2 Chronicles
Chapter 32
1 After this, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, arrived. He entered Judah, surrounded the fortified cities, and planned to conquer them.
2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to attack Jerusalem,
3 He made a plan with his leaders and strong men to block the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him.
4 Many people came together and they blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land, asking, “Why should the kings of Assyria arrive and find plenty of water?”
5 He made himself strong, fixed the broken wall, built it higher to the towers, added another wall outside, fixed Millo in David’s city, and made lots of darts and shields.
6 He appointed military leaders over the people, brought them to him at the city gate’s entrance, and spoke encouraging words to them, saying,
7 Be brave and strong, don’t be scared or upset because of the king of Assyria or the big crowd with him; we have more on our side than he does.
8 He has only human power, but we have God to help us and to fight our battles. And the people relied on what Hezekiah, the king of Judah, said.
9 After this, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was attacking Lachish with all his army. They went to Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and to all the people in Jerusalem, and said,
10 Sennacherib, king of Assyria, says, “What are you trusting in that makes you stay in Jerusalem under siege?”
11 Isn’t Hezekiah convincing you to let yourselves die from hunger and thirst by saying, “God will save us from the king of Assyria”?
12 Didn’t Hezekiah remove his high places and altars, and order Judah and Jerusalem to worship at only one altar and burn incense on it?
13 Don’t you know what I and my ancestors did to all the people of other countries? Could the gods of those countries save their lands from me?
14 Which god of the nations that my ancestors destroyed could save their people from me, so that your God could save you from me?
15 So now, don’t let Hezekiah trick you or convince you like this. Don’t believe him. No god of any nation or kingdom could save their people from my power, or the power of my ancestors. How can your God rescue you from me?
16 His servants spoke even more against God and against His servant Hezekiah.
17 He also wrote letters to insult God and to speak against Him, saying, “Just like the gods of other countries did not save their people from me, so Hezekiah’s God will not save His people from me.”
18 They shouted in the Jewish language at the people on Jerusalem’s wall to scare them and make them anxious, so they could capture the city.
19 They spoke against the God of Jerusalem like they did against the earthly people’s gods, which were made by human hands.
20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, Amoz’s son, prayed and called out to God.
21 God sent an angel who killed all the brave warriors, the leaders, and the commanders in the Assyrian king’s camp. So the king went back home feeling ashamed. And when he entered his god’s temple, his own sons killed him with a sword.
22 So God saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the power of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and from all others, and took care of them on every side.
23 Many people brought gifts to God in Jerusalem, and presents to King Hezekiah of Judah, making him honored in the eyes of all nations from then on.
24 During that time, Hezekiah was very sick. He prayed to God, and God spoke to him and showed him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah did not repay the kindness shown to him, for he became proud. So anger came upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Despite his pride, Hezekiah humbled himself and so did the people of Jerusalem, so God’s anger did not come on them during Hezekiah’s time.
27 Hezekiah had a lot of wealth and honor. He built storage places for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable items.
28 Storage buildings for extra grain, wine, and oil; pens for all kinds of animals, and shelters for flocks.
29 He also gave him towns and many sheep and cattle, because God had blessed him with great wealth.
30 Hezekiah also blocked the upper flow of Gihon’s water and directed it straight to the west side of David’s city, and he succeeded in all he did.
31 However, during the time of the messengers from the rulers of Babylon, who came to him to ask about the miracle that happened in the country, God allowed him to be tested to see what was truly in his heart.
32 The other things Hezekiah did and his kind acts are recorded in Isaiah the prophet’s vision, Isaiah being Amoz’s son, and in the history book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 Hezekiah died like his ancestors, and they buried him in the best tomb of David’s descendants. All of Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. Then his son Manasseh became king.