2 Chronicles 32:1-15 ▼

1 After all of these acts of faithfulness occurred, King Sennacherib of Assyria came, invaded Judah, and laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.

2 As soon as Hezekiah learned that Sennacherib had arrived and had determined to attack Jerusalem,

3 he developed a plan with his commanders and his elite forces to cut off the water supply from the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him to carry it out.

4 Many people gathered together and plugged up all the springs, along with the stream that flowed through the region. They were thinking to themselves, |Why should the Assyrian kings invade and discover an abundant water supply?|

5 Hezekiah took courage and rebuilt all of the walls that had been broken down. Then he erected watch towers on them, and added another external wall. He fortified the terrace ramparts in the City of David and prepared a large number of weapons and shields.

6 He appointed military officers to take charge of the people, who gathered them together in the square near the city gate and spoke to them encouragingly,

7 |Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid or disheartened because of the king of Assyria or because of the army that accompanies him, because the one who is with us is greater than the one with him.

8 He only has the strength of his own flesh, but the LORD our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.| So the people were encouraged from what King Hezekiah of Judah told them.

9 After this, King Sennacherib of Assyria sent his messengers to Jerusalem while he was in the middle of a vigorous attack on Lachish. They delivered this message to King Hezekiah of Judah and to all the people of Judah who had gathered in Jerusalem:

10 |This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: 'What are you leaning on that makes you stay behind while Jerusalem comes under siege?

11 Isn't Hezekiah lying to you so he can hand you over to die by famine and thirst? After all, he's telling you |The LORD our God will deliver us from the king of Assyria's control.|

12 Isn't this the very same Hezekiah who removed this god's high places and altars? Isn't this the same Hezekiah who issued this order to Judah and Jerusalem: |You are to worship in front of only one altar and burn your sacrifices only on it.|?

13 Don't you know what my predecessors have done to all the other people in other lands? Were the gods of the people who lived in those lands able to deliver their countries out of my control?

14 What god, out of all the gods of those nations that my predecessors utterly destroyed, has been able to deliver his people from my control or from the control of my predecessors?

15 Now therefore, don't let Hezekiah lie to you or mislead you like this. Don't believe him, because no god of any nation has been able to deliver his people from my control or from the control of my predecessors. So how much less will your God deliver you from me?'|