Sennacherib Invades and Hezekiah Prepares
32 1 After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, intending to break into them for himself. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, intent on making war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his officials and his warriors about stopping up the waters of the springs that lay outside the city, and they helped him. 4 A large force gathered and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?" they said.
5 Then he worked hard to rebuild all the broken sections of the wall and built towers on it. Outside, he built another wall, strengthened the Millo of the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. a a v5 The Millo was a system of terraced fill and retaining walls built into the hillside of the City of David. 6 He appointed military commanders over the people, gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and spoke to their hearts, saying, 7 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified before the king of Assyria and the whole horde with him, for there are more with us than with him. 8 With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is our Father, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Sennacherib Mocks Our Father
9 After this, while Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem, to Hezekiah king of Judah and to all the people of Judah in Jerusalem, with this message: 10 "This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you trusting, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? 11 Is not Hezekiah misleading you, handing you over to die by famine and thirst, when he says, 'The LORD our God will rescue us from the hand of the king of Assyria'? 12 Was it not this same Hezekiah who removed his high places and altars, commanding Judah and Jerusalem, 'You must worship before one altar, and on it you must burn your offerings'? 13 Don't you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to rescue their lands from my hand? 14 Who among all the gods of those nations that my fathers devoted to destruction was able to rescue his people from my hand? How then can your God rescue you from my hand? 15 Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God rescue you from my hand!"
16 And his servants spoke still more against our Father and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 Sennacherib also wrote letters to insult our Father, the God of Israel, speaking against him: 'Just as the gods of the nations of the lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.' 18 Then they called out in a loud voice, in the language of Judah, to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might capture the city. 19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they spoke about the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of human hands.
20 Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. 21 And our Father sent an angel who cut down every mighty warrior, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So Sennacherib returned in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword. 22 So our Father saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and he cared for them on every side. 23 Many brought gifts to our Father in Jerusalem and valuable presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that from then on he was highly honored among all the nations.
Hezekiah's Illness, Pride, and Prosperity
24 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. He prayed to our Father, who answered him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not respond to the kindness shown him, for his heart had grown proud. So wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself because of his proud heart, he and the people of Jerusalem, so that our Father's wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.
27 Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. He made treasuries for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable objects, 28 storehouses also for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and pens for the flocks. 29 He built cities for himself and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for our Father had given him very great wealth. 30 It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and channeled them down to the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did. 31 But when the envoys of the rulers of Babylon were sent to him to inquire about the sign that had occurred in the land, our Father left him to himself, to test him and to know all that was in his heart.
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his faithful deeds are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper part of the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his place.