| 32:1 |
After these things, and the establishment thereof,
Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah,
and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to
win them for himself.
|
| 32:2 |
And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and
that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
|
| 32:3 |
He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men
to stop the waters of the fountains which were without
the city: and they did help him.
|
| 32:4 |
So there was gathered much people together, who
stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through
the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of
Assyria come, and find much water?
|
| 32:5 |
Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the
wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and
another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of
David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
|
| 32:6 |
And he set captains of war over the people, and
gathered them together to him in the street of the gate
of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
|
| 32:7 |
Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed
for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that
is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
|
| 32:8 |
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD
our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the
people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king
of Judah.
|
| 32:9 |
After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send 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,
|
| 32:10 |
Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye
trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
|
| 32:11 |
Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over
yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The
LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king
of Assyria?
|
| 32:12 |
Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places
and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem,
saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn
incense upon it?
|
| 32:13 |
Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all
the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations
of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out
of mine hand?
|
| 32:14 |
Who was there among all the gods of those nations
that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his
people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to
deliver you out of mine hand?
|
| 32:15 |
Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor
persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for
no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his
people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my
fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of
mine hand?
|
| 32:16 |
And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God,
and against his servant Hezekiah.
|
| 32:17 |
He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of
Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of
the nations of other lands have not delivered their
people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah
deliver his people out of mine hand.
|
| 32:18 |
Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech
unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to
affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take
the city.
|
| 32:19 |
And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as
against the gods of the people of the earth, which were
the work of the hands of man.
|
| 32:20 |
And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet
Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.
|
| 32:21 |
And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the
mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the
camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of
face to his own land. And when he was come into the house
of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew
him there with the sword.
|
| 32:22 |
Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of
Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them
on every side.
|
| 32:23 |
And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem,
and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was
magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
|
| 32:24 |
In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and
prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave
him a sign.
|
| 32:25 |
But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the
benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up:
therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and
Jerusalem.
|
| 32:26 |
Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the
pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon
them in the days of Hezekiah.
|
| 32:27 |
And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour:
and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold,
and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields,
and for all manner of pleasant jewels;
|
| 32:28 |
Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine,
and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes
for flocks.
|
| 32:29 |
Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of
flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him
substance very much.
|
| 32:30 |
This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse
of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side
of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his
works.
|
| 32:31 |
Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the
princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the
wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try
him, that he might know all that was in his heart.
|
| 32:32 |
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his
goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of
Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of
the kings of Judah and Israel.
|
| 32:33 |
And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried
him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of
David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did
him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in
his stead.
|