2 Chronicles 32

1 Aftir whiche thingis and sich treuthe, Senacherib, the kyng of Assiriens, cam and entride in to Juda; and he bisegide stronge citees, and wolde take tho.

After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to make a breach therein for himself.

2 And whanne Ezechie hadde herd this thing, that is, that Senacherib was comun, and that al the fersnesse of batel was turned ayens Jerusalem,

And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

3 he took counsel with the princes and strongest men, that thei schulden stoppe the heedis of wellis, that weren without the citee; and whanne the sentence of alle men demyde this,

he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city; and they helped him.

4 he gaderide togidere a ful greet multitude, and thei stoppiden alle the wellis, and the ryuer, that flowide in the myddis of the lond; and seiden, Lest the kyngis of Assiriens comen, and fynden abundance of watris.

So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the fountains, 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 dide wittili, and bildide al the wal that was distride, and he bildide touris aboue, and an other wal withoutforth. And he reparilide Mello in the citee of Dauid; and made armure of al kynde, and scheldis.

And he took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and strengthened Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

6 And he ordeynede princes of werriouris in the oost; and he clepide togidere alle men in the street of the yate of the citee, and spake to the herte of hem,

And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying:

7 and seide, Do ye manli, and be ye coumfortid; nyle ye drede, nether be ye aferd of the kyng of Assiriens, and of al the multitude which is with him; for many mo ben with vs than with him.

'Be strong and of good courage, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him; for there is a Greater with us than with him:

8 Fleischli arm is with him; `oure Lord God is with vs, which is oure helpere, and schal fiyte for vs. And the puple was coumfortid with sich wordis of Ezechie, kyng of Juda.

with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles.' And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

9 And aftir that these thingis weren doon, Sennacherib sente hise seruauntis to Jerusalem; for he `with al the oost bisegide Lachis. He sente to Ezechie, kyng of Juda, and to al the puple that was in the citee,

After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem — now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him — unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying:

10 and seide, Sennacherib, the kyng of Assiriens, seith these thingis, In whom han ye trist, and sitten bisegid in Jerusalem?

'Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria: Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide the siege in Jerusalem?

11 Whether Ezechie disseyueth you, that he bitake you to deeth in hungur and thirst, and affermeth, that `youre Lord God schal delyuere you fro the hond of the kyng of Assyriens?

Doth not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying: The LORD our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

12 Whether not this is Ezechie, that distriede hiy places, and auteris of hym, and comaundide to Juda and to Jerusalem, and seide, Ye schulen worschipe bifor oon auter, and therynne ye schulen brenne encense?

Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying: Ye shall worship before one altar, and upon it shall ye offer?

13 Whether ye witen not what thingis Y haue do, and my fadir, to alle the puplis of londis? Whether the goddis of folkis and of alle londis myyten delyuere her cuntrei fro myn hond?

Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any wise able to deliver their land out of my hand?

14 Who is of alle goddis of folkis, whiche my fadris distrieden, that myyte delyuere his puple fro myn hond, that also youre God may delyuere you fro this hond?

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

15 Therfor Ezechie disseyue not you, nether scorne bi veyn counselyng, nethir bileue ye to hym; for if no god of alle folkis and cuntreis myyte delyuere his puple fro myn hond, and fro the hond of my fadris, suyngli nether youre God schal mowe delyuere you fro this myn hond.

Now therefore let not Hezekiah beguile you, nor persuade you after this manner, neither believe ye him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers; how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?'

16 But also hise seruauntis spaken many othir thingis ayenus the Lord God, and ayens Ezechie, his seruaunte.

And his servants spoke yet more against the LORD God, and against His servant Hezekiah.

17 Also he wroot epistlis ful of blasfemye ayens the Lord God of Israel, and he spak ayens God, As the goddis of othere folkis myyten not delyuere her puple fro myn hond, so and the God of Ezechie may not delyuere his puple fro myn hond.

He wrote also a letter, to taunt the LORD, the God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying: 'As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver His people out of my hand.'

18 Ferthermore and with greet cry in the langage of Jewis he sownede ayens the puple, that sat on the wallis of Jerusalem, to make hem aferd, and to take the citee.

And they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to terrify them, and to affright them; that they might take the city.

19 And he spake ayens God of Israel, as ayens the goddis of the puplis of erthe, the werkis of mennus hondis.

And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.

20 Therfor Ezechie, the kyng, and Ysaie, the profete, the sone of Amos, preieden ayens this blasfemye, and crieden til in to heuene.

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

21 And the Lord sente his aungel, that killide ech strong man and werriour, and the prince of the oost of the kyng of Assiriens; and he turnede ayen with schenship `in to his lond. And whanne he hadde entrid in to the hows of his god, the sones, that yeden out of his wombe, killiden hym with swerd.

And the LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

22 And the Lord sauyde Ezechie, and the dwelleris of Jerusalem, fro the hond of Senacherib, kyng of Assiriens, and fro the hond of alle men; and yaf to hem reste bi cumpas.

Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all, and guided them on every side.

23 Also many men brouyten offryngis and sacrifices to the Lord in to Jerusalem, and yiftis to Ezechie, kyng of Juda; which was enhaunsid aftir these thingis bifor alle folkis.

And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

24 In tho daies Ezechie was sijk `til to the deth, and he preiede the Lord; and he herde hym, and yaf to hym a signe;

In those days Hezekiah was sick even unto death; and he prayed unto the LORD; and He spoke unto him, and gave him a sign.

25 but he yeldide not bi the benefices whiche he hadde take, for his herte was reisid; and ire was maad ayens hym, and ayens Juda, and ayens Jerusalem.

But Hezekiah rendered not according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up; therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

26 And he was mekid aftirward, for his herte was reisid; bothe he was mekid, and the dwelleris of Jerusalem; and therfor the ire of the Lord cam not on hem in the daies of Ezechie.

Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 Forsothe Ezechie was riche, and ful noble, and gaderide to hym silf ful many tresours of siluer, of gold, and of preciouse stoon, of swete smellynge spices, and of armuris of al kynde, and of vessels of greet prijs.

And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour; and he provided him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels;

28 Also he bildide large housis of wheete, of wyn, and of oile, and cratchis of alle beestis,

store-houses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and flocks in folds.

29 and fooldis to scheep, and sixe citees. For he hadde vnnoumbrable flockis of scheep and of grete beestis; for the Lord hadde youe to hym ful myche catel.

Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much substance.

30 Thilke is Ezechie, that stoppide the hiyere welle of the watris of Gion, and turnede tho awei vndur the erthe at the west of the citee of Dauid; in alle hise werkis he dide `bi prosperite, what euer thing he wolde.

This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

31 Netheles in the message of the princes of Babiloyne, that weren sent to hym for to axe of the grete wondir, that bifelde on the lond, God forsook hym, that he were temptid, and that alle thingis weren knowun that weren in his herte.

Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

32 Sotheli the residue of wordis of Ezechie, and of hise mercies, ben writun in the profesie of Ysaie, the profete, sone of Amos, and in the book of kyngis of Juda and of Israel.

Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

33 And Ezechie slepte with hise fadris, and thei birieden hym aboue the sepulcris of the sones of Dauid. And al Juda and alle the dwelleris of Jerusalem maden solempne the seruyces of his biriyng; and Manasses, his sone, regnide for him.

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 at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.