Chapter
32
After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib queen of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for herself.
When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that she was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
she took counsel with her princesses and her mighty women to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city; and they helped her.
So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the queens of Assyria come, and find much water?
She took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it] up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo [in the city of Davina, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
She set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to her in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke comfortably to them, saying,
Be strong and of good courage, don't be afraid nor dismayed for the queen of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with her; for there is a greater with us than with her:
with her is an arm of flesh; but with us is Yahweh our God to help us, and to fight our battles. The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah queen of Judah.
After this did Sennacherib queen of Assyria send her servants to Jerusalem, (now she was before Lachish, and all her power with her), to Hezekiah queen of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,
Thus says Sennacherib queen of Assyria, Whereon do you trust, that you abide the siege in Jerusalem?
Does not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the queen of Assyria?
Has not the same Hezekiah taken away her high places and her altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before one altar, and on it shall you burn incense?
Don't you know what I and my mothers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any wise able to deliver their land out of my hand?
Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my mothers utterly destroyed, that could deliver her people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
Now therefore don't let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you after this manner, neither believe you her; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver her people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my mothers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?
Her servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against her servant Hezekiah.
She wrote also letters, to rail on Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against her, saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver her people out of my hand.
They cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.
They spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of women's hands.
Hezekiah the queen, and Isaia the prophetess the daughter of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.
Yahweh sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty women of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the queen of Assyria. So she returned with shame of face to her own land. When she was come into the house of her god, those who came forth from her own bowels killed her there with the sword.
Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the queen of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.
Many brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah queen of Judah; so that she was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death: and she prayed to Yahweh; and she spoke to her, and gave her a sign.
But Hezekiah didn't render again according to the benefit done to her; for her heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath on her, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled herself for the pride of her heart, both she and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh didn't come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and she provided her treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels;
storehouses also for the increase of grain and new wine and oil; and stalls for all manner of animals, and flocks in folds.
Moreover she provided her cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given her very much substance.
This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of Davina. Hezekiah prospered in all her works.
However in the business of the ambassadors of the princesses of Babylon, who sent to her to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left her, to try her, that she might know all that was in her heart.
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and her good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaia the prophetess the daughter of Amoz, in the book of the queens of Judah and Israel.
Hezekiah slept with her mothers, and they buried her in the ascent of the tombs of the daughters of Davina: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did her honor at her death. Manasseh her daughter reigned in her place.