2 Chronicles 32
Revised Geneva Translation
32 After these faithful acts, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and entered into Judah and besieged the strong cities and thought to win them for himself.
2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to fight against Jerusalem,
3 he took counsel with his princes and his nobles to stop the water of the fountains outside the city. And they helped him.
4 So, many of the people assembled themselves and stopped all the fountains and the river that ran through the midst of the country, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?”
5 And he took courage and rebuilt the entire broken wall and erected towers and another outside wall and repaired Millo in the City of David and made many weapons and shields.
6 And he set captains of war over the people and assembled them to him in the broad place of the gate of the city and spoke encouragement to them, saying,
7 “Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or be afraid of the king of Assyria, or of all the multitude that is with him! For there are more with us than are with him!
8 “With him is an arm of flesh! But with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles!” Then the people were sustained by the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
9 After this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem (while he and all his dominion with him were besieging Lachish) to Hezekiah, king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,
10 “Thus says Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, ‘In what do you trust, that you would remain in Jerusalem during a siege?
11 ‘Does not Hezekiah entice you to give yourselves over to death by famine and by thirst, saying, “The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?”
12 ‘Has not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one Altar and burn incense upon it?”
13 ‘Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the people of other countries? Were the gods of the nations of other lands able to deliver their land out of my hand?
14 ‘Who is He — among all the gods of those nations that my fathers have destroyed that could not deliver their people out of my hand — that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
15 ‘Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or seduce you in this way or believe him. For none of all the gods 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 shall your gods deliver you out of my hand?’”
16 And his servants spoke even more against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah.
17 He wrote also letters blaspheming the LORD God of Israel and speaking against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of other countries could not deliver their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver His people out of my hand.”
18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to scare them and to astonish them, so that they might take the city.
19 Thus they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, the works of man’s hands.
20 But Hezekiah the king and the Prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed against this and cried to Heaven.
21 And the LORD sent an Angel which destroyed all the valiant men and the princes and captains of the army of the king of Assyria. So, he returned with shame to his own land. And when he had come into the house of his god, those of his own offspring killed him 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 others and guided them on every side.
23 And many brought offerings to the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah, king of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations thereafter.
24 In those days, Hezekiah was sick to the death and prayed to the LORD, Who spoke to him and gave him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah did not repay according to the reward bestowed upon him; for his heart was lifted up. And wrath came upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Nevertheless, Hezekiah humbled himself (after his heart had been lifted up), he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 Hezekiah also had abundant riches and honor. And he acquired treasures of silver, and of gold, and of precious stones, and of sweet odors, and of shields, and of all pleasant vessels,
28 and of store houses for the increase of wheat and wine and oil, and stalls for all beasts, and rows for the stables.
29 And he made cities for himself and had possession of sheep and oxen in abundance. For God had given him a large amount of substance.
30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper water springs of Gihon and led them straight underneath toward the City of David, westward. So, Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
31 But because of the ambassadors of the princes of Babel, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him to test him, to know all that was in his heart.
32 Concerning the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, 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 highest sepulcher of the sons of David. And all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And Manasseh, his son, reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 32
Good News Translation
The Assyrians Threaten Jerusalem(A)
32 After these events, in which King Hezekiah served the Lord faithfully, Sennacherib, the emperor of Assyria, invaded Judah. He besieged the fortified cities and gave orders for his army to break their way through the walls. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib intended to attack Jerusalem also, 3-4 he and his officials decided to cut off the supply of water outside the city in order to keep the Assyrians from having any water when they got near Jerusalem. The officials led a large number of people out and stopped up all the springs, so that no more water flowed out of them. 5 The king strengthened the city's defenses by repairing the wall, building towers on it,[a] and building an outer wall. In addition, he repaired the defenses built on the land that was filled in on the east side of the old part of Jerusalem. He also had a large number of spears and shields made. 6 He placed all the men in the city under the command of army officers and had them assemble in the open square at the city gate. He said to them, 7 “Be determined and confident, and don't be afraid of the Assyrian emperor or of the army he is leading. We have more power on our side than he has on his. 8 He has human power, but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by these words of their king.
9 Some time later, while Sennacherib and his army were still at Lachish, he sent the following message to Hezekiah and the people of Judah who were with him in Jerusalem: 10 “I, Sennacherib, Emperor of Assyria, ask what gives you people the confidence to remain in Jerusalem under siege. 11 Hezekiah tells you that the Lord your God will save you from our power, but Hezekiah is deceiving you and will let you die of hunger and thirst. 12 He is the one who destroyed the Lord's shrines and altars and then told the people of Judah and Jerusalem to worship and burn incense at one altar only. 13 Don't you know what my ancestors and I have done to the people of other nations? Did the gods of any other nation save their people from the emperor of Assyria? 14 When did any of the gods of all those countries ever save their country from us? Then what makes you think that your god can save you? 15 Now don't let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like that. Don't believe him! No god of any nation has ever been able to save his people from any Assyrian emperor. So certainly this god of yours can't save you!”
16 The Assyrian officials said even worse things about the Lord God and Hezekiah, the Lord's servant. 17 The letter that the emperor wrote defied the Lord, the God of Israel. It said, “The gods of the nations have not saved their people from my power, and neither will Hezekiah's god save his people from me.” 18 The officials shouted this in Hebrew in order to frighten and discourage the people of Jerusalem who were on the city wall, so that it would be easier to capture the city. 19 They talked about the God of Jerusalem in the same way that they talked about the gods of the other peoples, idols made by human hands.
20 Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed to God and cried out to him for help. 21 The Lord sent an angel that killed the soldiers and officers of the Assyrian army. So the emperor went back to Assyria disgraced. One day when he was in the temple of his god, some of his sons killed him with their swords.
22 In this way the Lord rescued King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the power of Sennacherib, the emperor of Assyria, and also from their other enemies. He let the people live in peace[b] with all the neighboring countries. 23 Many people came to Jerusalem, bringing offerings to the Lord and gifts to Hezekiah, so that from then on all the nations held Hezekiah in honor.
Hezekiah's Illness and Pride(B)
24 About this time King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. He prayed, and the Lord gave him a sign that he would recover. 25 But Hezekiah was too proud to show gratitude for what the Lord had done for him, and Judah and Jerusalem suffered for it. 26 Finally, however, Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem humbled themselves, and so the Lord did not punish the people until after Hezekiah's death.
Hezekiah's Wealth and Splendor
27 King Hezekiah became very wealthy, and everyone held him in honor. He had storerooms built for his gold, silver, precious stones, spices, shields, and other valuable objects. 28 In addition, he had storehouses built for his grain, wine, and olive oil; barns for his cattle; and pens for his sheep. 29 Besides all this, God gave him sheep and cattle and so much other wealth that he built many cities. 30 It was King Hezekiah who blocked the outlet for Gihon Spring and channeled the water to flow through a tunnel to a point inside the walls of Jerusalem. Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did, 31 and even when the Babylonian ambassadors came to inquire about the unusual event that had happened in the land, God let Hezekiah go his own way only in order to test his character.
The End of Hezekiah's Reign(C)
32 Everything else that King Hezekiah did and his devotion to the Lord are recorded in The Vision of the Prophet Isaiah Son of Amoz and in The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah died and was buried in the upper section of the royal tombs. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem paid him great honor at his death. His son Manasseh succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 32:5 Some ancient translations building towers on it; Hebrew building on the towers.
- 2 Chronicles 32:22 Some ancient translations He let the people live in peace; Hebrew He led the people.
2 Chronicles 32
New King James Version
Sennacherib Boasts Against the Lord(A)
32 After (B)these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his leaders and [a]commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him. 4 Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the (C)springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the [b]kings of Assyria come and find much water?” 5 And (D)he strengthened himself, (E)built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired [c]the (F)Millo in the City of David, and made [d]weapons and shields in abundance. 6 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and (G)gave them encouragement, saying, 7 (H)“Be strong and courageous; (I)do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for (J)there are more with us than with him. 8 With him is an (K)arm of flesh; but (L)with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
9 (M)After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10 (N)“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? 11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, (O)“The Lord our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 (P)Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on (Q)it”? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? (R)Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my (S)hand? 15 Now therefore, (T)do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’ ”
16 Furthermore, his servants spoke against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah.
17 He also wrote letters to revile the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, (U)“As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my (V)hand.” 18 (W)Then they called out with a loud voice in [e]Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might take the city. 19 And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth—(X)the work of men’s hands.
Sennacherib’s Defeat and Death(Y)
20 (Z)Now because of this King Hezekiah and (AA)the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven. 21 (AB)Then the Lord sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned (AC)shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.
22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and [f]guided them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem, and (AD)presents[g] to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was (AE)exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.
Hezekiah Humbles Himself(AF)
24 (AG)In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the Lord; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah (AH)did not repay according to the favor shown him, for (AI)his heart was lifted up; (AJ)therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. 26 (AK)Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them (AL)in the days of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah’s Wealth and Honor(AM)
27 Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items; 28 storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and [h]folds for flocks. 29 Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for (AN)God had given him very much property. 30 (AO)This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and [i]brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah (AP)prospered in all his works.
31 However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they (AQ)sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to (AR)test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
Death of Hezekiah
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are written in (AS)the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the (AT)book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 (AU)So Hezekiah [j]rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (AV)honored him at his death. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 32:3 Lit. mighty men
- 2 Chronicles 32:4 So with MT, Vg.; Arab., LXX, Syr. king
- 2 Chronicles 32:5 Lit. The Landfill
- 2 Chronicles 32:5 javelins
- 2 Chronicles 32:18 Lit. Judean
- 2 Chronicles 32:22 LXX gave them rest; Vg. gave them treasures
- 2 Chronicles 32:23 Lit. precious things
- 2 Chronicles 32:28 So with LXX, Vg.; Arab., Syr. omit folds for flocks; MT flocks for sheepfolds
- 2 Chronicles 32:30 Lit. brought it straight to (cf. 2 Kin. 20:20)
- 2 Chronicles 32:33 Died and joined his ancestors
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
