|
2 Chronicles 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.
- 2
- And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and
that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
- 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.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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,
- 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:
- 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.
- 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,
- 10
- Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye
trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 16
- And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God,
and against his servant Hezekiah.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 20
- And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet
Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.
- 21
- And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty
men of valour, 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 27
- And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: 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;
- 28
- Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and
oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
- 29
- Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of
flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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 honour at his death. And Manasseh his son
reigned in his stead.
|
|
