Sennacherib’s Invasion

32 After Hezekiah’s faithful deeds, King Sennacherib of Assyria came and entered Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities and intended[a] to break into them.(A) Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he planned[b] war on Jerusalem, so he consulted with his officials and his warriors about stopping up the water of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him. 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 abundant water?” 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.

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, “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) He has only human strength,[d] but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”(J) So the people relied on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.

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Footnotes

  1. 32:1 Lit said to himself
  2. 32:2 Lit that his face was for
  3. 32:6 Lit he spoke to their hearts
  4. 32:8 Lit With him an arm of flesh

Sennacherib Invades Judah

32 After these [a]acts of faithfulness (A)Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and [b]intended to break into them for himself. Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that [c]he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. So many people assembled (B)and stopped up all the springs and (C)the stream which flowed [d]through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” And he resolutely set to work and (D)rebuilt all of the wall that had been broken down and [e]erected towers on it, and built (E)another outside wall and strengthened the [f](F)Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great numbers. He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the public square at the city gate, and (G)spoke [g]encouragingly to them, saying, (H)Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; (I)for the One with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only (J)an arm of flesh, but (K)with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit things and this faithfulness
  2. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit said
  3. 2 Chronicles 32:2 Lit he set his face for war
  4. 2 Chronicles 32:4 Lit in the midst of
  5. 2 Chronicles 32:5 Lit raised on the towers
  6. 2 Chronicles 32:5 I.e., terraced structure
  7. 2 Chronicles 32:6 Lit upon their hearts