2 Chronicles 32
English Standard Version
Sennacherib Invades Judah
32 (A)After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, 3 he planned with his officers and his mighty men to stop the water of the springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. 4 A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and (B)the brook that flowed through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?” 5 He set to work resolutely and built up (C)all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it,[a] and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the (D)Millo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance. 6 And he set combat commanders over the people and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke (E)encouragingly to them, saying, 7 (F)“Be strong and courageous. (G)Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, (H)for there are more with us than with him. 8 With him is (I)an arm of flesh, (J)but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Sennacherib Blasphemes
9 After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria, who was besieging Lachish with all his forces, sent his servants to Jerusalem to Hezekiah king of Judah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10 “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting, that you endure the siege in Jerusalem? 11 Is not Hezekiah misleading you, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, “The Lord our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 (K)Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, “Before one altar you shall worship, and on it you shall burn your sacrifices”? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to deliver their lands out of my hand? 14 Who among all the gods of those nations that my fathers devoted to destruction was able to deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 15 Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you in this fashion, and 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 out of my hand!’”
16 And his servants said still more against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 And he wrote letters to cast contempt on the Lord, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, “Like the gods of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand.” 18 And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city. 19 And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.
The Lord Delivers Jerusalem
20 Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with (L)shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword. 22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he provided for them on every side. 23 And many (M)brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward.
Hezekiah's Pride and Achievements
24 (N)In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he answered him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah (O)did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for (P)his heart was proud. Therefore (Q)wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But Hezekiah (R)humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of (S)costly vessels; 28 storehouses also for the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds. 29 He likewise provided cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions. 30 This same Hezekiah (T)closed the upper outlet of the waters of (U)Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31 And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, (V)who had been sent to him to inquire about (W)the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, (X)in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they are written (Y)in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, (Z)in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the (AA)upper part of the tombs of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 32:5 Vulgate; Hebrew and raised upon the towers
2 Chronicles 32
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 32
Invasion of Sennacherib. 1 After Hezekiah had proved his fidelity by his deeds and his acts of faithfulness, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah and laid siege to the fortified towns, intending to take them by storm.
2 When Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib was determined to attack Jerusalem, 3 he suggested to his officers and warriors that they block up the springs of water that were outside the city, and they supported his plan. 4 Then a large number of people were summoned to block up all the springs, as well as the stream that flowed through that land, saying: “Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find an abundance of water?”
5 Hezekiah next concentrated on strengthening his defenses. He repaired every breach in the city wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it. Then he built another wall outside that first wall. He also strengthened the Millo of the City of David and gathered large numbers of weapons and shields.
6 Next Hezekiah appointed military commanders over the people, and after gathering them together in his presence in the square at the gate of the city, he spoke these words of encouragement: 7 “Be strong and brave. Do not have any fear or be discouraged when confronted with the king of Assyria and the vast horde that serves him. Remember that there is one with us who is greater than anyone who is with him. 8 He has only human strength, but we have the Lord, our God, with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were greatly encouraged by the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.
Sennacherib’s Threat. 9 After this, while King Sennacherib of Assyria was besieging Lachish with all his forces, he sent his representatives to Jerusalem to deliver this message to King Hezekiah of Judah and to all the Judeans who were in Jerusalem: 10 “King Sennacherib of Assyria has this to say: What gives you the confidence to remain in Jerusalem while it is under siege? 11 Hezekiah is misleading you, condemning you to die of famine and thirst, when he says: ‘The Lord, our God, will save us from the clutches of the king of Assyria.’ 12 Was it not the same Hezekiah who removed the Lord’s shrines and altars and issued this command to Judah and Jerusalem: ‘You shall worship before only one altar, and on that altar alone you shall offer sacrifices’? 13 Are you not aware what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of those nations able to save their lands from my power? 14 Of all the gods of these nations which my ancestors totally destroyed, was there even one who was able to save his people from my hand? How then will your God be able to deliver you from my power?
15 “Do not permit Hezekiah to deceive you or mislead you in this way, and do not believe him. How can you place your trust in him, since no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from my hand or from the hand of my ancestors? How much less will your God be able to save you from my clutches!”
16 Sennacherib’s officials offered further negative comments against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 In addition, Sennacherib wrote letters filled with contemptuous remarks about the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: “Just as the gods of other nations could not rescue their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not be able to save his people from my power.”
18 Then the forces of Sennacherib shouted loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were stationed on the wall, trying to strike them with terror and fear, and thus hoping to be able to conquer the city. 19 They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as if he were in no way superior to any of the gods of the other peoples of the earth, simply the work of human hands.
20 The Defeat of Sennacherib. Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven. 21 Therefore, the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every valiant warrior, leader, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. As a result, Sennacherib returned in disgrace to his own land. When he entered the temple of his god, some of his sons slew him with the sword.
22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hands of Sennacherib and from the hands of all their enemies, affording them rest on every side. 23 Many people brought gifts to the Lord in Jerusalem and costly gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah. From that time onward he was held in high esteem by all nations.
24 Hezekiah’s Other Deeds. In those days Hezekiah fell seriously ill. Then he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered him by granting him a sign. 25 However, Hezekiah was a proud man, and he failed to respond with gratitude for the kindness that the Lord had shown him. As a result, the wrath of the Lord fell upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But then Hezekiah humbled himself because of the pride of heart that he had exhibited, as did also the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not fall upon them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.
27 Hezekiah possessed great wealth and honor. He built for himself treasuries for his silver and gold, for his precious stones, for spices and shields and for all kinds of other costly things, 28 storehouses for the harvests of grain, new wine and oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle and flocks of sheep. 29 He also built cities for himself, and he acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions.
30 This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed their course down to the west side of the City of David. In every respect he prospered in all his works, 31 although when envoys were sent by the king of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign[a] that had occurred in the land, God left him to himself in order to test him and to discover what was in his heart.
32 The rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his pious works are recorded in the vision of the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah slept with his ancestors, and he was buried at the ascent to the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. His son Manasseh succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 Miraculous sign: this refers to the healing of the king, in verse 24.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
