2 Chronicles 32
Sennacherib Invades Judah
1After these ▼▼ Lit things and this faithfulness
acts of faithfulness bSennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and ▼▼ Lit said
thought to break into them for himself. 2Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that ▼▼ Lit his face for war against
he intended to make war on Jerusalem, 3he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. 4So many people assembled eand stopped up all the springs and fthe stream which flowed ▼▼ Lit in the midst of the land
through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” 5And he took courage and hrebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and ▼▼ Lit raised on the towers
erected towers on it, and built janother outside wall and strengthened the kMillo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number. 6He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and lspoke ▼▼ Lit upon their hearts
encouragingly to them, saying, 7 n“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; ofor the one with us is greater than the one with him. 8“With him is only pan arm of flesh, but qwith us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. Sennacherib Undermines Hezekiah
9After this rSennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was ▼▼ Lit against
besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, 10“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege? 11‘Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “The Lord our God will deliver us from the ▼▼ Lit palm
hand of the king of Assyria”? 12‘ uHas not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and ▼▼ Lit Jerusalem, saying,
Jerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall ▼▼ Lit offer up in smoke
burn incense”? 13‘Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? xWere the gods of the nations of the lands able at all to deliver their land from my hand? 14‘ yWho was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 15‘Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for zno god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’” 16His servants spoke further against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, aa“As the gods of the nations of the lands ▼▼ Lit who have
have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” 18 acThey called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city. 19They spoke ▼▼ Lit to
of the God of Jerusalem as of aethe gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men’s hands. Hezekiah’s Prayer Is Answered
20But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. 21And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned ▼▼ Lit in shame of face
in shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword. 22So the Lord agsaved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and ▼▼ Another reading is gave them rest
guided them on every side. 23And aimany were bringing gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem and choice presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that ajhe was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter. 24 akIn those days Hezekiah became ▼▼ Lit sick to the point of death
mortally ill; and he prayed to the Lord, and ▼▼ Lit He
the Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit ▼▼ Lit to him
he received, aobecause his heart was ▼▼ Lit high
proud; aqtherefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26However, arHezekiah ▼▼ Lit humbled himself in
humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah. 27Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles, 28storehouses also for the produce of grain, wine and oil, pens for all kinds of cattle and ▼▼ So ancient versions; Heb flocks for the sheepfolds
sheepfolds for the flocks. 29He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for auGod had given him very great ▼▼ Lit possessions, property
wealth. 30It was Hezekiah who awstopped the upper outlet of the waters of axGihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did. 31Even in the matter of aythe envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of azthe wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only bato test him, that He might know all that was in his heart. 32Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, 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. 33So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ▼▼ Or ascent to
upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bchonored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.
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