2 Chronicles 32:1-33 Hezekiah Prepares to Defend Judah Against Assyria

Hezekiah Prepares to Defend Judah Against Assyria

2 Chronicles 32:1-33                     2 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks]

After these things [were] [established,] Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, came, & [invaded] Judah, & [set camp near] the fenced, [a.k.a. fortified,] cities, & [planned] to [conquer] them for himself.

And when Hezekiah saw Sennacherib was [there,] & that he [planned] to fight against Jerusalem, [Hezekiah consulted] with his princes, [a.k.a. officials,] & his mighty men to stop [the flow of] the waters [from] the fountains, [a.k.a. springs, outside] the city, & they [helped] him.

So, [many] people gathered together there, who stopped all the [springs,] & the brook that ran through the [middle] of the land. [They] [said,] Why should [Assyria’s] kings come, & find [so] much water?

Also, [king Hezekiah] strengthened himself, & [rebuilt] the wall that was broken, & raised it up to the towers, & another wall [outside,] & repaired Milo, [a.k.a. Millo,] in the city of David, & made [an] abundance [of] darts, [a.k.a. spears,] & shields.

And [king Hezekiah appointed] captains of war over the people, & gathered them together to him & [spoke kindly] to them, [on] the street of the gate of the city, saying, Be strong & courageous, & [don’t] be afraid, nor [worried, because] of [Assyria’s] king, & all the multitude with him. There [are] more [of] us, than [are] with him.

With [Assyria's king,] is an arm of flesh, but with us, the Lord our God is to help us, & to fight our battles. And the people [calmed] themselves [down after hearing] the words of Hezekiah, [Judah’s] king.

After this, Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, [sent] his servants to Hezekiah, [Judah's] king, [in] Jerusalem, (but he, & all his [forces] with him, [planned an attack] against Lachish.) [His servants said,] Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, [says this,] [On what] do you trust, that you [stay] in Jerusalem [when there’s] [an attack?]

[Doesn’t] Hezekiah persuade you, to give yourselves over to [dying] [from starvation, because of the] famine, & by thirst, saying, The Lord our God, shall deliver us out [of Assyria’s king’s] hand? [Hasn’t this] same Hezekiah taken away his: high places, & altars, & [has] commanded Judah & Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before one altar, & burn incense upon it?

[Don’t] you know what my [forefathers,] & I have done to all the people of other lands? Were the gods of those lands & nations able to deliver their lands out of [my] hand [by] any [means?]

Who among all the gods, was there [from] those nations, that my [forefathers totally] destroyed, that [was able to] deliver his people out of [my] hand, that [you think that:] your God should be able to deliver you out of [my] hand?

Now therefore, [don’t] let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this [matter.] [Don’t continue to] believe him, [because] [if] no god [from] any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people, out of my hand, & out of the hand of my [forefathers,] how much less [can] your God deliver you out of [my] hand?

And [Sennacherib’s] servants [still said] more against the Lord God, & against His servant, Hezekiah. [Sennacherib] also wrote [harassing] letters [about] the Lord God of Israel. Saying against [the Lord God, Since] the gods of the nations of other lands haven’t delivered their people out of [my] hand, the God of Hezekiah shall not [be able to] deliver His people out of [my] hand.

Then, they cried [out loudly] in the Jews' [language] to the people on the wall [rom] Jerusalem, to [frighten, & worry] them, [so] that they might [capture] the city. And they [spoke] against the God of Jerusalem, [like] [they spoke] against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work [made] [from] the hands of man. [Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.]

And for this [reason] king Hezekiah, & Isaiah, the prophet, [Amoz’] son, prayed, & cried [out] to heaven.

And the Lord sent an Angel, [who] cut off all [of Assyria’s] mighty men of valor, the leaders & captains in the camp of [Assyria’s] king. So, [Sennacerib] returned with shame to his own land.

And when he [came] into the house of his god, [those in his own family struck him down] there, with the sword. [By this,] the Lord saved Hezekiah, & the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, & from the hand of all [others,] And [the Lord God] guided them on every side.

And many brought gifts to Jerusalem, to the Lord, & presents to Hezekiah, [Judah’s] king, so that He was magnified in the sight of all [the] nations from [then on.] In those days, [when] Hezekiah was sick, [near] death, & prayed to the Lord, [the Lord God spoke] to him, & gave him a [miraculous] sign.

But [Hezekian’s] heart was lifted up [in pride & didn’t show God respect for all God had] done [for] him. Therefore, [the Lord God's] [anger] was upon him, & upon Judah & Jerusalem.

[However,] Hezekiah humbled his [prideful] heart, & he, & the inhabitants of Jerusalem, [did] so [as well,] so that the [Lord’s anger didn’t come] upon them [during Hezekiah’s life.]

And Hezekiah had much honor, & was [exceedingly rich,] & made himself treasuries for: silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, & all [types] of [precious] jewels. [Hezekiah] also [made:] store houses for the [extra] corn, [a.k.a. grain,] wine, & oil, and stalls for all [types of livestock, & pens] for flocks.]

[Additionally, Hezekiah] provided [for himself] cities, & [an] abundance of flocks & herds, [since] God had given him [lots of property.] This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper water [outlet] of Gihon, & brought [the water] straight down to the West [side] of the city of David.

And Hezekiah, prospered in all [he did.] [But] in the [matter of] [when] the ambassadors of [Babylon’s] princes, who [were] sent, & [came] to [Hezekiah] to [ask about] the [miraculous] wonder done in the land, God left [Hezekiah,] to [test] him, to know all that was in his heart.

Now, the rest of [Hezekiah’s actions,] & his goodness, [look,] they are written in the vision of the prophet, Isaiah, [Amoz’] son, & in the Book of Kings of Judah, & Israel.

Hezekiah [died,] & slept with his [forefathers,] & they buried him in the [best tombs] of [David’s descendants.] And all Judah, & the inhabitants of Jerusalem [honored Hezekiah] at his death. And his son, Manasseh [ruled] in [Hezekiah’s place.]