Assyria Troubles Hezekiah

32 Hezekiah did all these things to serve the Lord. Sennacherib king of Assyria came to attack Judah. He and his army surrounded and attacked the strong, walled cities. He wanted to take them for himself. ² Hezekiah knew that Sennacherib had come to Jerusalem to attack it. ³ So Hezekiah talked to his officers and army commanders. They decided to cut off the waters from the springs outside the city. So the officers and commanders helped Hezekiah. ⁴ Many people came to help. They cut off all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. They said, “The king of Assyria will not find much water when he comes here.” ⁵ Then Hezekiah made Jerusalem stronger. He rebuilt all the broken parts of the wall. And he built towers on the wall. He also built another wall outside the first one. And he made the area that was filled in on the east side of the old part of Jerusalem stronger. He made many weapons and shields.

⁶ Hezekiah put army commanders over the people. He met with these commanders at the open place near the city gate. Hezekiah encouraged them, saying, ⁷ “Be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid or worried because of the king of Assyria or his large army. There is a greater power with us than with him. ⁸ He only has men, but we have the Lord our God. He will help us. He will fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

⁹ King Sennacherib of Assyria and all his army surrounded and attacked Lachish. Then he sent his officers to Jerusalem with a message. The message was for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah in Jerusalem. This was the message:

¹⁶ Sennacherib’s officers said worse things against the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah. ¹⁷ King Sennacherib also wrote letters insulting the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what his letters said: “The gods of the other nations could not save their people from me. In the same way Hezekiah’s god won’t be able to save his people from me.” ¹⁸ Then the king’s officers shouted out in Hebrew. They called out to the people of Jerusalem who were on the city wall. The officers wanted to scare the people away so they could capture Jerusalem. ¹⁹ They said evil things about the gods the people of the world worshiped. They are only things people have made with their hands. In the same way the officers said evil things about the God of Jerusalem.

²⁰ King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed to heaven about this. ²¹ Then the Lord sent an angel to the king of Assyria’s camp. That angel killed all the soldiers, leaders and officers of the Assyrian army. So the king of Assyria returned to his own country in disgrace. He went into the temple of his god. There some of his own sons killed him with a sword.

²² So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people in Jerusalem. He saved them from Sennacherib king of Assyria and from all other people. The Lord took care of Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem.