1After these Lit things and this faithfulnessacts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and Lit saidintended to break into them for himself.

2Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that Lit he set his face for warhe intended to wage war against Jerusalem,

3he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him.

4So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed Lit in the midst ofthrough the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?”

5And he resolutely set to work and rebuilt all of the wall that had been broken down and Lit raised on the towerserected towers on it, and built another outside wall and strengthened the I.e., terraced structureMillo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great numbers.

6He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the public square at the city gate, and spoke Lit upon their heartsencouragingly to them, saying,

7“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the One with us is greater than the one with him.

8With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

9After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was Lit againstbesieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying,

10“This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: ‘On what are you trusting that you are staying in Jerusalem under siege?

11Is Hezekiah not misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “The Lord our God will save us from the Lit palmhand of the king of Assyria”?

12Is it not the same Hezekiah who removed His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and Lit Jerusalem, saying,Jerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall Lit offer up in smokeburn incense”?

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 those lands at all able to save their land from my hand?

14Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could save his people from my hand, that your God would be able to save you from my hand?

15Now then, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to save his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God save you from my hand?’ ”

16His servants spoke further against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah.

17He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands Lit who havehave not saved their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not save His people from my hand.”

18They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city.

19They spoke Lit toof the God of Jerusalem as they did against the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of human hands.

20But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and called out to heaven for help.

21And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every warrior, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned Lit in shame of facein shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with the sword.

22So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and Another reading is gave them restguided them on every side.

23And many were bringing gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem and valuable presents to Hezekiah king of Judah; so thereafter he rose in the sight of all nations.

24In those days Hezekiah became Lit sick to the point of deathmortally ill; and he prayed to the Lord, and Lit Hethe Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign.

25But Hezekiah did nothing in return for the benefit Lit to Himhe received, because his heart was Lit highproud; therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

26However, Hezekiah Lit humbled himself inhumbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

27Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable articles,

28also storehouses for the produce of grain, wine, and oil; stalls for all kinds of cattle, and As in ancient versions; MT herds for the stablessheepfolds for the flocks.

29He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, because God had given him very great Lit possessions; or propertywealth.

30It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah was successful in everything that he did.

31Even in the matter of the messengers of the rulers of Babylon, who were sent to him to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land; God left him alone only to test him, so that He might know everything that was in his heart.

32Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

33So Hezekiah I.e., diedlay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the Or ascent toupper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.