Divrei-HamYamim Bet (2 Ch) 32
32
1After these events and this faithfulness of [Hizkiyahu’s], Sancheriv king of Ashur came, invaded Y’hudah and besieged the fortified cities, thinking that he would break in [and capture] them. 2When Hizkiyahu saw that Sancheriv had come and intended to attack Yerushalayim, 3he consulted his leading men and military advisers about sealing off the water in the springs outside the city. After gaining their support, 4a large crowd was gathered to block all the springs and the stream flowing through the countryside. They reasoned, “Why should the kings of Ashur come and find an ample supply of water?” 5Then, taking courage, he rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall, raised towers on it, built another wall outside that, strengthened the Millo in the City of David, and made a large quantity of spears and shields. 6He appointed military commanders over the people, then gathered them before him in the open space at the city gate and spoke these words of encouragement to them: 7“Be strong! Take courage! Don’t be afraid or distressed on account of the king of Ashur or all the horde he brings with him. For the One with us is greater than the one with him — 8he has human strength, but we have Adonai our God to help us and fight our battles!” The people took heart at the words of Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah.
9After this, while Sancheriv and all his army were besieging Lakhish, he sent his envoys to Yerushalayim, to Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah and to all Y’hudah who were there in Yerushalayim, with this message: 10“This is what Sancheriv king of Ashur says: ‘What gives you the confidence that you can endure a siege against Yerushalayim? 11Hasn’t Hizkiyahu deluded you? Isn’t he condemning you to death by starvation and thirst when he says, “Adonai our God will save us from the king of Ashur”? 12Isn’t this the same Hizkiyahu who removed [your God’s] high places and altars and ordered Y’hudah and Yerushalayim to worship before one altar and offer sacrifices only on it? 13Don’t you realize what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of the other countries? Were the gods of these nations able to do a thing to rescue their country from me? 14Who of all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed was able to rescue his people from me? How then will your God rescue you from me? 15Don’t let Hizkiyahu mislead you or delude you this way, don’t believe him. For no god of any nation or kingdom has ever been able to rescue his people from me or my ancestors; how much less will your God rescue you from me!’”
16His envoys kept on speaking against Adonai, God; and against his servant Hizkiyahu. 17He also wrote a letter insulting Adonai the God of Isra’el and speaking against him; it said, “Just as the gods of the nations of the other countries could not rescue their people from me, likewise Hizkiyahu’s God will not rescue his people from me.”
18They were shouting loudly in the language of the Judeans to the people of Yerushalayim who were on the wall in order to terrify them and make them fearful, so that they could capture the city. 19They spoke about the God of Yerushalayim in the same way as about the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely human artifacts. 20Because of this, Hizkiyahu the king and Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, prayed and cried out to heaven. 21Then Adonai sent an angel, who cut down the valiant warriors, the leaders and the officers in the king of Ashur’s camp, so that he had to return shamefaced to his own country. When he entered the house of his god, his own sons, whom he himself had fathered, put him to death with the sword there.
22In this way Adonai rescued Hizkiyahu and those living in Yerushalayim from Sancheriv the king of Ashur and from everyone, caring for them in every respect. 23Many people brought gifts to Adonai in Yerushalayim and items of value to Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah, so that from then on he was regarded highly by all the nations.
24Around this time, Hizkiyahu became ill to the point of death. But he prayed to Adonai, who answered him, even giving him a sign. 25However, Hizkiyahu did not respond commensurately with the benefit done for him, because he had grown proud; thus he brought anger on himself and on Y’hudah and Yerushalayim as well. 26But Hizkiyahu then humbled himself for his pride, both he and the people living in Yerushalayim, so that Adonai’s anger did not strike them during Hizkiyahu’s lifetime.
27Hizkiyahu had vast riches and great honor. He provided himself with storage places for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles; 28also storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine and olive oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock and pens for the flocks. 29He provided cities for himself and purchased flocks and herds in abundance, for God had made him extremely wealthy.
30It was this same Hizkiyahu who blocked the upper outlet of the Gichon Spring and diverted the water straight down on the west side of the City of David.
Hizkiyahu succeeded in all that he did. 31However, in the matter of the ambassadors from the princes of Bavel, who sent to him to learn of the marvel that had taken place in the land, God left him by himself, in order to test him, so that he might know everything that was in his heart.
32Other activities of Hizkiyahu and his good deeds are recorded in the vision of Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, and in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah and Isra’el. 33Then Hizkiyahu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him by the path leading up to the tombs of the descendants of David. All Y’hudah and the people living in Yerushalayim honored him when he died, after which M’nasheh his son took his place as king.
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Divrei-HamYamim Bet (2 Ch) 32: CJB
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