[1] After these things and these acts of faithfulness Sennach'erib king of
Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities,
thinking to win them for himself. [2] And when Hezeki'ah saw that
Sennach'erib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, [3] he
planned with his officers and his mighty men to stop the water of the
springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. [4] A great many
people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the brook that
flowed through the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and
find much water?" [5] He set to work resolutely and built up all the wall
that was broken down, and raised towers upon it, and outside it he built
another wall; and he strengthened the Millo in the city of David. He also
made weapons and shields in abundance. [6] And he set combat commanders
over the people, and gathered them together to him in the square at the
gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, [7] "Be strong
and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of
Assyria and all the horde that is with him; for there is one greater with
us than with him. [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 took
confidence from the words of Hezeki'ah king of Judah. [9] After this
Sennach'erib king of Assyria, who was besieging Lachish with all his
forces, sent his servants to Jerusalem to Hezeki'ah king of Judah and to
all the people of Judah that were in Jerusalem, saying, [10] "Thus says
Sennach'erib king of Assyria, `On what are you relying, that you stand
siege in Jerusalem? [11] Is not Hezeki'ah misleading you, that he may give
you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, "The LORD our
God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria"? [12] Has not
this same Hezeki'ah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded
Judah and Jerusalem, "Before one altar you shall worship, and upon it you
shall burn your sacrifices"? [13] Do you not know what I and my fathers
have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations
of those lands at all able to deliver their lands out of my hand? [14] Who
among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed was
able to deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to
deliver you from my hand? [15] Now therefore do not let Hezeki'ah deceive
you or mislead you in this fashion, and do not believe him, for no god of
any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or
from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of
my hand!'" [16] And his servants said still more against the Lord GOD and
against his servant Hezeki'ah. [17] And he wrote letters to cast contempt
on the LORD the God of Israel and to speak against him, saying, "Like the
gods of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people from
my hands, so the God of Hezeki'ah will not deliver his people from my
hand." [18] And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah
to the people of Jerusalem who were upon the wall, to frighten and terrify
them, in order that they might take the city. [19] And they spoke of the
God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth,
which are the work of men's hands. [20] Then Hezeki'ah the king and Isaiah
the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven.
[21] And the LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and
commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned
with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his
god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword. [22] So the
LORD saved Hezeki'ah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of
Sennach'erib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies; and he
gave them rest on every side. [23] And many brought gifts to the LORD to
Jerusalem and precious things to Hezeki'ah king of Judah, so that he was
exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward. [24] In those
days Hezeki'ah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to
the LORD; and he answered him and gave him a sign. [25] But Hezeki'ah did
not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was
proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. [26] But
Hezeki'ah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon
them in the days of Hezeki'ah. [27] And Hezeki'ah had very great riches and
honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for
precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of costly
vessels; [28] storehouses also for the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and
stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds. [29] He likewise provided
cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given
him very great possessions. [30] This same Hezeki'ah closed the upper
outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of
the city of David. And Hezeki'ah prospered in all his works. [31] And so in
the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to
him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him
to himself, in order to try him and to know all that was in his heart. [32]
Now the rest of the acts of Hezeki'ah, 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] And Hezeki'ah 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. And
Manas'seh his son reigned in his stead.
