2 Chronicles 32

(2 Kings 18:13–16; Psalm 46:1–11)

1AfterH310 all theseH428 actsH1697 of faithfulnessH571, SennacheribH5576 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 cameH935 and invadedH935 JudahH3063. He laid siegeH2583 toH5921 the fortifiedH1219 citiesH5892, intendingH559 to conquer themH1234 for himselfH413.

2When HezekiahH2396 sawH7200 thatH3588 SennacheribH5576H6440 had comeH935 to make warH4421 againstH5921 JerusalemH3389, 3he consultedH3289 withH5973 his leadersH8269 and mighty menH1368 about stopping upH5640 the watersH4325 of the springsH5869 outsideH2351 the cityH5892, and they helped him carry it outH5826. 4ManyH7227 peopleH5971 assembledH6908 and stoppedH5640 up allH3605 the springsH4599 and the streamH5158 that flowedH7857 throughH8432 the landH776. “WhyH4100 should the kingsH44281 of AssyriaH804 comeH935 and findH4672 plentyH7227 of waterH4325?” they saidH559.

5Then Hezekiah worked resolutelyH2388 to rebuildH1129 allH3605 the broken sections ofH6555 the wallH2346 and to raise upH5927H5921 towersH4026 on it. He also built anH312 outerH2351 wallH2346 and reinforcedH2388 the supporting terracesH44072 of the CityH5892 of DavidH1732, and he producedH6213 an abundance ofH7230 weaponsH7973 and shieldsH4043.

6Hezekiah appointedH5414 militaryH4421 commandersH8269 overH5921 the peopleH5971 and gatheredH6908 the people inH413 the squareH7339 of the cityH5892 gateH8179. Then he encouragedH1696H5921 themH3824, sayingH559, 7“Be strongH2388 and courageousH553! Do notH408 be afraidH3372H408 or discouragedH2865 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 and the vast armyH1995 with himH5973, forH3588 there is a greaterH7227 One with usH5973 than with himH5973. 8With himH5973 is only the armH2220 of fleshH1320,3 but with usH5973 is the LORDH3068 our GodH430 to help usH5826 and to fightH3898 our battlesH4421.”

So the peopleH5971 were strengthenedH5564 byH5921 the wordsH1697 of HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

(2 Kings 18:17–37; Isaiah 36:1–22)

9LaterH310H2088, as SennacheribH5576 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 and allH3605 his forcesH4475H5973 besiegedH5921 LachishH3923, he sentH7971 his servantsH5650 to JerusalemH3389 with a messageH559 for KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 of JudahH3063H5921 andH5921 allH3605 the people of JudahH3063 whoH834 were in JerusalemH3389: 10“This is whatH3541 SennacheribH5576 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 saysH559: WhatH4100 is the basisH5921 of yourH859 confidenceH982, that you remainH3427 in JerusalemH3389 under siegeH4692? 11Is notH3808 HezekiahH2396 misleadingH5496 youH853 to give you overH5414 to deathH4191 by famineH7458 and thirstH6772 when he saysH559, ‘The LORDH3068 our GodH430 will deliver usH5337 from the handH3709 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804?’ 12Did notH3808 HezekiahH2396 himselfH1931 removeH5493 His high placesH1116 and His altarsH4196 and sayH559 to JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389H559, ‘You must worshipH7812 beforeH6440 oneH259 altarH4196, and on itH5921 you shall burn sacrificesH6999’?

13Do you notH3808 knowH3045 whatH4100 IH589 and my fathersH1 have doneH6213 to allH3605 the peoplesH5971 of the landsH776? Have the godsH430 of these nationsH776H1471 ever been ableH3201 to deliverH5337 their landH776 from my handH3027? 14WhoH4310 among allH3605 the godsH430 of theseH428 nationsH1471 thatH834 my fathersH1 devoted to destructionH27634 has been ableH3201 to deliverH5337 his peopleH5971 from my handH3027? How thenH3588 canH3201 your GodH430 deliverH5337 youH853 from my handH3027?

15So nowH6258, do notH408 let HezekiahH2396 deceive youH5377, and do notH408 let him misleadH5496 youH853 like thisH2063. Do notH408 believeH539 him, forH3588 noH3808H3605 godH433 of anyH3605 nationH1471 or kingdomH4467 has been ableH3201 to deliverH5337 his peopleH5971 from my handH3027 or from the handH3027 of my fathersH1. How much lessH637H3588 will your GodH430H3808 deliverH5337 youH853 from my handH3027!”

16And the servants of SennacheribH5650 spokeH1696 furtherH5750 againstH5921 the LORDH3068 GodH430 and againstH5921 His servantH5650 HezekiahH2396. 17He also wroteH3789 lettersH5612 mockingH2778 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, and sayingH559 against HimH5921H559: “Just as the godsH430 of the nationsH1471H776 did notH3808 deliverH5337 their peopleH5971 from my handH3027, soH3651 the GodH430 of HezekiahH2396 will notH3808 deliverH5337 His peopleH5971 from my handH3027.”

18Then the Assyrians called outH7121 loudlyH6963H1419 in HebrewH30665 toH5921 the peopleH5971 of JerusalemH3389 whoH834 were onH5921 the wallH2346, to frightenH3372 and terrify themH926 in orderH4616 to captureH3920 the cityH5892. 19They spokeH1696 againstH413 the GodH430 of JerusalemH3389 as they had spoken againstH5921 the godsH430 of the peoplesH5971 of the earthH776—the workH4639 of humanH120 handsH3027.

Jerusalem Delivered from the Assyrians

(2 Kings 19:35–37; Isaiah 37:36–38)

20In responseH5921H2063, KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 and the prophetH5030 IsaiahH3470 sonH1121 of AmozH531 cried outH2199 to heavenH8064 in prayerH6419, 21and the LORDH3068 sentH7971 an angelH4397 who annihilatedH3582 everyH3605 mighty manH1368 of valorH2428 and every leaderH5057 and commanderH8269 in the campH4264 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804. So he withdrewH7725 to his own landH776 in disgraceH1322H6440. And when he enteredH935 the templeH1004 of his godH430, some of his ownH4578 sons struck him downH5307 with the swordH2719.

22So the LORDH3068 savedH3467 HezekiahH2396 and the peopleH3427 of JerusalemH3389 from the handsH3027 of KingH4428 SennacheribH5576 of AssyriaH804 and all othersH3605, and He gave them restH5095 on every sideH5439. 23ManyH7227 broughtH935 offeringsH4503 to JerusalemH3389 for the LORDH3068 and valuable giftsH4030 for HezekiahH2396 king ofH4428 JudahH3063, and fromH310 then onH3651 he was exaltedH5375 in the eyesH5869 of allH3605 nationsH1471.

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

(2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8)

24In thoseH1992 daysH3117 HezekiahH2396 becameH5704 mortallyH4191 illH2470. So he prayedH6419 toH413 the LORDH3068, who spokeH559 to him and gaveH5414 him a signH4159. 25But becauseH3588 his heartH3820 was proudH1361, HezekiahH2396 did notH3808 repayH7725 the favorH1576 shown to himH5921. Therefore wrathH7110 cameH1961 upon himH5921 and uponH5921 JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389.

26Then HezekiahH2396 humbledH3665 the prideH1363 of his heartH3820—heH1931 and the peopleH3427 of JerusalemH3389—so that the wrathH7110 of the LORDH3068 did notH3808 comeH935 upon themH5921 during the daysH3117 of HezekiahH2396.

27HezekiahH2396 hadH1961 veryH3966 greatH7235 richesH6239 and honorH3519, and he madeH6213 treasuriesH214 for his silverH3701, goldH2091, preciousH3368 stonesH68, spicesH1314, shieldsH4043, and allH3605 kinds of valuableH2532 articlesH3627. 28He also made storehousesH4543 for the harvestH8393 of grainH1715 and new wineH8492 and oilH3323, stallsH723 for all kindsH3605 of livestockH929, and pensH220 for the flocksH5739. 29He madeH6213 citiesH5892 for himself, and he acquired herdsH4735 of sheepH6629 and cattleH1241 in abundanceH7230, forH3588 GodH430 gaveH5414 him veryH3966 greatH7227 wealthH7399.

30It wasH1931 HezekiahH2396 who blockedH5640 the upperH5945 outletH4161 of the SpringH4325 of GihonH1521 and channeledH3474 it downH4295 to the west sideH4628 of the CityH5892 of DavidH1732. And HezekiahH2396 prosperedH6743 in allH3605 that he didH4639. 31And soH3651 when ambassadorsH3887 of the rulersH8269 of BabylonH894 were sentH7971 to himH5921 to inquire aboutH1875 the wonderH4159 thatH834 had happenedH1961 in the landH776, GodH430 left himH5800 alone to test himH5254, that He might knowH3045 allH3605 that was in Hezekiah’s heartH3824.

Hezekiah’s Death

32As for the restH3499 of the acts ofH1697 HezekiahH2396 and his deeds of loving devotionH2617, they are indeedH2005 writtenH3789 in the visionH2377 of the prophetH5030 IsaiahH3470 sonH1121 of AmozH531 inH5921 the BookH5612 of the KingsH4428 of JudahH3063 and IsraelH3478. 33And Hezekiah restedH7901H2396 withH5973 his fathersH1 and was buriedH6912 in the upperH4608 tombsH6913 of David’sH1732 descendantsH1121. AllH3605 JudahH3063 and the peopleH3427 of JerusalemH3389 paidH6213 him honorH3519 at his deathH4194. And his sonH1121 ManassehH4519 reignedH4427 in his placeH8478.