II Chronicles Chapter 32

II Chronicles Chapter 32
1 After these things faithfully described,
Sennacherib king of Asshur [Assyria]
came and entered into Judah, and
besieged the strong cities, and thought to
win them for himself.
2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib
was come, and that his purpose was to
fight against Jerusalem,
3 Then he took counsel with his princes
and his nobles, to stop the water of the
fountains without the city: and they did
help him.
4 So many of the people assembled
themselves, and stopped all the
fountains, and the river that ran through
the midst of the country, saying, Why
should the kings of Asshur [Assyria]
come, and find much water?
5 And he took courage, and built all the
broken wall, and made up the towers,
and another wall without, and repaired
Millo in the city of David, and made
many darts and shields.
6 And he set captains of war over the
people, and assembled them to him in
the broad place of the gate of the city,
and spake comfortably unto them, saying,
7 Be strong and courageous: fear not,
neither be afraid for the king of Asshur
[Assyria], neither for all the multitude
that is with him: for there be more with
us, than is with him.
8 With him is an arm of flesh, but with
us is the Lord our God for to help us,
and to fight our battles. Then the people
were confirmed by the words of
Hezekiah king of Judah.
9 After this, did Sennacherib king of
Asshur [Assyria] send his servants to
Jerusalem (while he was against
Lachish, and all his dominion with him)
unto Hezekiah king of Judah and unto all
Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 10
Thus saith Sennacherib the king of
Asshur [Assyria], Wherein do ye trust,
that ye will remain in Jerusalem, during
the siege?
11 Doth not Hezekiah entice you to give
over yourselves unto death by famine
and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God
shall deliver us out of the hand of the
king of Asshur [Assyria]?
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?
13 Know ye not what I and my fathers
have done unto all the people of other
countries? Were the gods of the nations
of other lands able to deliver their land
out of mine hand?
14 Who is he of all the gods of those
nations (that my fathers have destroyed)
that could deliver his people out of mine
hand? That your God should be able to
deliver you out of mine hand?
15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah
deceive you, nor seduce you after this
sort, neither believe ye him: for none of
all the gods 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 gods
deliver you out of mine hand?
16 And his servants spake yet more
against the Lord God, and against his
servant Hezekiah.
17 He wrote also letters, blaspheming
the Lord God of Israel and speaking
against him, saying, As the gods of the
nations of other countries could not
deliver their people out of mine hand, so
shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his
people out of mine hand.
18 Then they cried with a loud voice in
the Jews' speech unto the people of
Jerusalem that were on the wall, to fear
them and to astonish them, that they
might take the city.
19 Thus they spake against the God of
Jerusalem, as against the gods of the
people of the earth, even the works of
man's hands,
20 But Hezekiah the king, and the
prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed
against this and cried to heaven.
21 And the Lord sent an angel which
destroyed all the valiant men, and the
princes and captains of the host of the
king of Asshur [Assyria]: so he returned
with shame 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.
22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of
Sennacherib king of Asshur [Assyria],
and from the hand of all other, and
maintained them on every side.
23 And many brought offerings 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.
24 In those days Hezekiah was sick unto
the death, and prayed unto the Lord, who
spake unto him, and gave him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah did not render
according to the reward bestowed upon
him: for his heart was lift up, and wrath
came upon him, and upon Judah and
Jerusalem.
26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled
himself (after that his heart was lifted
up) he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and the wrath of the Lord came not upon
them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 Hezekiah also had exceeding much
riches and honor, and he gat him
treasures of silver, and of gold, and of
precious stones, and of sweet odors, and
of shields, and of all pleasant vessels:
28 And of storehouses for the increase
of wheat and wine and oil, and stalls for
all beasts, and rows for the stables.
29 And he made him cities, and had
possession of sheep and oxen in
abundance: for God had given him
substance exceeding much.
30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the
upper water springs of Gihon, and led
them straight underneath toward the city
of David westward. So Hezekiah
prospered in all his works.
31 But because of the ambassadors of
the princes of Babylon, which sent unto
him to inquire of the wonder that was
done in the land, God left him to try him,
and to know all that was in his heart.
32 Concerning 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, in the book of
the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 So Hezekiah slept with his fathers,
and they buried him in the highest
sepulchre of the sons of David: and all
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
did him honor at his death: and
Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.