1 After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of
Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified
cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2 When Hezekiah saw that
Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
3 he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters
of the springs which were outside of the city; and they helped him. 4 So
there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the springs,
and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should
the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? 5 He took courage, and
built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the
towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in the
city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. 6 He set
captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the
broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke comfortably to them, saying,
7 Be strong and of good courage, don’t be afraid nor dismayed for the king
of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater
with us than with him: 8 with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is
Yahweh our God to help us, and to fight our battles. The people rested
themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9 After this did
Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was
before Lachish, and all his power with him,) to Hezekiah king of Judah, and
to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, 10 Thus says Sennacherib king
of Assyria, Whereon do you trust, that you abide the siege in
Jerusalem? 11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by
famine and by thirst, saying, Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand
of the king of Assyria? 12 Has not the same Hezekiah taken away his high
places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, You
shall worship before one altar, and on it shall you burn incense? 13
Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the
lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any wise able to deliver
their land out of my hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of those
nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out
of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
15 Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you after
this manner, neither believe you him; for no god of any nation or
kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of
my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?
16 His servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against his servant
Hezekiah. 17 He wrote also letters, to rail on Yahweh, the God of Israel,
and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands,
which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of
Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand. 18 They cried with a loud
voice in the Jews’ language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall,
to frighten them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.
19 They spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of
the earth, which are the work of men’s hands. 20 Hezekiah the king, and
Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to
heaven. 21 Yahweh sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor,
and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he
returned with shame of face to his own land. When he was come into the house
of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with
the sword. 22 Thus Yahweh 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 Many brought gifts to
Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that
he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 24 In those
days Hezekiah was sick even to death: and he prayed to Yahweh; and he spoke
to him, and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah didn’t render again according
to the benefit done to him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was
wrath on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah
humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh didn’t come on them in the days of
Hezekiah. 27 Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and he provided
him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for
spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels;
28 store-houses also for the increase of grain and new wine and oil; and
stalls for all manner of animals, and flocks in folds. 29 Moreover he
provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for
God had given him very much substance. 30 This same Hezekiah also stopped
the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on
the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
31 However in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of
Babylon, who sent to him to inquire 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 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, 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 Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and
they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David: and all
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. Manasseh
his son reigned in his place.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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