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 cities & [planned] to [conquer] them for himself. |
When Hezekiah saw Sennacherib was [there] & that he [planned] to fight against Jerusalem, [Hezekiah consulted] with his [officials] & his mighty men to stop [the flow of] the water of the [springs outside] the city & they helped him. |
[Many] people gathered together to [stop] 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, [Hezekiah worked hard & rebuilt] the walls that were broken & raised up [towers on the wall] & another wall [outside] & repaired Milo, in the city of David & made [an] abundance of [spears] & shields. |
And [Hezekiah appointed military officers] over the people & gathered them to him & [spoke kindly] to them in the [entrance gate’s street] of the city, saying, [Don’t be] afraid or [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 with us to help us, to fight our battles. The people [calmed down after] the words of Hezekiah, [Judah’s] king. |
Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, [sent] his servants to Hezekiah, in Jerusalem, [which he & his forces planned the attack] against Lachish. [His servants said,] Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king, [says,] Who do you trust, that you [stay] in Jerusalem [when there’s an attack?] |
[Does] Hezekiah persuade you to die [of starvation] & thirst, saying, The Lord, our God, shall deliver us out [of Assyria’s king’s] hand? [Hasn’t this] same Hezekiah taken away [the] high places & altars & has commanded Judah & Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before one altar & burn incense upon it? |
[Don’t] you know what my father & 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] hands? |
[What] god among [all] those nations that my father [totally] destroyed [was able] to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of [my] hand? |
Therefore, [don’t] let Hezekiah deceive you [or] persuade you on this [matter.] [Don’t] believe him, [because if] no god of any nation [or] kingdom was able to deliver his people, out of my hand or the land of my [forefathers,] how [can] your God deliver you out of my hand? |
[Sennacherib’s] servants [still] said more & wrote letters against the Lord God & against Hezekiah, [God’s] servant, saying, [Since] the gods of other nations & 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 Jew’s [language] to the people on the wall of Jerusalem to [frighten & worry] them, [so] that they might [capture] the city. They spoke against the God of Jerusalem [like they did] against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of [men’s] hands. |
[Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.] And for this [reason] Hezekiah, the king & Isaiah, the prophet, [Amoz’] son, prayed & cried [out] to heaven. |
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. |
When he came into the house of his god, [those in his own family struck him down] there, with a sword. The Lord saved Hezekiah & the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, [Assyria’s] king & from all [others & God] guided them on every side. |
Many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem & presents to Hezekiah, [Judah’s] king, so he was [highly regarded] in the sight of all the nations from [then on.] [When] Hezekiah was sick, [near] death & prayed to 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, [God’s anger] was upon him & Judah & Jerusalem. |
[Then,] Hezekiah humbled his [prideful] heart & the inhabitants of Jerusalem, [as well,] so that the [Lord’s anger didn’t] come upon them [during Hezekiah’s life.] |
Hezekiah had 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 grain,] wine & oil, and stalls for all [types of livestock & pens] for flocks.] |
[Also, Hezekiah] provided himself cities & an abundance of flocks & herds, [since] God had given him [lots of property.] Hezekiah also stopped the upper water [outlet] of Gihon & brought [the water] straight down to the west [side] of the city of David. |
Hezekiah, prospered in all [he did.] [But] in the [matter when] the ambassadors of [Babylon’s rulers] came to [Hezekiah] to [ask about] the [miraculous] wonder done in the land, God left [Hezekiah,] to [test] him, to know what was in his heart. |
Now, the rest of [Hezekiah’s actions] & all his goodness, are written in the vision of the prophet, Isaiah, [Amoz’] son, & the Book of Kings of Judah & Israel. |
Hezekiah [died] & slept with his [forefathers] & they buried him in the [best tombs] of [David’s] sons. All Judah & the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored [Hezekiah] at his death. His son, Manasseh [ruled] in [Hezekiah’s place.] |