1 A fter these faithful acts, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to fight against Judah. His army gathered around the strong cities. He thought he would take them for himself.

After these acts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself.

2 W hen Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come to fight against Jerusalem,

Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to make war on Jerusalem,

3 h e planned with his captains and men of war to stop the water from the wells which were outside the city. And they helped him.

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.

4 M any people were gathered, and they stopped all the wells and the small river which flowed through the land. They said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?”

So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?”

5 T hen Hezekiah took strength of heart and built again all of the wall that had been broken down. He built towers on it, and built another outside wall. He made the Millo strong in the city of David. And he made many battle-coverings and objects to fight with.

And he took courage and rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and erected towers on it, and built another outside wall and strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number.

6 H e chose army captains to lead the people, and gathered them in the place by the city gate. He spoke comforting words to them, saying,

He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying,

7 “ Be strong and have strength of heart. Do not be afraid or troubled because of the king of Assyria and all those who are with him. For the One with us is greater than the one with him.

“ 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; for the one with us is greater than the one with him.

8 H e has only man with him. But we have the Lord our God with us, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people trusted the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

With him is only an arm of flesh, but 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. Sennacherib Undermines Hezekiah

9 T hen King Sennacherib of Assyria, whose army was gathered around Lachish with him, sent word by his servants to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem. He said,

After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,

10 “ King Sennacherib of Assyria says, ‘On what do you trust, that you are staying in Jerusalem with my army around you?

“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege?

11 I s not Hezekiah leading you the wrong way to let you die by hunger and thirst, saying, “The Lord our God will save us from the king of Assyria”?

Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “The Lord our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”?

12 H as not this same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, “You will worship in front of one altar and burn special perfume on it”?

Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn incense”?

13 D o you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the other nations able to save their lands from me?

Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands able at all to deliver their land from my hand?

14 W ho among all the gods could save his people from me in all those nations which my fathers destroyed? Would your God be able to save you from me?

Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand?

15 S o now do not let Hezekiah lie to you or lead you in the wrong way like this. Do not believe him. For no god of any nation was able to save his people from me or from my fathers. How much less will your God save you from me!’”

Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead 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 from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’”

16 S ennacherib’s men said still more against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah.

His servants spoke further against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah.

17 T he Assyrian king also wrote letters to say things against the Lord God of Israel, saying, “As the gods of the other nations of the lands have not saved their people from me, so the God of Hezekiah will not save His people from me.”

He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “ As the gods of the nations of the lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”

18 T hey called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall. They did this to bring fear upon them, so that they might take the city.

They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city.

19 T hey talked about the God of Jerusalem as if He were one of the gods of the people of the earth, which were made by the hands of men.

They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men’s hands. Hezekiah’s Prayer Is Answered

20 B ut King Hezekiah and Isaiah the man of God, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven.

But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven.

21 A nd the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every powerful soldier and every captain and leader in the camp of the king of Assyria. So Sennacherib returned in shame to his own land. And when he had gone into the house of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.

And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned in shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.

22 S o the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria, and from all others. And He gave them rest on every side.

So 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 guided them on every side.

23 M any brought gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem, and things of much worth to King Hezekiah of Judah. So the king was honored in the eyes of all nations from that time on. Hezekiah’s Pride

And many were bringing gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem and choice presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.

24 I n those days Hezekiah became very sick. He prayed to the Lord, and the Lord spoke to him and gave him something special to see.

In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill; and he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign.

25 B ut Hezekiah did not do anything in return for the good he received, because his heart was proud. So the Lord’s anger came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received, because his heart was proud; therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

26 T hen Hezekiah put away the pride of his heart, both he and the people of Jerusalem. So that the anger of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah. Hezekiah’s Riches

However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 N ow Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. He made for himself store-houses for silver, gold, stones of much worth, spices, battle-coverings, and all kinds of things of much worth.

Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles,

28 H e made store-houses for the grain that was gathered, wine, and oil. He made places for all kinds of herds, and places for the flocks.

storehouses also for the produce of grain, wine and oil, pens for all kinds of cattle and sheepfolds for the flocks.

29 H e made cities for himself, and gathered very many flocks and cattle. For God had given him very many riches.

He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great wealth.

30 I t was Hezekiah who stopped the upper opening of the waters of Gihon, and made them flow to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah did well in all that he did.

It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did.

31 I t was so even when the men were sent to him from the rulers of Babylon to ask about the wonder that had happened in the land. God left Hezekiah alone to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart. The End of Hezekiah’s Rule

Even in the matter of the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

32 N ow the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good works are written in the special dream of Isaiah the man of God, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, 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 H ezekiah died and they buried him in the upper graves of the sons of David. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.

So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.