1. After these things and this faithfulness, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, came and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them over for himself.
2. And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he had set his face to fight against Jerusalem,
3. He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains outside the city. And they helped him.
4. And there were gathered many people, who stopped all the fountains and the brook which ran through the midst of the land, saying, “Why should the king of Assyria come and find much water?”
5. And 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 weapons and shields in abundance.
6. Then 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 Hezekiah king of Judah.
9. After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem—while he laid siege against Lachish, and all his forces with him—unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah in Jerusalem, saying,
10. “Sennacherib king 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 shall deliver us out of the hand of 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 upon 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 was able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
15. And now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way, nor yet 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 shall your God deliver you out of my hand?’ ”
16. And 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 the God of Hezekiah not be able to deliver His people out of my hand.”
18. Then they cried out with a loud voice in the Jews’ language 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. And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.
20. Now for this reason Hezekiah the king and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.
21. And the LORD sent an angel to cut off all the mighty men of power, and the leaders and commanders in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And he came into the house of his god, and some of his own sons killed him there with the sword.
22. But the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.
23. And many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from that time forward.
24. In those days Hezekiah was sick unto death and prayed to the LORD. And He spoke to him, and He gave him a sign.
25. But Hezekiah responded not again according to the good done to 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, he and the people of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
27. And 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. And he also made storehouses for the increase of grain and wine and oil, and stalls for all kinds of animals, and stalls for flocks.
29. Moreover, he provided himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him many things.
30. And 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. Nevertheless, in the business of the ambassadors of the princes 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. And 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 highest of the tombs of the sons of David. And all Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh reigned in his place.
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