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’s Invasion

32 After these things and these acts of faithfulness, King Sennacherib of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself.(A) When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, he planned with his officers and his warriors to stop the flow of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him. A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the wadi that flowed through the land, saying, “Why should the Assyrian kings come and find water in abundance?”(B) Hezekiah[a] strengthened himself and built up the entire wall that was broken down and raised towers on it,[b] and outside it he built another wall; he also strengthened the Millo in the city of David and made weapons and shields in abundance.(C) He appointed combat commanders over the people and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to them, saying,(D) “Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there is one greater with us than with him.(E) With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 32.5 Heb He
  2. 32.5 Vg: Heb and raised on the towers