Sennacherib's Army Surrounds
Jerusalem
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 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. 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.
Hezekiah's Pride, Success and Death
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 honor: 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 honor
at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
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