2 Chronicles 32

1 Now after these things and this true-hearted work, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came into Judah, and put his army in position before the walled towns of Judah, designing to make his way into them by force.

After these things done in faithfulness, came Sennacherib king of Assyria, —and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself.

2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come for the purpose of fighting against Jerusalem,

And, when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, —and that, his face, was—to war, against Jerusalem,

3 He took up with his rulers and men of war the question of stopping up the water-springs outside the town; and they gave him their support.

he took counsel with his captains and his heroes, to stop the waters of the fountains, which were outside the city, —and they helped him.

4 So they got together a great number of people, and had all the water-springs and the stream flowing through the land stopped up, saying, Why let the kings of Assyria come and have much water?

And there were gathered together much people, so they stopped all the fountains, and the torrent that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, —Wherefore should the kings of Assyria come, and find many waters?

5 Then he took heart, building up the wall where it was broken down, and making its towers higher, and building another wall outside; and he made strong the Millo in the town of David, and got together a great store of all sorts of instruments of war.

And he took courage, and built all the wall that was broken down and carried up thereon towers, and, on the outside, another wall, and strengthened Millo, the city of David, -and made weapons in abundance, and bucklers,

6 And he put war chiefs over the people, and sent for them all to come together to him in the wide place at the doorway into the town, and to give them heart he said to them,

and set captains of war over the people, —and gathered them together unto him in the broadway of the gate of the city, and spake unto their heart, saying, —

7 Be strong and take heart; have no fear, and do not be troubled on account of the king of Assyria and all the great army with him: for there is a greater with us.

Be strong and bold, do not fear neither be dismayed, because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude that is with him, —for, with us, is One greater than with him:

8 With him is an arm of flesh; but we have the Lord our God, helping us and fighting for us. And the people put their faith in what Hezekiah, king of Judah, said.

with him, is an arm of flesh, but, with us, is Yahweh our God, to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people leaned upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

9 After this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem (at that time he was stationed with all his army in front of Lachish), to say to Hezekiah and all the men of Judah in Jerusalem,

After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants towards Jerusalem, himself, being near Lachish, and all his imperial might with him, —unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that was in Jerusalem, saying:

10 Sennacherib, king of Assyria, says, In what are you placing your hope, waiting here in the walled town of Jerusalem?

Thus, saith Sennacherib, king of Assyria, -Upon what, are, ye, trusting, that ye are awaiting the siege in Jerusalem?

11 Is it not Hezekiah who has got you to do it, causing your death from need of food and water, by saying, The Lord our God will give us salvation out of the hands of the king of Assyria?

Is not, Hezekiah, persuading you, so as to deliver you up to die with hunger and with thirst, saying, —Yahweh our God, will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

12 Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, Give worship before one altar only, burning offerings on it?

Is it not, the same Hezekiah, who hath removed his high places, and his altars, —and hath given word to Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Before one altar, shall ye bow yourselves down, and, thereupon, shall ye burn incense?

13 Have you no knowledge of what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of every land? were the gods of the nations of those lands able to keep their land from falling into my hands?

Will ye not take note, what I have done, I and my fathers, to all the peoples of the countries? Have the gods of the nations of the countries been, at all able, to deliver their country, out of my hand?

14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations, which my fathers put to destruction, who was able to keep his people safe from my hands? and is it possible that your God will keep you safe from my hands?

Who, among all the gods of these nations whom my fathers devoted to destruction, hath ever been able to deliver his people out of my hand, —that your god should be able to deliver you out of my hand?

15 So do not be tricked by Hezekiah or let him get you to do this, and do not put any faith in what he says: for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to keep his people safe from my hands, or the hands of my fathers: how much less will your God keep you safe from my hands!

Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah beguile you nor persuade you thus, neither do ye believe him. For no, god, of any nation or kingdom hath ever been able to deliver his people out of my hand, or out of the hand of my fathers, -how much less shall, your gods, deliver you, out of my hand?

16 And his servants said even more against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah.

And, yet more, spake his servants, against Yahweh, God, —and against Hezekiah his servant.

17 And he sent letters, in addition, to put shame on the Lord, the God of Israel, and to say evil against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not been able to keep their people safe from my hands, no more will the God of Hezekiah keep his people safe from my hands.

Letters, also wrote he, to scoff at Yahweh God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, Like the gods of the nations of the countries, who delivered not their people out of my hand, so, shall the god of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand.

18 These things they said, crying out with a loud voice in the Jews' language, to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, with the purpose of troubling them and putting fear into them, so that they might take the town;

Then cried they out, with a loud voice, in the Jews’ language, unto the people of Jerusalem who were upon the wall, to affright them, and to terrify them, —to the end they might capture the city.

19 Talking of the God of Jerusalem as if he was like the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men's hands.

And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, —as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of the hands of men.

20 And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, made prayer because of this, crying out to heaven.

And Hezekiah the king and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed concerning this, -and made outcry unto the heavens,

21 And the Lord sent an angel who put to death all the men of war and the chiefs and the captains in the army of the king of Assyria. So he went back to his country in shame. And when he came into the house of his god, his sons, the offspring of his body, put him to death there with the sword.

So Yahweh sent a messenger, who cut off every hero of valour, and chief ruler and captain, in the camp of the king of Assyria, —and he returned with shame of face to his own land, and, when he entered the house of his god, then, the issue of his own body—there, caused him to fall by the sword.

22 So the Lord gave Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem salvation from the power of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and from all others, giving them rest on every side.

Thus did Yahweh save Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria, and out of the hand of every one, —and gave them rest on every side.

23 And great numbers came to Jerusalem with offerings for the Lord, and things of great price for Hezekiah, king of Judah: so that he was honoured among all nations from that time.

And, many, were bringing in a present unto Yahweh, to Jerusalem, and precious things, unto Hezekiah king of Judah, —so that he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations, from thenceforth.

24 In those days Hezekiah was ill and near death; and he made prayer to the Lord, and the Lord in answer gave him a sign.

In those days, was Hezekiah sick unto death, —and, when he prayed unto Yahweh, he was entreated of him and, a wonderful token, he gave him.

25 But Hezekiah did not do as had been done to him; for his heart was lifted up in pride; and so wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

But, not according to the benefit done unto him, did Hezekiah make return, for uplifted was his heart, —and so there came upon him, wrath, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

26 But then, Hezekiah, in sorrow for what he had done, put away his pride; and he and all Jerusalem made themselves low, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in Hezekiah's life-time.

Then Hezekiah humbled himself, for the uplifting of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, —so that the wrath of Yahweh came not upon them, in the days of Hezekiah.

27 And Hezekiah had very great wealth and honour; and he made himself store-houses for his gold and silver and jewels and spices, and for body-covers and all sorts of beautiful vessels.

And it came to pass that, Hezekiah, had riches and honour in great abundance, —and, treasuries, made he for himself—for silver and for gold and for costly stones, and for spices and for precious things, and for all utensils to be coveted;

28 And store-houses for the produce of grain and wine and oil; and buildings for all sorts of beasts and flocks.

storehouses also, for the increase of corn, and new wine and oil, —and cribs for every kind of beast, and cribs for the flocks;

29 And he made towns for himself, and got together much property in flocks and herds: for God had given him great wealth.

and, cities, made he for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds, in abundance, —for God had given him exceeding great wealth.

30 It was Hezekiah who had the higher spring of the water of Gihon stopped, and the water taken down on the west side of the town of David. In everything he undertook, Hezekiah did well.

And, the same Hezekiah, stopped up the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down the west side of the city of David, —and Hezekiah prospered in all his work.

31 However, in the business of the representatives sent by the rulers of Babylon to get news of the wonder which had taken place in the land, God gave up guiding him, testing him to see what was in his heart.

Yet verily, with regard to the ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire concerning the wonderful token which came to pass in the land, God left him, —to prove him, to take note of all that was in his heart.

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and the good he did, are recorded in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

But, the rest of the story of Hezekiah, and his lovingkindnesses, there they are, written in the visions of Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, in the book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

33 So Hezekiah went to rest with his fathers, and they put his body into the higher part of the resting-places of the sons of David: and all Judah and the people of Jerusalem gave him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son became king in his place.

And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the sepulchres of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him, honour, in his death, —and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.