Chapter 32

After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came,¹ and entered⁴ into Judah, and encamped⁴ against the fenced⁷ cities, and thought⁴ to win² them for himself.

And when Hezekiah saw⁴ that Sennacherib was come,¹ and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,

He took counsel¹¹ with his princes and his mighty men to stop² the waters of the fountains which [were] without the city: and they did help⁴ him.

So there was gathered much people together,¹¹ who stopped⁴ all the fountains, and the brook that ran⁶ through the midst of the land, saying,² Why should the kings of Assyria come,⁴ and find¹ much water?

Also he strengthened¹⁰¹ himself, and built up⁴ all the wall that was broken,⁷ and raised [it] up⁵⁵ to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired¹⁷ Millo [in] the city of David, and made⁴ darts and shields in abundance.

And he set⁴ captains of war over the people, and gathered them together⁴ to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake¹⁷ comfortably to them, saying,²

Be strong³ and courageous,³ be not afraid⁴ nor dismayed¹¹ for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that [is] with him: for [there be] more with us than with him:

With him [is] an arm of flesh; but with us [is] the LORD our God to help² us, and to fight⁹ our battles. And the people rested¹¹ themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send¹ his servants to Jerusalem, (but he [himself laid siege] against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that [were] at Jerusalem, saying,²

Thus saith¹ Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust,⁶ that ye abide⁶ in the siege in Jerusalem?

Doth not Hezekiah persuade⁵⁶ you to give² over yourselves to die² by famine and by thirst, saying,² The LORD our God shall deliver⁵⁵ us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away⁵² his high places and his altars, and commanded⁴ Judah and Jerusalem, saying,² Ye shall worship¹⁰¹ before one altar, and burn incense⁵⁵ upon it?

Know⁴ ye not what I and my fathers have done¹ unto all the people of [other] lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways² able¹ to deliver⁵³ their lands out of mine hand?

Who [was there] among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed,⁵² that could¹ deliver⁵³ his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able⁴ to deliver⁵³ you out of mine hand?

Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive⁵⁵ you, nor persuade⁵⁵ you on this manner, neither yet believe⁵⁵ him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able⁴ to deliver⁵³ his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver⁵⁵ you out of mine hand?

And his servants spake¹⁴ yet [more] against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.

He wrote¹ also letters to rail¹⁵ on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak² against him, saying,² As the gods of the nations of [other] lands have not delivered⁵² their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver⁵⁵ his people out of mine hand.

Then they cried⁴ with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that [were] on the wall, to affright¹⁵ them, and to trouble¹⁵ them; that they might take⁴ the city.

And they spake¹⁷ against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, [which were] the work of the hands of man.

And for this [cause] Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed¹⁰¹ and cried⁴ to heaven.

And the LORD sent⁴ an angel, which cut off⁵⁵ all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned⁴ with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come⁴ into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew⁵² him there with the sword.

Thus the LORD saved⁵⁵ Hezekiah and the inhabitants⁶ of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all [other], and guided¹⁷ them on every side.

And many brought⁵⁶ gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified¹¹ in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

In those days Hezekiah was sick¹ to the death,² and prayed¹⁰¹ unto the LORD: and he spake⁴ unto him, and he gave¹ him a sign.

But Hezekiah rendered not again⁵² according to the benefit [done] unto him; for his heart was lifted up:¹ therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled¹¹ himself for the pride of his heart, [both] he and the inhabitants⁶ of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came¹ not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

And Hezekiah had exceeding much⁵³ riches and honour: and he made¹ himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;

Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, ⁹²⁹ and cotes for flocks.

Moreover he provided¹ him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given¹ him substance very much.

This same Hezekiah also stopped¹ the upper watercourse ⁴³²⁵ of Gihon, and brought it straight¹⁷ down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered⁵⁵ in all his works.

Howbeit in [the business of] the ambassadors⁵⁶ of the princes of Babylon, who sent¹⁸ unto him to enquire² of the wonder that was [done] in the land, God left¹ him, to try¹⁵ him, that he might know² all [that was] in his heart.

Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they [are] written⁷ in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, [and] in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

And Hezekiah slept⁴ with his fathers, and they buried⁴ him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants⁶ of Jerusalem did¹ him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned⁴ in his stead.