CHAPTER 32
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hezekiah appointed
military
commanders
over
the people
and gathered
the people in
the square
of the city
gate.
Then he encouraged
them,
saying,
“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.
With him is only
an 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.
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:
“This is what
Sennacherib
king
of Assyria
says:
What
is the basis
of your
confidence,
that you remain
in Jerusalem
under siege?
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?’
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’?
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?
Who
among all
the gods
of these
nations
that
my fathers
destroyed
has been able
to deliver
his people
from my hand.
How then
can
your God
deliver
you
from 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!'"
And the servants of Sennacherib
spoke
further
against
the LORD
God
and against
His servant
Hezekiah.
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."
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 that
to capture
the city.
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.
and the LORD
sent
an angel
who annihilated
every
mighty warrior,
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.
So the LORD
saved
Hezekiah
and the people
of Jerusalem
from the hand
of King
Sennacherib
of Assyria
and
of all others,
and He gave them rest
on every side.
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.
In those
days
Hezekiah
became
mortally
ill.
So he prayed
to
the LORD,
who spoke
to him
and gave
him
a sign.
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.
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.
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.
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.
He made
cities for himself,
and he acquired herds
of sheep
and cattle
in abundance,
for
God
gave
him
very
great
wealth.
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.
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.
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.
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
became king
in his place.