Chronicles II 32

1 And after these things and this faithful dealing, came Sennacherim king of the Assyrians, and he came to Juda, and encamped against the fortified cities, and intended to take them for himself.

After all these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, intending to conquer them for himself.

2 And Ezekias saw that Sennacherim was come, and [that] his face [was set] to fight against Jerusalem.

When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come to make war against Jerusalem,

3 And he took counsel with his elders and his mighty [men] to stop the wells of water which were without the city: and they helped him.

he consulted with his leaders and commanders about stopping up the waters of the springs outside the city, and they helped him carry it out.

4 And he collected many people, and stopped the wells of water, and the river that flowed through the city, saying, Lest the king of Assyria come, and find much water, and strengthen [himself].

Many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said.

5 And Ezekias strengthened [himself], and built all the wall that had been pulled down, and the towers, and another wall in front without, and fortified the strong place of the city of David, and prepared arms in abundance.

Then Hezekiah worked resolutely to rebuild all the broken sections of the wall and to raise up towers on it. He also built an outer wall and reinforced the supporting terraces of the City of David, and he produced an abundance of weapons and shields.

6 And he appointed captains of war over the people, and they were gathered to [meet] him to the open place of the gate of the valley, and he encouraged them, saying,

Hezekiah appointed military commanders over the people and gathered the people in the square of the city gate. Then he encouraged them, saying,

7 Be strong and courageous, and fear not, neither be dismayed before the King of Assyria, and before all the nation that [is] with him: for [there are] more with us than with him.

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him.

8 With him [are] arms of flesh; but with us [is] the Lord our God to save [us], and to fight our battle. And the people were encouraged at the words of Ezekias king of Juda.

With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

9 And afterward Sennacherim king of the Assyrians sent his servants to Jerusalem; and [he went] himself against Lachis, and all his army with him, and sent to Ezekias king of Juda, and to all Juda that [was] in Jerusalem, saying,

Later, as Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces besieged Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem with a message for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem:

10 Thus says Sennacherim king of the Assyrians, On what do you trust, that you will remain in the siege in Jerusalem?

“This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: What is the basis of your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege?

11 Does not Ezekias deceive you, to deliver you to death and famine and thirst, saying, The Lord our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria?’

12 Is not this Ezekias who has taken down his altars and his high places and has spoken to Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before this altar and burn incense upon it?

Did not Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn sacrifices’?

13 Know you not what I and my fathers have done to all the nations of the countries? Could the gods of the nations of all the earth at all rescue their people out of my hand?

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

14 Who is there amongst all the gods of those nations whom my fathers utterly destroyed, [worthy of trust]? Could they deliver their people out of my hand, that your God should deliver you out of my hand?

Who among all the gods of these nations that my fathers devoted to destruction has been able to deliver his people from my hand? How then can your God deliver you from my hand?

15 Now then, let not Ezekias deceive you, and let him not make you thus confident, and believe him not: for no god of any kingdom or nation is at all able to deliver his people out of my hand, or the hand of my fathers: therefore your God shall not deliver you out of my hand.

So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not let him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been 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!”

16 And his servants continued to speak against the Lord God, and against his servant Ezekias.

And the servants of Sennacherib spoke further against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah.

17 And he wrote a letter to reproach the Lord God of Israel, and spoke concerning him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the earth have not delivered their people out of my hand, so the God of Ezekias shall by no means deliver his people out of my hand.

He also wrote letters mocking the LORD, the God of Israel, and saying against Him: “Just as the gods of the nations did not deliver their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”

18 And he cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language to the people of Jerusalem on the wall, [calling them] to assist them, and pull down [the walls], that they might take the city.

Then the Assyrians called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them in order to capture the city.

19 And he spoke against the God of Jerusalem, even as against the gods of the nations of the earth, the works of the hands of men.

They spoke against the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the earth—the work of human hands.

20 And king Ezekias and Esaias the prophet the son of Amos prayed concerning these things, and they cried to heaven.

In response, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out to heaven in prayer,

21 And the Lord sent an angel, and he destroyed every mighty man and warrior, and leader and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria: and he returned with shame of face to his own land and came into the house of his god: and [some] of them that came out of his bowels killed him with the sword.

and the LORD sent an angel who annihilated every mighty man of valor and every leader and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword.

22 So the Lord delivered Ezekias and the dwellers in Jerusalem out of the hand of Sennacherim King of Assyria, and out of the hand of all [his enemies], and gave them rest round about.

So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hands of King Sennacherib of Assyria and all the others, and He gave them rest on every side.

23 And many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Ezekias king of Juda; and he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations after these things.

Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the LORD and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah, and from then on he was exalted in the eyes of all nations.

24 In those days Ezekias was sick even to death, and prayed to the Lord: and he listened to him, and gave him a sign.

In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. So he prayed to the LORD, who spoke to him and gave him a sign.

25 But Ezekias did not recompense the Lord according to the return which he made him, but his heart was lifted up: and wrath came upon him, and upon Juda and Jerusalem.

But because his heart was proud, Hezekiah did not repay the favor shown to him. Therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

26 And Ezekias humbled himself after the exaltation of his heart, he and the dwellers in Jerusalem; and the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Ezekias.

Then Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart—he and the people of Jerusalem—so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.

27 And Ezekias had wealth and very great glory: and he made for himself treasuries of gold, and silver, and precious stones, also for spices, and stores for arms, and for precious vessels;

Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable articles.

28 and cities for the produce of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls and mangers for every [kind of] cattle, and folds for flocks;

He also made storehouses for the harvest of grain and new wine and oil, stalls for all kinds of livestock, and pens for the flocks.

29 and cities which he built for himself, and store of sheep and oxen in abundance, for the Lord gave him a very great store.

He made cities for himself, and he acquired herds of sheep and cattle in abundance, for God gave him very great wealth.

30 The same Ezekias stopped up the course of the water of Gion above, and brought the water down straight south of the city of David. And Ezekias prospered in all his works.

It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Spring of Gihon and channeled it down to the west side of the City of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did.

31 Notwithstanding, in regard to the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who were sent to him to enquire of him [concerning] the prodigy which came upon the land, the Lord left him, to try him, to know what was in his heart.

And so when ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon were sent to him to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone to test him, that He might know all that was in Hezekiah’s heart.

32 And the rest of the acts of Ezekias, and his kindness, behold, they are written in the prophecy of Esaias the son of Amos the prophet, and in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.

As for the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of loving devotion, they are indeed written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

33 And Ezekias slept with his fathers, and they buried him in a high place amongst the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem gave him glory and honour at his death. And Manasses his son reigned in his stead.

And Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried in the upper tombs of David’s descendants. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. And his son Manasseh reigned in his place.