Sennacherib Invades Judah
After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came; and he came into Judah, and camped against the fortified cities, and said to break them open for himself.
And Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, with his face set for war against Jerusalem;
and he took counsel with his commanders and his mighty men to stop up the waters of the springs that were outside the city — and they helped him.
And many people gathered, and they stopped up all the springs, and the stream flowing through the middle of the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?”
And he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised towers on it, and outside it another wall; and he strengthened the Millo of the city of David, and made weapons in abundance, and shields.
And he set commanders of war over the people; and he gathered them to himself, to the open square of the gate of the city, and spoke to their heart, saying:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear, and do not be shattered before the king of Assyria, and before all the multitude that is with him — for with us is one greater than with him.
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 leaned on the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
After this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem — he himself was at Lachish, with all his dominion with him — against Hezekiah, king of Judah, and against all Judah that was in Jerusalem, saying:
“Thus says Sennacherib, king of Assyria: On what are you trusting, that you sit under siege in Jerusalem?
Is not Hezekiah misleading you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us from the palm of the king of Assyria’?
Is he not the same Hezekiah who removed his high places and his altars, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘Before one altar you shall bow down, and on it you shall burn incense’?
Do 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 at all able to deliver their land from my hand?
Who among all the gods of those 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?
And now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not let him mislead you like this. 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!”
And his servants spoke still more against the LORD God, and against Hezekiah his servant.
And he wrote letters to taunt the LORD, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying: “Like the gods of the nations of the lands, who did not deliver their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand.”
And they called out with a great voice, in Judean, to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall — to frighten them and to terrify them, so that they might capture the city.
And they spoke about the God of Jerusalem as about the gods of the peoples of the earth — the work of human hands.
Jerusalem Delivered from the Assyrians
And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed over this, and cried out to the heavens.
And the LORD sent an angel, and he wiped out every mighty man of valor, and leader, and commander, in the camp of the king of Assyria; and he returned with shame of face to his own land. And he came into the house of his god, and there some of those who came out of his own body made him fall by the sword.
And the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and from the hand of all; and he gave them rest on every side.
And many were bringing tribute to the LORD, to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah, king of Judah; and he was lifted high in the eyes of all the nations from then on.
Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery
In those days Hezekiah fell sick, to the point of death; and he prayed to the LORD, and he spoke to him, and gave him a wonder.
But Hezekiah did not repay according to the benefit done him — for his heart rose high; and wrath came on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart — he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
And Hezekiah had riches and honor in very great abundance; and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stone, and for spices, and for shields, and for every kind of desirable article;
and storehouses for the produce of grain, and new wine, and oil; and stalls for every kind of beast, and flocks for the folds.
And he made himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance — for God had given him very much property.
And he, Hezekiah, stopped up the upper outlet of the waters of the Gihon, and directed them straight down, west of the city of David. And Hezekiah succeeded in all his work.
Yet so, with the envoys of the officials of Babylon, who were sent to him to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land — God left him, to test him, to know all that was in his heart.
Hezekiah’s Death
And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his loyal deeds — look, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
And Hezekiah lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem gave him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son became king in his place.