2 Chronicles 32

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1. 1After these events and their establishment, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He set up camp around the fortified cities, intending to conquer them for himself.
2. 2When Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib had arrived and was planning to attack Jerusalem,
3. 3he consulted with his officials and military commanders about blocking the water sources outside the city. They agreed to help him.
4. 4A large group of people gathered and blocked all the springs and the brook that ran through the middle of the land, saying, 'Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?'
5. 5Hezekiah strengthened himself and rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall, raising it up to the towers and adding another outer wall. He repaired the Millo in the city of David and made a large number of darts and shields.
6. 6He appointed military commanders over the people, then assembled everyone in the open square by the city gate and spoke to encourage them:
7. 7Be strong and courageous! Don't be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or the large army with him, for there are more with us than with him.
8. 8With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." The people relied on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.
9. 9Later, while Sennacherib himself was besieging Lachish with his full army, he sent messengers to Jerusalem with this message for King Hezekiah and all the people of Judah in the city:
10. 10This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: What are you trusting in, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
11. 11Isn't Hezekiah persuading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and thirst by saying, 'The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria?'
12. 12Isn't this the same Hezekiah who removed his high places and altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, 'You must worship before one altar and burn incense on it'?
13. 13Don't you know what my ancestors and I have done to every other nation? Were the gods of those nations ever able to save their lands from me?
14. 14Of all the gods of the nations my ancestors completely destroyed, which one was able to rescue his people from me? So what makes you think your God can rescue you from my hand?
15. 15So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way, and do not believe 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 will your God deliver you out of my hand?
16. 16And his servants continued to speak against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.
17. 17Sennacherib also wrote letters ridiculing the LORD, the God of Israel. In them he said, "Just as the gods of other nations couldn't save their people from me, the God of Hezekiah won't save his people from me either."
18. 18Then the messengers shouted in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem standing on the wall, trying to terrify and demoralize them so they could capture the city.
19. 19They talked about the God of Jerusalem as if he were just like the gods of other nations — nothing more than objects crafted by human hands.
20. 20In response, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed and cried out to heaven.
21. 21The LORD sent an angel who wiped out all the mighty men of valor, along with the leaders and captains in the Assyrian camp. So Sennacherib returned to his own land with shame of face. When he entered the house of his god, his own sons killed him there with the sword.
22. 22That is how the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria and from every other threat, guarding them on all sides.
23. 23Many people brought gifts to the LORD in Jerusalem and valuable presents to King Hezekiah. From that point on, he was highly respected among all the surrounding nations.
24. 24Around that time, Hezekiah became deathly ill. He prayed to the LORD, and the LORD spoke to him and gave him a sign.
25. 25But Hezekiah did not respond according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was lifted up. Therefore, wrath came upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
26. 26However, Hezekiah humbled himself and turned from his pride — and so did the people of Jerusalem — so the LORD's anger didn't fall on them during Hezekiah's lifetime.
27. 27Hezekiah accumulated enormous wealth and honor. He built treasuries to store silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and every kind of valuable item.
28. 28He also built storehouses for the harvests of grain, wine, and olive oil, along with stalls for every kind of livestock and pens for his flocks.
29. 29He acquired cities for himself and vast herds and flocks, because God had blessed him with tremendous wealth.
30. 30It was this same Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did.
31. 31However, when envoys from the rulers of Babylon came to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him to test him, so that he might know all that was in his heart.
32. 32The rest of Hezekiah's acts, and his goodness, are recorded in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33. 33Hezekiah died and was buried in the upper section of the tombs of David's descendants. All of Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him at his death. His son Manasseh became king after him.