The Second Book of the Chronicles

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- Chapter 32 -

(2 Kings 18:13–16; Psalm 46:1–11)

After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and entered Judah. He camped to attack the fortified cities, which he intended to capture for himself.

When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to fight against Jerusalem,

he consulted with his leaders and his powerful men to stop up the waters of the springs that were outside the city; they helped him do so.

So, many people gathered together and stopped up all the springs and the stream that was flowing through the middle of the land. They said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find a lot of water?”

Hezekiah took courage and built up all the wall that was broken down. He built the towers on the wall, and also the other wall outside. He also strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and he made large amounts of weapons and shields.

He placed military commanders over the people. He gathered them together to him in the broad place at the city gate and spoke encouragingly to them. He said,

“Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and all the army that is with him, for someone is with us who is greater than those with him.

With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is Yahweh, our God, to help us, and to fight our battles.” Then the people comforted themselves with the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

(2 Kings 18:17–37; Isaiah 36:1–22)

After this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem. Now he was in front of Lachish, and all his army was with him. To Hezekiah, king of Judah, and to all of Judah who were in Jerusalem, he said,

“This is what Sennacherib, king of Assyria, says: What are you relying on in order to endure a siege in Jerusalem?

Is not Hezekiah misleading you, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, ‘Yahweh our God will rescue us from the hand of the king of Assyria’?

Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, ‘On one altar you must worship, and on it you must burn your sacrifices’?

Do you not know what I and my ancestors have done to all the nations of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands able in any way to rescue their land from my power?

Among all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed, was there any god who could rescue his people out of my hand? Why should your God be able to rescue you from my power?

Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people out of my hand, or out of the hand of my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my hand?”

Sennacherib’s servants spoke even more against Yahweh God and against his servant Hezekiah.

Sennacherib also wrote letters in order to mock Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against him. He said, “As the gods of the nations of the lands have not rescued their people out of my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not rescue his people out of my hand.”

They cried out in the language of the Jews to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, in order that they might capture the city.

They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken of the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely the work of men’s hands.

Jerusalem Delivered from the Assyrians

(2 Kings 19:35–37; Isaiah 37:36–38)

Hezekiah, the king, and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed because of this matter and he cried out to heaven.

Yahweh sent an angel, who killed the fighting men, the commanders, and the officers of the king in the camp. So Sennacherib returned shame-faced to his own land. When he had gone into the house of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.

In this way, 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 gave them rest on every side.

Many were bringing offerings to Yahweh in Jerusalem, and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was lifted up in the eyes of all nations from that time forward.

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

(2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8)

In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of dying. He prayed to Yahweh, who spoke to him and gave him a sign that he would be healed.

But Hezekiah did not pay back Yahweh for the help given to him, for his heart was lifted up. So anger came on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.

Nevertheless, Hezekiah later humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh’s anger did not come on them during Hezekiah’s days.

Hezekiah had very many riches and much honor. He provided himself with storerooms for silver, gold, precious stones, and for spices, as well as for shields and for all kinds of valuable objects.

He also had storehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of animals. He also had flocks in their pens.

In addition, he provided himself with cities and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very much wealth.

It was this same Hezekiah who also stopped up the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and who brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in all his projects.

However, in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to ask questions of those who knew, about the miraculous sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him, and to know all that was in his heart.

Hezekiah’s Death

As for the other matters concerning Hezekiah, including his actions of covenant loyalty, you can see that they are written in The Vision of the Prophet Isaiah Son of Amoz, and in The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

Hezekiah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him on the hill of the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Manasseh his son became king in his place.

(2 Kings 18:13–16; Psalm 46:1–11)

After these things and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, entered into Judah, encamped against the fortified cities, and intended to win them for himself.

When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that he was planning to fight against Jerusalem,

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.

Then many people gathered together and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the middle of the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find abundant water?”

He took courage, built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, with the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in David’s city, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

He set captains of war over the people, gathered them together to him in the wide place at the gate of the city, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying,

“Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater one with us than with him.

An arm of flesh is with him, but the LORD our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

(2 Kings 18:17–37; Isaiah 36:1–22)

After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was attacking Lachish, and all his forces were with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,

Sennacherib king of Assyria says, “In whom do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?

Doesn’t Hezekiah persuade you to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria’?

Hasn’t the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You shall worship before one altar, and you shall burn incense on it’?

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 those lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?

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?

Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you nor persuade you in this way. Don’t believe 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 will your God deliver you out of my hand?”

His servants spoke yet more against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah.

He also wrote letters insulting the LORD, the God of Israel, and speaking 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.”

They called out 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.

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.

Jerusalem Delivered from the Assyrians

(2 Kings 19:35–37; Isaiah 37:36–38)

Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.

The LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, 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 had come into the house of his god, those who came out of his own body

(a)

killed him there with the sword.

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 others, and guided them on every side.

Many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from then on.

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

(2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8)

In those days Hezekiah was terminally ill, and he prayed to the LORD; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign.

But Hezekiah didn’t reciprocate appropriate to the benefit done for him, because his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem.

However, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the LORD’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah had exceedingly great riches and honor. He provided himself with treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of valuable vessels;

also storehouses for the increase of grain, new wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of animals, and flocks in folds.

Moreover he provided for himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him abundant possessions.

This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of David’s city. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

However, concerning 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 test him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

Hezekiah’s Death

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.

Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent to the tombs of the sons of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes

(a)32:21 i.e., his own sons