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2 Chronicles 32
Legacy Standard Bible

Sennacherib Invades Judah

32 After these [a]acts of faithfulness (A)Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, and [b]thought to break into them for himself. 2 Then Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he had set his face to make war on Jerusalem, 3 and he took counsel with his commanders and his warriors to stop up the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. 4 So many people gathered (B)and stopped up all the springs and (C)the stream which flowed in the midst of the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” 5 And he strengthened himself and (D)rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and [c]erected towers on it, and built (E)another outside wall and strengthened the [d](F)Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number. 6 He also put military commanders over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and (G)spoke to their hearts, saying, 7 “(H)Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the multitude that is with him; (I)for the one with us is greater than the one with him. 8 With him is only (J)an arm of flesh, but (K)with us is Yahweh our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were sustained by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Reproaches Yahweh

9 After this (L)Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was [e]besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, 10 “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege? 11 Is not Hezekiah inciting you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “Yahweh our God will deliver us from the [f]hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 (M)Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and [g]Jerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall offer offerings up in smoke”? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? (N)Were the gods of the nations of the lands able at all to deliver their land from my hand? 14 (O)Who was there among all the gods of these nations which my fathers devoted to destruction, who could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 15 So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or incite you like this, and do not believe him, for (P)no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’”

16 His servants spoke further against Yahweh God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 He also wrote letters to [h]reproach Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “(Q)As the gods of the nations of the lands [i]have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” 18 (R)And they called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to instill fear and terrify them, so that they might capture the city. 19 And they spoke [j]of the God of Jerusalem as of (S)the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men’s hands.

Yahweh Wipes Out the Men of Assyria

20 But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. 21 And Yahweh sent an angel who wiped out every mighty man of valor, ruler, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned [k]in shame to his own land. And he entered the house of his god, and some of [l]his own children caused him to fall there by the sword. 22 So Yahweh (T)saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and He [m]guided them on every side. 23 And (U)many were bringing presents to Yahweh at Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that (V)he was lifted up in the sight of all nations thereafter.

24 (W)In those days Hezekiah became sick to the point of death; and he prayed to Yahweh, and [n]Yahweh spoke to him and gave him a miraculous sign. 25 But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit [o]he received, (X)because his heart was [p]proud; (Y)therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 However, (Z)Hezekiah [q]humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 Now Hezekiah had abundant riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of desirable articles, 28 storehouses also for the produce of grain, wine, and oil, stalls for all kinds of cattle, and [r]sheepfolds for the flocks. 29 He also made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for (AA)God had given him exceedingly abundant [s]wealth. 30 And it was Hezekiah who (AB)stopped the upper outlet of the waters of (AC)Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah succeeded in all that he did. 31 Even in the matter of (AD)the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of (AE)the miraculous sign that had happened in the land, God left him alone only (AF)to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of lovingkindness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the [t]upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (AG)honored him at his death. And Manasseh his son became king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit things and this truth
  2. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit said
  3. 2 Chronicles 32:5 Lit raised on the towers
  4. 2 Chronicles 32:5 Citadel
  5. 2 Chronicles 32:9 Lit against
  6. 2 Chronicles 32:11 Lit palm
  7. 2 Chronicles 32:12 Lit Jerusalem, saying,
  8. 2 Chronicles 32:17 Or defy, cf. 1 Sam 17:26
  9. 2 Chronicles 32:17 Lit who have
  10. 2 Chronicles 32:19 Lit to
  11. 2 Chronicles 32:21 Lit in shame of face
  12. 2 Chronicles 32:21 Lit those who come from his loins
  13. 2 Chronicles 32:22 Or gave them rest
  14. 2 Chronicles 32:24 Lit He
  15. 2 Chronicles 32:25 Lit to him
  16. 2 Chronicles 32:25 Lit high
  17. 2 Chronicles 32:26 Lit humbled himself in
  18. 2 Chronicles 32:28 As in ancient versions; Heb flocks for the sheepfolds
  19. 2 Chronicles 32:29 Lit possessions
  20. 2 Chronicles 32:33 Or ascent to
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2 Chronicles 32
New Living Translation

Assyria Invades Judah

32 After Hezekiah had faithfully carried out this work, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified towns, giving orders for his army to break through their walls. 2 When Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib also intended to attack Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his officials and military advisers, and they decided to stop the flow of the springs outside the city. 4 They organized a huge work crew to stop the flow of the springs, cutting off the brook that ran through the fields. For they said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find plenty of water?”

5 Then Hezekiah worked hard at repairing all the broken sections of the wall, erecting towers, and constructing a second wall outside the first. He also reinforced the supporting terraces[a] in the City of David and manufactured large numbers of weapons and shields. 6 He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate. Then Hezekiah encouraged them by saying: 7 “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! 8 He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” Hezekiah’s words greatly encouraged the people.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

9 While King Sennacherib of Assyria was still besieging the town of Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah and all the people in the city:

10 “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you think you can survive my siege of Jerusalem? 11 Hezekiah has said, ‘The Lord our God will rescue us from the king of Assyria.’ Surely Hezekiah is misleading you, sentencing you to death by famine and thirst! 12 Don’t you realize that Hezekiah is the very person who destroyed all the Lord’s shrines and altars? He commanded Judah and Jerusalem to worship only at the altar at the Temple and to offer sacrifices on it alone.

13 “Surely you must realize what I and the other kings of Assyria before me have done to all the people of the earth! Were any of the gods of those nations able to rescue their people from my power? 14 Which of their gods was able to rescue its people from the destructive power of my predecessors? What makes you think your God can rescue you from me? 15 Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you! Don’t let him fool you like this! I say it again—no god of any nation or kingdom has ever yet been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my power!”

16 And Sennacherib’s officers further mocked the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah, heaping insult upon insult. 17 The king also sent letters scorning the Lord, the God of Israel. He wrote, “Just as the gods of all the other nations failed to rescue their people from my power, so the God of Hezekiah will also fail.” 18 The Assyrian officials who brought the letters shouted this in Hebrew[b] to the people gathered on the walls of the city, trying to terrify them so it would be easier to capture the city. 19 These officers talked about the God of Jerusalem as though he were one of the pagan gods, made by human hands.

20 Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to God in heaven. 21 And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with a sword.

22 That is how the Lord rescued Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria and from all the others who threatened them. So there was peace throughout the land. 23 From then on King Hezekiah became highly respected among all the surrounding nations, and many gifts for the Lord arrived at Jerusalem, with valuable presents for King Hezekiah, too.

Hezekiah’s Sickness and Recovery

24 About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill. He prayed to the Lord, who healed him and gave him a miraculous sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself and repented of his pride, as did the people of Jerusalem. So the Lord’s anger did not fall on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.

27 Hezekiah was very wealthy and highly honored. He built special treasury buildings for his silver, gold, precious stones, and spices, and for his shields and other valuable items. 28 He also constructed many storehouses for his grain, new wine, and olive oil; and he made many stalls for his cattle and pens for his flocks of sheep and goats. 29 He built many towns and acquired vast flocks and herds, for God had given him great wealth. 30 He blocked up the upper spring of Gihon and brought the water down through a tunnel to the west side of the City of David. And so he succeeded in everything he did.

31 However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.

Summary of Hezekiah’s Reign

32 The rest of the events in Hezekiah’s reign and his acts of devotion are recorded in The Vision of the Prophet Isaiah Son of Amoz, which is included in The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 When Hezekiah died, he was buried in the upper area of the royal cemetery, and all Judah and Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became the next king.

Footnotes

  1. 32:5 Hebrew the millo. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  2. 32:18 Hebrew in the dialect of Judah.
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