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2 Chronicles 32
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Sennacherib’s Invasion

32 After these faithful deeds, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities and intended[a] to break into them.(A) 2 Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he planned[b] war on Jerusalem, 3 so he consulted with his officials and his warriors about stopping up the waters of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him. 4 Many people gathered and stopped up all the springs(B) and the stream that flowed through the land;(C) they said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” 5 Then Hezekiah strengthened his position by rebuilding the entire broken-down wall(D) and heightening the towers and the other outside wall.(E) He repaired the supporting terraces(F) of the city of David, and made an abundance of weapons and shields.

6 He set military commanders over the people and gathered the people in the square of the city gate. Then he encouraged them,[c](G) saying, 7 “Be strong and courageous!(H) Don’t be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria or before the large army that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.(I) 8 He has only human strength,[d] but we have Yahweh our God to help us and to fight our battles.”(J) So the people relied on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.

Sennacherib’s Servant’s Speech

9 After this,(K) while Sennacherib king of Assyria with all his armed forces besieged[e] Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem against King Hezekiah of Judah and against all those of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10 “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: ‘What are you relying on that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 11 Isn’t Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, “Yahweh our God will deliver us from the power of the king of Assyria”? 12 Didn’t Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars(L) and say to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before one altar, and you must burn incense on it”?

13 “‘Don’t you know(M) what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have any of the national gods of the lands been able to deliver their land from my power? 14 Who among all the gods of these nations that my predecessors completely destroyed was able to deliver his people from my power, that your God should be able to do the same for you?(N) 15 So now,(O) don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, and don’t let him mislead you like this. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my power or the power of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my power!’”

16 His servants said more against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 He also wrote letters to mock Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying against Him:

Just like the national gods of the lands that did not deliver their people from my power, so Hezekiah’s God will not deliver His people from my power.(P)

18 Then they called out loudly in Hebrew[f] to the people of Jerusalem, who were on the wall, to frighten and discourage them in order that he might capture the city. 19 They spoke against the God of Jerusalem like they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the earth, which were made by human hands.

Deliverance from Sennacherib

20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven,(Q) 21 and the Lord sent an angel who annihilated every brave warrior, leader, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned in disgrace to his land. He went to the temple of his god, and there some of his own children struck him down with the sword.(R)

22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the power of King Sennacherib of Assyria and from the power of all others. He gave them rest[g](S) on every side. 23 Many were bringing an offering to the Lord to Jerusalem and valuable gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah, and he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations after that.(T)

Hezekiah’s Illness and Pride

24 In those days Hezekiah became sick to the point of death, so he prayed to the Lord, and He spoke to him and gave him a miraculous sign.(U) 25 However, because his heart was proud,(V) Hezekiah didn’t respond according to the benefit that had come to him. So there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem.(W) 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart—he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—so the Lord’s wrath didn’t come(X) on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.(Y)

Hezekiah’s Wealth and Works

27 Hezekiah had abundant riches and glory, and he made himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and every desirable item. 28 He made warehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and pens for flocks. 29 He made cities for himself, and he acquired herds of sheep and cattle in abundance, for God gave him abundant possessions.

30 This same Hezekiah blocked the outlet of the water of the Upper Gihon(Z) and channeled it smoothly downward and westward to the city of David.(AA) Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did. 31 When the ambassadors of Babylon’s rulers(AB) were sent[h] to him to inquire about the miraculous sign(AC) that happened in the land, God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart.(AD)

Hezekiah’s Death

32 As for the rest of the events(AE) of Hezekiah’s reign and his deeds of faithful love, note that they are written in the Visions of the Prophet Isaiah son of Amoz,(AF) and in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.(AG) 33 Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried on the ascent to the tombs of David’s descendants. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. His son Manasseh became king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit said to himself
  2. 2 Chronicles 32:2 Lit that his face was for
  3. 2 Chronicles 32:6 Lit he spoke to their hearts
  4. 2 Chronicles 32:8 Lit With him an arm of flesh
  5. 2 Chronicles 32:9 Lit with his dominion was against
  6. 2 Chronicles 32:18 Lit Judahite
  7. 2 Chronicles 32:22 Lit He led them; Ps 23:2
  8. 2 Chronicles 32:31 LXX, Tg, Vg; MT reads of Babylon sent
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2 Chronicles 32
International Standard Version

Sennacherib Invades Judah(A)

32 After all of these acts of faithfulness occurred, King Sennacherib of Assyria came, invaded Judah, and laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 2 As soon as Hezekiah learned that Sennacherib had arrived and had determined to attack Jerusalem, 3 he developed a plan with his commanders and his elite forces to cut off the water supply from the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him to carry it out. 4 Many people gathered together and plugged up all the springs, along with the stream that flowed through the region. They were thinking to themselves, “Why should the Assyrian kings invade and discover an abundant water supply?”

5 Hezekiah took courage and rebuilt all of the walls that had been broken down. Then he erected watch towers on them, and added another external wall. He fortified the terrace ramparts[a] in the City of David and prepared a large number of weapons and shields. 6 He appointed military officers to take charge of the people, who gathered them together in the square near the city gate and spoke to them encouragingly, 7 “Be strong and courageous.[b] Don’t be afraid or disheartened because of the king of Assyria or because of the army that accompanies him, because the one who is with us is greater than the one with him. 8 He only has the strength of his own flesh, but the Lord our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people were encouraged from what King Hezekiah of Judah told them.

Sennacherib Blasphemes God(B)

9 After this, King Sennacherib of Assyria sent his messengers to Jerusalem while he was in the middle of a vigorous attack on Lachish. They delivered this message to King Hezekiah of Judah and to all the people of Judah who had gathered in Jerusalem:

10 “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: ‘What are you leaning on that makes you stay behind while Jerusalem comes under siege? 11 Isn’t Hezekiah lying to you so he can hand you over to die by famine and thirst? After all, he’s telling you “The Lord our God will deliver us from the king of Assyria’s control.”[c] 12 Isn’t this the very same Hezekiah who removed this god’s high places and altars? Isn’t this the same Hezekiah who[d] issued this order to Judah and Jerusalem: “You are to worship in front of only one altar and burn your sacrifices only on it.”? 13 Don’t you know what my predecessors[e] have done to all the other people in other lands? Were the gods of the people who lived in those lands able to deliver their countries out of my control?[f] 14 What god, out of all the gods of those nations that my predecessors[g] utterly destroyed, has been able to deliver his people from my control[h] or from the control[i] of my predecessors?[j] 15 Now therefore, don’t let Hezekiah lie to you or mislead you like this. Don’t believe him, because no god of any nation has been able to deliver his people from my control[k] or from the control[l] of my predecessors. So how much less will your God deliver you from me?’”[m]

16 King Sennacherib’s[n] spokesmen said even worse things against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah.

17 Sennacherib[o] also wrote letters like this that insulted and slandered the Lord God of Israel: “Just as the gods of the nations in other[p] lands haven’t delivered their people from my control,[q] so also the god of Hezekiah won’t deliver his people from me!”[r] 18 His spokesmen[s] shouted these things out with loud voices in the language of Judah to frighten and terrify the people of Jerusalem who were stationed on the city walls, to make it easier to conquer the city. 19 In doing so,[t] they spoke about the God of Jerusalem as if he were like the gods of the nations of the earth that are made by the hands of human beings.

Sennacherib is Defeated and Killed(C)

20 Meanwhile, King Hezekiah and Amoz’s son Isaiah the prophet were praying about this and crying out to heaven. 21 So the Lord sent an angel, who eliminated all of the elite forces, commanders, and officers within the encampment of the king of Assyria. As a result, he retreated to his own country, deeply ashamed and humiliated. When he visited the temple of his god, some of his sons killed him right there with swords. 22 That’s how the Lord delivered Hezekiah, as well as those who lived in Jerusalem, from Assyria’s King Sennacherib and all his forces, and provided for all of their needs.[u] 23 Many brought gifts to the Lord in Jerusalem and brought presents to King Hezekiah of Judah. As a result, he was exalted in the opinion of all nations thereafter.

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery(D)

24 During this time Hezekiah became critically ill, and he prayed to the Lord. The Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign.[v] 25 But Hezekiah’s response wasn’t commensurate with what had been done for him because he was arrogant in heart, so wrath came upon him, upon Judah, and upon Jerusalem. 26 But Hezekiah humbled himself while he was arrogant in heart, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem joined him in this. As a result, the Lord’s wrath did not come upon them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.

Hezekiah’s Wealth and Accomplishments(E)

27 Hezekiah received immense wealth and honor. He built treasuries for himself to store silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all sorts of valuable items, 28 along with storage facilities for grain, wine, oil, stalls for all sorts of cattle, and sheepfolds for his flocks. 29 He also built cities for himself and stored up flocks and herds in abundance, because God had given him great riches. 30 Hezekiah stopped up the upper outlet of the Gihon springs and diverted them down to the western side of the City of David. He prospered in everything he did.

Hezekiah’s Heart is Tested by God

31 Later on, envoys came from the princes of Babylon to inquire about the miracle that had happened in the land.[w] God left Hezekiah[x] to himself, so that he might make known[y] what was really in Hezekiah’s[z] heart. 32 Now the rest of Hezekiah’s accomplishments and his faithful deeds are recorded in the vision of Amoz’s son Isaiah the prophet, and in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah died, as had his fathers, and they buried him in the upper part of the tombs of the descendants of David. All of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. But his son Manasseh reigned in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 32:5 Lit. the Millo, fortified areas of ancient Jerusalem with terraces and retaining walls
  2. 2 Chronicles 32:7 Cf. Josh 1:7
  3. 2 Chronicles 32:11 Lit. hand
  4. 2 Chronicles 32:12 Lit. altars and
  5. 2 Chronicles 32:13 Lit. fathers
  6. 2 Chronicles 32:13 Lit. hand
  7. 2 Chronicles 32:14 Lit. fathers
  8. 2 Chronicles 32:14 Lit. hand
  9. 2 Chronicles 32:14 Lit. hand
  10. 2 Chronicles 32:14 Lit. fathers
  11. 2 Chronicles 32:15 Lit. hand
  12. 2 Chronicles 32:15 Lit. hand
  13. 2 Chronicles 32:15 Lit. from my hand
  14. 2 Chronicles 32:16 Lit. His
  15. 2 Chronicles 32:17 Lit. He
  16. 2 Chronicles 32:17 Lit. the
  17. 2 Chronicles 32:17 Lit. hand
  18. 2 Chronicles 32:17 Lit. from my hand
  19. 2 Chronicles 32:18 Lit. They
  20. 2 Chronicles 32:19 The Heb. lacks In doing so
  21. 2 Chronicles 32:22 Or and guided them on every side
  22. 2 Chronicles 32:24 Cf. Isa 38:7-8
  23. 2 Chronicles 32:31 I.e. the miracle recorded in Isa 38:7-8 and alluded to in v. 24
  24. 2 Chronicles 32:31 Lit. him
  25. 2 Chronicles 32:31 Or know
  26. 2 Chronicles 32:31 Lit. his
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2 Chronicles 31
2 Chronicles 33
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