2 Chronicles 32:1-26 ▼

1 After these deeds and faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria and entered came into Judah, and he encamped against the fortified cities and said to rend them to himself.

2 And saw Hezekiah that Sennacherib had come, and his face was to the battle against Jerusalem,

3 and he counseled with his leaders and commanders to stop up the water from the springs that were outside of the city, and they helped him.

4 And many people gathered together, and they stopped up all the springs and the brook that was flowing in the midst of the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find many waters?”

5 And he strengthened himself and built up all the wall that was broken, and he raised it up to the towers, and at the outside of the wall, another, and he strengthened the Millo in the City of David, and he made weapons in abundance, and shields.

6 And he set military captains over the people, and he gathered them to himself in the plaza at the gate of the city, and he spoke to their heart, saying,

7 “Be strong and be courageous! Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed from before the king of Assyria, and from before all the multitude that is with him, for more are with us than with him.

8 With him is an arm of flesh, and with us is YHWH our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were upheld by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

9 After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem—and he was by Lachish, and all the forces with him—to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying,

10 “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: Upon what do you? trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?

11 Is not Hezekiah inciting you? to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, ‘YHWH our God will snatch us up from the hand of the king of Assyria’?

12 is it not He for whom Hezekiah has taken away His high places and His altars, and has spoken to Judah and to Jerusalem, saying, ‘You? must worship before one altar, and on it burn incense’?

13 do not you? know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have the gods of the nations of those lands ever been able to deliver their lands from my hand?

14 Who among all the gods of these nations that my fathers devoted to destruction—who has been able to deliver his people from my hand, that your? God should be able to snatch you? up from my hand?

15 And now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you? or persuade you? like this, and do not believe him, for not any god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. Also surely your? God will not snatch you? up from my hand!”

16 And his servants spoke against YHWH God and against Hezekiah His servant.

17 And he wrote letters to taunt YHWH, God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands that have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”

18 And they called out in a loud voice in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might capture the city.

19 And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem as against the gods of the people of the earth—the work of the hands of men.

20 And king Hezekiah prayed, and Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, concerning this, and they cried out to the heavens.

21 And YHWH sent a messenger and cut off every mighty man of valor and leader and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. And he returned with shame of face to his land. And he entered the house of his god, and those coming out of his bowels struck him down there with the sword.

22 And YHWH saved Hezekiah and those dwelling in Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all, and he gave them rest all around.

23 And many brought gifts to YHWH at Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, and he was lifted up in the eyes of all nations after this.

24 In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death, and he prayed to YHWH, and He spoke to him and gave to him a sign.

25 And Hezekiah did not repay according to the deed to him, for his heart was lifted up; and there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

26 And Hezekiah humbled himself for the loftiness of his heart, he and those dwelling in Jerusalem, so that the wrath of YHWH did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.