2 Chronicles 32

1 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.

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

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

3 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.

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 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?

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 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,

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 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, —

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 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:

“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, 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.

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 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:

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, saith Sennacherib, king of Assyria, -Upon what, are, ye, trusting, that ye are awaiting 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 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?

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 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?

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 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?

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, 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?

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, 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?

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

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

17 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.

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 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.

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 they spake against the God of Jerusalem, —as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work 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 Hezekiah the king and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed concerning this, -and made outcry unto the heavens,

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

21 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.

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 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.

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, 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.

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

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

25 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.

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 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.

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 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;

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 storehouses also, for the increase of corn, and new wine and oil, —and cribs for every kind of beast, and cribs for the 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, made he for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds, in abundance, —for God had given him exceeding great wealth.

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

30 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.