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 these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and entered Judah. He camped to attack the fortified cities, which he intended to capture 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 and that he intended to fight 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 his powerful men to stop up the waters of the springs that were outside the city; they helped him do so.

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].

So many people gathered together and stopped up all the springs and the stream that was flowing through the middle of the land. They said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find a lot of water?”

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.

Hezekiah took courage and built up all the wall that was broken down. He built the towers higher, and also the other wall outside. He also strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and he made large amounts 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,

He placed military commanders over the people. He gathered them together to him in the broad place at the city gate and spoke encouragingly to them. He said,

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 of good courage. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and all the army that is with him, for someone is with us who is greater than those 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 an arm of flesh, but with us is Yahweh, our God, to help us, and to fight our battles.” Then the people comforted themselves with 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,

After this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem (now he was in front of Lachish, and all his army was with him), to Hezekiah, king of Judah, and to all of Judah who were in Jerusalem. He said,

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 are you relying on in order to endure a siege in Jerusalem?

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, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, 'Yahweh our God will rescue 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?

Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, 'On one altar you must worship, and on it you must burn your 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 ancestors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of the peoples of the surrounding lands able in any way to rescue their land from my power?

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?

Among all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed, was there any god who could rescue his people out of my hand? Why should your God be able to rescue you from my power?

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.

Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people out of my hand, or out of the hand of my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my hand?”

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

Sennacherib's servants spoke even more against Yahweh 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.

Sennacherib also wrote letters in order to mock Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against him. He said, “As the gods of the nations of the lands have not rescued their people out of my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not rescue his people out of 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.

They cried out in the language of the Jews to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, in order that they might 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 of the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken of the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely the work of men's hands.

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

Hezekiah, the king, and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed because of this matter and he cried out to heaven.

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.

Yahweh sent an angel, who killed the fighting men, the commanders, and the officers of the king in the camp. So Sennacherib returned to his own land with shame on his face. When he had gone into the house of his god, some of his own children killed him there 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.

In this way, Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and 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 were bringing offerings to Yahweh in Jerusalem, and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was lifted up in the eyes of all nations from that time forward.

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 was sick to the point of dying. He prayed to Yahweh, who spoke to him and gave him a sign that he would be healed.

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 Hezekiah did not pay back Yahweh for the help given to him, for his heart was lifted up. So anger came on him, and on 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.

Nevertheless, Hezekiah later humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh's anger did not come on them during Hezekiah's days.

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 many riches and much honor. He provided himself with storerooms for silver, gold, precious stones, and for spices, as well as for shields and for all kinds of valuable objects.

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 had storehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of animals. He also had flocks in their pens.

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.

In addition, he provided himself with cities and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very much 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 this same Hezekiah who also stopped up the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and who brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in all his projects.

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.

However, in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to ask questions of those who knew, about the miraculous sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him, and to know all that was in his 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 other matters concerning Hezekiah, including his actions of covenant loyalty, you can see that they are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz, and 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.

Hezekiah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him on the hill of the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Manasseh his son became king in his place.