1After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came; he entered Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, and he intended to break into them for himself.
2When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that his face was set toward war against Jerusalem,
3he took counsel with his officials and his mighty men to stop up the waters of the springs that were outside the city; and they helped him.
4A great multitude of people was gathered, and they stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?”
5He strengthened himself and rebuilt all the wall that was broken down, raised towers upon it, and built another wall outside; he reinforced the Millo of the city of David and made abundant weapons and shields.
6He appointed commanders of war over the people, gathered them to himself in the square at the city gate, and spoke to their heart, saying:
7“Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or be dismayed before the king of Assyria or before all the multitude that is with him, for with us is one greater than with him.
8With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is Yahweh our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people leaned upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
9After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem—while he himself was before Lachish with all his dominion with him—against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying:
10“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: On what are you relying, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
11Is not Hezekiah misleading you, to give you over to die by famine and thirst, when he says, ‘Yahweh our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria’?
12Is it not this same Hezekiah who removed His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘Before one altar you shall bow down, and upon it you shall burn offerings’?
13Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands able at all to deliver their land from my hand?
14Who among all the gods of these nations that my fathers devoted to destruction was able to deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand?
15Now then, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you in this way, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers—how much less will your God deliver you from my hand!”
16His servants spoke still more against Yahweh God and against His servant Hezekiah.
17He also wrote letters to revile Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “Just as the gods of the nations of the lands did not deliver their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”
18They called out with a great voice in Judean to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and terrify them, so that they might capture the city.
19They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of human hands.
20Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed about this and cried out to the heavens.
21And Yahweh sent an angel who cut off every mighty warrior, leader, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned in shame to his own land, and when he entered the house of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down there with the sword.
22So Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and He gave them rest on every side.
23Many brought a gift-offering to Yahweh at Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, and from then on he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations.
24In those days Hezekiah became sick to the point of death. He prayed to Yahweh, and He spoke to him and gave him a sign.
25But Hezekiah did not repay according to the benefit done to him, for his heart grew proud; so wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
26Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
27Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable objects,
28and storehouses for the yield of grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for the flocks.
29He also acquired cities for himself, and abundant flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, for God had given him very great wealth.
30It was Hezekiah who stopped up the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his work.
31And so with the envoys of the officials of Babylon, who were sent to him to inquire about the sign that had happened in the land, God left him, to test him, to know all that was in his heart.
32Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his acts of loyal love, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33And Hezekiah lay down with his fathers, and they buried him on the ascent of the tombs 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 place.
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