deliver
his people out
of my hand,
and out of
the hand of
my fathers. How
much less will
your God deliver
you out of
my hand?”
16 His
servants spoke yet
more against the
LORD God and
against his
servant Hezekiah.
17 He
also wrote
letters insulting the
LORD, the God
of Israel,
and speaking against
him, saying, “As
the gods of the
nations of
the lands, which
have not delivered
their people out
of my hand,
so shall the
God of Hezekiah
not deliver his
people out of
my hand.”
18 They
called out with
a loud voice
in the Jews’
language to the
people of
Jerusalem who were
on the wall,
to frighten them
and to trouble
them, that they
might take the
city.
19 They
spoke of the
God of Jerusalem
as of the gods
of the peoples
of the earth,
which are the
work of men’s
hands.
20 Hezekiah
the king and
Isaiah the prophet,
the son of Amoz,
prayed because of
this, and cried
to heaven.
21 The
LORD sent an
angel, who cut
off all the
mighty men of
valor, the leaders,
and captains in
the camp of
the king
of Assyria. So he
returned with
shame of face
to his own
land. When he
had come into
the house of
his god, those
who came out
of his own
body
killed him there
with the sword.
22 Thus the
LORD saved
Hezekiah and the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem from the
hand of
Sennacherib the
king of Assyria
and from the
hand of all others,
and guided them
on every side.
23 Many
brought gifts to
the LORD to
Jerusalem, and
precious things to
Hezekiah king of
Judah, so that
he was exalted
in the sight
of all nations
from then on.
24 In
those days
Hezekiah was terminally
ill, and he
prayed to the
LORD; and he spoke
to him, and
gave him a
sign.
25 But
Hezekiah didn’t reciprocate appropriate
to the benefit
done for him,
because his heart
was lifted up.
Therefore there
was wrath on
him, Judah, and
Jerusalem.
26 However,
Hezekiah humbled
himself for the
pride of his
heart, both he
and the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem, so that
the LORD’s
wrath didn’t come on
them in the
days of Hezekiah.
27 Hezekiah
had exceedingly
great riches and
honor. He provided
himself with treasuries
for silver, for
gold, for
precious stones, for
spices, for
shields, and for
all kinds of
valuable vessels;
28 also
storehouses for
the increase of
grain, new wine,
and oil; and stalls
for all kinds
of animals, and
flocks in folds.
29 Moreover
he provided for
himself cities,
and possessions of
flocks and herds
in abundance; for
God had given
him abundant
possessions.
30 This
same Hezekiah also
stopped the upper
spring of the
waters of Gihon,
and brought them
straight down on
the west side
of David’s city.
Hezekiah prospered
in all his
works.
31 However,
concerning the
ambassadors of the
princes of Babylon,
who sent to
him to inquire
of the wonder
that was done
in the land, God
left him to
test him, that
he might know all
that was in
his heart.
32 Now
the rest of
the acts of
Hezekiah and his
good deeds, behold,
they are written
in the vision
of Isaiah the
prophet, the son
of Amoz, in the
book of the
kings of Judah
and Israel.
33 Hezekiah
slept with
his fathers, and
they buried him
in the ascent
to the tombs
of the sons
of David. All
Judah and the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem honored
him at his
death. Manasseh
his son reigned
in his place.