 1 After these things were done, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded+ Judah, camped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he was determined+ to fight against Jerusalem, 3 he took counsel with his rulers and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains outside the city and they helped him. 4 Many people gathered and stopped all the fountains and the river that ran through the midst of the land saying, Why should the king of Assyria come and find much water? 5 He made himself strong and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall outside, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance. 6 He set commanders of war over the people and gathered them to himself in the street of the gate of the city. And he spoke to their heart saying, 7 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of the king of Assyria, or for all the multitude with him. For there are more 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 rested themselves on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah. 9 After this King Sennacherib of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem. And he was against Lachish, and all his forces with him against King Hezekiah of Judah, and against all Judah in Jerusalem saying, 10 King Sennacherib of Assyria says this, On what do you trust that you sit under siege in Jerusalem? 11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst saying, The Lord our God will deliver us from 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 burn incense on it? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the people of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hands? 14 Who among all the gods of those nations that my fathers completely destroyed is able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? 15 Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way, nor yet believe him. For no god of any nation was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and from my fathers. How much less shall your god deliver you out of my hand? 16 His servants spoke still more against the Lord God, and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 He also wrote letters to revile 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 my hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver His people out of my hand. 18 They cried out with a loud voice in Jewish to the people of Jerusalem on the wall, in order to frighten them and to trouble them, so that they might take the city. 19 They spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, the work of the hands of man. 20 For this reason Hezekiah the king and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed and cried out to Heaven. 21 The Lord sent an angel to cut off all the mighty men of valor+, and the leaders and commanders in the camp of the king of Assyria. And he returned with shame of face to his own land. And he came into the house of his god, and those from his own bowels killed him there with the sword. 22 The Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of King Sennacherib of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. 23 Many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to King Hezekiah of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from that time on. 24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to death, and prayed to the Lord. And He spoke to him, and He gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not give again according to the good done to him, for his heart was lifted up. And there was wrath on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Hezekiah was humbled for the pride of his heart, he and the people of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 Hezekiah had exceedingly 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 kinds of pleasant jewels. 28 He made storehouses for the increase of grain and wine and oil, and stalls for all kinds of animals, and stalls for flocks. 29 He made for himself cities and possession of flocks and herds in abundance. For God had given him much wealth. 30 Hezekiah himself stopped the upper water courses of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah was blessed in all his works. 31 But, in regard to the ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon who sent to him to ask about the wonder that was done in the land, God left him in order to try him, to know all that was in his heart. 32 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. 33 Hezekiah slept with his fathers and they buried him in the highest of the tombs of the sons of David. Then all Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him at his death and his son Manasseh reigned in his place.
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