2 Chronicles 32

1 After these things and veritable events came Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and invaded Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to break them open for himself.

2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was coming, and that his face [was directed] for war against Jerusalem,

3 He consulted with his princes and his mighty men to stop up the waters of the springs which were without the city: and they helped him.

4 And there were gathered together a very numerous body of people, and they stopped up all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?

5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall where it was broken down, and heightened the towers, and [built] without another wall, and fortified the Millo of the city of David, and made weapons in abundance and shields.

6 And he appointed war-officers over the people, and gathered them together unto him in the open place at the gate of the city, and spoke comfortingly to them, saying,

7 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear and be not dismayed because of the king of Assyria, and because of all the multitude that is with him; for with us there is One greater than with him:

8 With him there is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people relied upon the words of Hezekiah the king of Judah.

9 After this did Sennacherib the king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, while he was himself lying before Lachish, and all [the chief troops of] his dominion with him, against Hezekiah the king of Judah, and against all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,

10 Thus hath said Sennacherib the king of Assyria, On what do ye trust, that ye remain besieged in Jerusalem?

11 Doth not Hezekiah mislead you to give you up to die by famine and by thirst, when he saith, The Lord our God will deliver us out of the grasp of the king of Assyria?

12 Is it not this Hezekiah that hath removed his high-places and his altars, when he said to Judah and to Jerusalem, saying, Before one altar shall ye prostrate yourselves, and upon it shall ye burn incense?

13 Know ye not what I have done, I and my fathers, unto all the people of [other] lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to deliver their land out of my hand?

14 Who among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, was it, that was able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?

15 And now let not Hezekiah deceive you, and let him not mislead you in this manner, nor believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom whatever was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less will you Gods, deliver you out of my hand!

16 And yet more did his servants speak against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah.

17 He wrote also letters to blaspheme against the Lord the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of [other] lands, who have not delivered their people out of my hand, so will the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand.

18 Then did they call out with a loud voice in the Jewish language unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to frighten them, and to terrify them: in order that they might capture the city.

19 And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as concerning the gods of the nations of the earth, the work of the hands of man.

20 And king Hezekiah and Isaiah the son of Amos the prophet prayed for this cause, and they cried to heaven.

21 And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off every mighty man of valor and leader and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria: and when he was returned with shame of face to his own land, he went into the house of his god, and [those] that were come forth from his own bowels felled him there with the sword.

22 Thus did the Lord save Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and out of the hand of all, and guided them [safely] on every side.

23 And many brought presents unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah the king of Judah: so that he was exalted before the eyes of all the nations after that time.

24 In those days fell Hezekiah sick to the death; and he prayed unto the Lord: and he spoke unto him, and he gave him a wonderful token.

25 But not according to the mercy shown unto him did Hezekiah act in return; for his heart was lifted up: wherefore there came wrath over him, and over Judah and Jerusalem.

26 Then became Hezekiah humbled because of the lifting up of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 And Hezekiah had riches and honor in exceeding abundance; and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of costly vessels;

28 And storehouses for the produce of corn, and new wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds for flocks.

29 Moreover he erected for himself cities, and [acquired] possessions of flocks and herds in multitude; for God had given him wealth in great abundance.

30 This same Hezekiah also stopped up the upper mouth of the waters of Gichon, and brought them straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

31 And in the same manner in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire concerning the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him, to prove him, to know all that was in his heart.

32 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his pious deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, the prophet, [and] in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the highest place of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem showed him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son became king in his stead.