The Daily Audio Bible

32 After these events and this faithfulness of [Hizkiyahu’s], Sancheriv king of Ashur came, invaded Y’hudah and besieged the fortified cities, thinking that he would break in [and capture] them. ² When Hizkiyahu saw that Sancheriv had come and intended to attack Yerushalayim, ³ he consulted his leading men and military advisers about sealing off the water in the springs outside the city. After gaining their support, ⁴ a large crowd was gathered to block all the springs and the stream flowing through the countryside. They reasoned, “Why should the kings of Ashur come and find an ample supply of water?” ⁵ Then, taking courage, he rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall, raised towers on it, built another wall outside that, strengthened the Millo in the City of David, and made a large quantity of spears and shields. ⁶ He appointed military commanders over the people, then gathered them before him in the open space at the city gate and spoke these words of encouragement to them: ⁷ “Be strong! Take courage! Don’t be afraid or distressed on account of the king of Ashur or all the horde he brings with him. For the One with us is greater than the one with him — ⁸ he has human strength, but we have Adonai our God to help us and fight our battles!” The people took heart at the words of Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah.

⁹ After this, while Sancheriv and all his army were besieging Lakhish, he sent his envoys to Yerushalayim, to Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah and to all Y’hudah who were there in Yerushalayim, with this message: ¹⁰ “This is what Sancheriv king of Ashur says: ‘What gives you the confidence that you can endure a siege against Yerushalayim? ¹¹ Hasn’t Hizkiyahu deluded you? Isn’t he condemning you to death by starvation and thirst when he says, “Adonai our God will save us from the king of Ashur”? ¹² Isn’t this the same Hizkiyahu who removed [your God’s] high places and altars and ordered Y’hudah and Yerushalayim to worship before one altar and offer sacrifices only on it? ¹³ Don’t you realize what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of the other countries? Were the gods of these nations able to do a thing to rescue their country from me? ¹⁴ Who of all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed was able to rescue his people from me? How then will your God rescue you from me? ¹⁵ Don’t let Hizkiyahu mislead you or delude you this way, don’t believe him. For no god of any nation or kingdom has ever been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors; how much less will your God rescue you from me!’”

¹⁶ His envoys kept on speaking against Adonai, God; and against his servant Hizkiyahu. ¹⁷ He also wrote a letter insulting Adonai the God of Isra’el and speaking against him; it said, “Just as the gods of the nations of the other countries could not rescue their people from me, likewise Hizkiyahu’s God will not rescue his people from me.”

¹⁸ They were shouting loudly in the language of the Judeans to the people of Yerushalayim who were on the wall in order to terrify them and make them fearful, so that they could capture the city. ¹⁹ They spoke about the God of Yerushalayim in the same way as about the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely human artifacts. ²⁰ Because of this, Hizkiyahu the king and Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, prayed and cried out to heaven. ²¹ Then Adonai sent an angel, who cut down the valiant warriors, the leaders and the officers in the king of Ashur’s camp, so that he had to return shamefaced to his own country. When he entered the house of his god, his own sons, whom he himself had fathered, put him to death with the sword there.

²² In this way Adonai rescued Hizkiyahu and those living in Yerushalayim from Sancheriv the king of Ashur and from everyone, caring for them in every respect. ²³ Many people brought gifts to Adonai in Yerushalayim and items of value to Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah, so that from then on he was regarded highly by all the nations.

²⁴ Around this time, Hizkiyahu became ill to the point of death. But he prayed to Adonai, who answered him, even giving him a sign. ²⁵ However, Hizkiyahu did not respond commensurately with the benefit done for him, because he had grown proud; thus he brought anger on himself and on Y’hudah and Yerushalayim as well. ²⁶ But Hizkiyahu then humbled himself for his pride, both he and the people living in Yerushalayim, so that Adonai’s anger did not strike them during Hizkiyahu’s lifetime.

²⁷ Hizkiyahu had vast riches and great honor. He provided himself with storage places for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles; ²⁸ also storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine and olive oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock and pens for the flocks. ²⁹ He provided cities for himself and purchased flocks and herds in abundance, for God had made him extremely wealthy.

³⁰ It was this same Hizkiyahu who blocked the upper outlet of the Gichon Spring and diverted the water straight down on the west side of the City of David.

Hizkiyahu succeeded in all that he did. ³¹ However, in the matter of the ambassadors from the princes of Bavel, who sent to him to learn of the marvel that had taken place in the land, God left him by himself, in order to test him, so that he might know everything that was in his heart.

³² Other activities of Hizkiyahu and his good deeds are recorded in the vision of Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, and in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah and Isra’el. ³³ Then Hizkiyahu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him by the path leading up to the tombs of the descendants of David. All Y’hudah and the people living in Yerushalayim honored him when he died, after which M’nasheh his son took his place as king.

33 M’nasheh was twelve years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for fifty-five years in Yerushalayim. ² He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, following the disgusting practices of the nations whom Adonai had expelled ahead of the people of Isra’el. ³ For he rebuilt the high places which Hizkiyahu his father had smashed; he erected altars for the ba‘alim, made sacred poles and worshipped all the army of heaven and served them. ⁴ He erected altars in the house of Adonai, concerning which Adonai had said, “My name will be in Yerushalayim forever.” ⁵ He erected altars for all the army of heaven in the two courtyards of the house of Adonai. ⁶ He made his children pass through the fire [as a sacrifice] in the Ben-Hinnom Valley. He practiced soothsaying, divination and sorcery; and he appointed mediums and persons who used spirit guides. He did much that was evil from Adonai’s perspective, thus provoking him to anger. ⁷ He set the carved image of the idol he had made in the house of God, concerning which God had told David and Shlomo his son, “In this house and in Yerushalayim, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Isra’el, I will put my name forever. ⁸ Also I will not remove the feet of Isra’el from the land I assigned your ancestors, if only they will take heed to obey every order I have given them, that is, all the Torah, laws and rulings that came through Moshe.” ⁹ M’nasheh caused Y’hudah and the people of Yerushalayim to go astray, so that they did even worse things than the nations whom Adonai destroyed ahead of the people of Isra’el.

¹⁰ Adonai spoke to M’nasheh and to his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹ Therefore Adonai brought against them the commanders of the king of Ashur’s army. They took M’nasheh captive with hooks, bound him in chains and carried him off to Bavel. ¹² Then, when he was in distress, he began to appease the anger of Adonai, abjectly humbling himself before the God of his ancestors. ¹³ He prayed to him; and God was moved by his plea, paid attention to his entreaty and brought him back to Yerushalayim, to his kingly office. Then M’nasheh understood that Adonai really is God.

²³ But now, since there is no longer a place in these regions that needs me, and since I have wanted for many years to come to you, ²⁴ I hope to see you as I pass through on my way to Spain, and to have you help me travel there after I have enjoyed your company awhile.

²⁵ But now I am going to Yerushalayim with aid for God’s people there. ²⁶ For Macedonia and Achaia thought it would be good to make some contribution to the poor among God’s people in Yerushalayim. ²⁷ They were pleased to do it, but the fact is that they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared with the Jews in spiritual matters, then the Gentiles clearly have a duty to help the Jews in material matters. ²⁸ So when I have finished this task and made certain that they have received this fruit, I will leave for Spain and visit you on my way there; ²⁹ and I know that when I come to you, it will be with the full measure of the Messiah’s blessings. ³⁰ And now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God on my behalf ³¹ that I will be rescued from the unbelievers in Y’hudah, and that my service for Yerushalayim will be acceptable to God’s people there. ³² Then, if it is God’s will, I will come to you with joy and have a time of rest among you. ³³ Now may the God of shalom be with you all. Amen.

16 I am introducing to you our sister Phoebe, shammash of the congregation at Cenchrea, ² so that you may welcome her in the Lord, as God’s people should, and give her whatever assistance she may need from you; for she has been a big help to many people — including myself.

³ Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers for the Messiah Yeshua. ⁴ They risked their necks to save my life; not only I thank them, but also all the Messianic communities among the Gentiles. ⁵ And give my greetings to the congregation that meets in their house.

Give my greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus, who was the first person in the province of Asia to put his trust in the Messiah.

⁶ Give my greetings to Miryam, who has worked very hard for you.

⁷ Greetings to Andronicus and Junia, relatives of mine who were in prison with me. They are well known among the emissaries; also they came to trust in the Messiah before I did.

⁸ Greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

⁹ Greetings to Urbanus, our fellow worker for the Messiah, and to my dear friend Stachys.