32:1 And after these things and this
faithful dealing, came Sennacherim king of the Assyrians, and he came to
Juda, and encamped against the fortified cities, and intended to take them
for himself.
32:2 And Ezekias saw that Sennacherim was come, and [that] his face [was
set] to fight against Jerusalem.
32:3 And he took counsel with his elders and his mighty [men] to stop the
wells of water which were without the city: and they helped him.
32:4 And he collected many people, and stopped the wells of water, and the
river that flowed through the city, saying, Lest the king of Assyria come,
and find much water, and strengthen [himself].
32:5 And Ezekias strengthened [himself], and built all the wall that had
been pulled down, and the towers, and another wall in front without, and
fortified the strong place of the city of David, and prepared arms in
abundance.
32:6 And he appointed captains of war over the people, and they were
gathered to [meet] him to the open place of the gate of the valley, and he
encouraged them, saying,
32:7 Be strong and courageous, and fear not, neither be dismayed before the
King of Assyria, and before all the nation that [is] with him: for [there
are] more with us than with him.
32:8 With him [are] arms of flesh; but with us [is] the Lord our God to save
[us], and to fight our battle. And the people were encouraged at the words
of Ezekias king of Juda.
32:9 And afterward Sennacherim king of the Assyrians sent his servants to
Jerusalem; and [he wet] himself against Lachis, and all his army with him,
and sent to Ezekias king of Juda, and to all Juda that [was] in Jerusalem,
saying,
32:10 Thus says Sennacherim king of the Assyrians, On what do ye trust, that
ye will remain in the siege in Jerusalem?
32:11 Does not Ezekias deceive you, to deliver you to death and famine and
thirst, saying, The Lord our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king
of Assyria?
32:12 Is not this Ezekias who has taken down his altars and his high places
and has spoken to Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall
worship before this altar and burn incense upon it?
32:13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done to all the nations of the
countries? Could the gods of the nations of all the earth at all rescue
their people out of my hand?
32:14 Who is there among all the gods of those nations whom my fathers
utterly destroyed, [worthy of trust]? Could they deliver their people out of
my hand, that your God should deliver you out of my hand?
32:15 Now then, let not Ezekias deceive you, and let him not make you thus
confident, and believe him not: for no god of any kingdom or nation is at
all able to deliver his people out of my hand, or the hand of my fathers:
therefore your God shall not deliver you out of my hand.
32:16 And his servants continued to speak against the Lord God, and against
his servant Ezekias.
32:17 And he wrote a letter to reproach the Lord God of Israel, and spoke
concerning him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the earth have not
delivered their people out of my hand, so the God of Ezekias shall by no
means deliver his people out of my hand.
32:18 And he cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language to the people of
Jerusalem on the wall, [calling them] to assist them, and pull down [the
walls], that they might take the city.
32:19 And he spoke against the God of Jerusalem, even as against the gods of
the nations of the earth, the works of the hands of men.
32:20 And king Ezekias and Esaias the prophet the son of Amos prayed
concerning these things, and they cried to heaven.
32:21 And the Lord sent an angel, and he destroyed every mighty man and
warrior, and leader and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria: and he
returned with shame of face to his own land and came into the house of his
god: and [some] of them that came out of his bowels slew him with the sword.
32:22 So the Lord delivered Ezekias and the dwellers in Jerusalem out of the
hand of Sennacherim King of Assyria, and out of the hand of all [his
enemies], and gave them rest round about.
32:23 And many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to
Ezekias king of Juda; and he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations
after these things.
32:24 In those days Ezekias was sick even to death, and prayed to the Lord:
and he hearkened to him, and gave him a sign.
32:25 But Ezekias did not recompense the Lord according to the return which
he made him, but his heart was lifted up: and wrath came upon him, and upon
Juda and Jerusalem.
32:26 And Ezekias humbled himself after the exaltation of his heart, he and
the dwellers in Jerusalem; and the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them
in the days of Ezekias.
32:27 And Ezekias had wealth and very great glory: and he made for himself
treasuries of gold, and silver, and precious stones, also for spices, and
stores for arms, and for precious vessels;
32:28 and cities for the produce of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls and
mangers for every [kind of] cattle, and folds for flocks;
32:29 and cities which he built for himself, and store of sheep and oxen in
abundance, for the Lord gave him a very great store.
32:30 The same Ezekias stopped up the course of the water of Geon above, and
brought the water down straight south of the city of David. And Ezekias
prospered in all his works.
32:31 Notwithstanding, in regard to the ambassadors of the princes of
Babylon, who were sent to him to enquire of him [concerning] the prodigy
which came upon the land, the Lord left him, to try him, to know what was in
his heart.
32:32 And the rest of the acts of Ezekias, and his kindness, behold, they
are written in the prophecy of Esaias the son of Amos the prophet, and in
the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.
32:33 And Ezekias slept with his fathers, and they buried him in a high
place among the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Juda and the
dwellers in Jerusalem gave him glory and honour at his death. And Manasses
his son reigned in his stead. |
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.
32:2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was
purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
32:3 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.
32:4 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?
32:5 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.
32:6 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,
32:7 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:
32:8 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.
32:9 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,
32:10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye
abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
32:11 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?
32:12 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?
32:13 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?
32:14 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?
32:15 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?
32:16 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his
servant Hezekiah.
32:17 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.
32:18 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.
32:19 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.
32:20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son
of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.
32:21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor,
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.
32:22 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.
32:23 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.
32:24 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.
32:25 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.
32:26 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.
32:27 And Hezekiah had exceeding 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 manner of pleasant jewels;
32:28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and
stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
32:29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds
in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
32:30 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.
32:31 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.
32:32 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.
32:33 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 honor at his death. And Manasseh his son
reigned in his stead. |