After these things and this faithfulness, aSennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, intending to take them for himself.2 Kin 18:13-19, 37; Is 36:1-37:38 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to go to war against Jerusalem, 3 he decided, together with his officers and his soldiers, to stop up the water supply from the springs which were outside the city by enclosing them with masonry and concealing them, and they helped him. 4 So many people came together, aand they stopped up all the springs and bthe brook which flowed underground through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find an abundance of water?”2 Kin 20:202 Chr 32:30 5 Also Hezekiah resolutely set to work and arebuilt all the wall that had been broken down, and erected towers on it, and he built banother wall outside and strengthened the cMillo in the City of David, and made a great number of weapons and shields.2 Chr 25:232 Kin 25:41 Kin 9:24 6 He also appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and aspoke 1encouragingly to them, saying,Lit to their heart.2 Chr 30:22 7 “aBe strong and courageous. Do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the army that is with him; bfor the One with us is greater than the one with him.1 Chr 22:132 Kin 6:16 8 With him there is only aan arm of flesh, but bwith us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.Jer 17:52 Chr 20:17
9 After this, aSennacherib king of Assyria, while he was at Lachish besieging it with all his forces, sent his servants to Jerusalem, to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,2 Kin 18:17 10 “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘In what do you trust that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege? 11 Is not Hezekiah misleading you in order to let you die by famine and thirst, while saying, “The LORD our God will rescue us from the hand of the king of Assyria?” 12 aHas the same Hezekiah not taken away 1his Baal’s high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, “You shall worship before only one altar and burn incense on it”?Sennacherib does not distinguish between the true God of Israel and the pagan gods (see 31:1; 33:3), thinking that the people were still loyal to idols and offended at Hezekiah’s removal of them.2 Chr 31:1 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the other lands? aWere the gods of the nations of those lands able to rescue their lands from my hand at all?2 Kin 18:33-35 14 aWho was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed who was able to rescue his people from my hand, that your God should be able to rescue you from my hand?Is 10:9-11 15 So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for ano god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God rescue you from my hand!’”Ex 5:2; Is 36:18-20; Dan 3:15
16 And his servants said even more against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 The Assyrian king also wrote letters insulting and taunting the LORD God of Israel, and speaking against Him, saying, “aAs the gods of the nations of other lands have not rescued their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not rescue His people from my hand.”2 Chr 32:14 18 aThey shouted it loudly in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city without a long siege.2 Kin 18:28 19 They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of athe gods of the peoples of the earth, which are only the work of the hands of men.Ps 115:4-8
20 But Hezekiah the king and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven for help. 21 And the LORD sent an angel who destroyed every brave warrior, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king returned to his own land in shame. And when he entered the house of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword. 2+@Kin 19:35-37 22 Thus the LORD asaved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and He gave them rest on every side.Is 31:5 23 And amany brought gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem and valuable presents to Hezekiah king of Judah; so from then on bhe was exalted in the sight of all nations.2 Sam 8:102 Chr 1:1
24 aIn those days Hezekiah became terminally ill; and he prayed to the LORD, and He answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.2 Kin 20:1-11; Is 38:1-8 25 But Hezekiah did nothing for the LORD in return for the benefit bestowed on him, abecause his heart had become proud; btherefore God’s wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.2 Chr 26:16; 32:312 Chr 24:18 26 However, aHezekiah humbled his proud heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.Jer 26:18, 19
27 Now Hezekiah had immense wealth and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of delightful articles, 28 and storehouses for the produce of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds for the flocks. 29 Moreover, he made cities for himself and acquired an abundance of flocks and herds, for aGod gave him very many possessions.1 Chr 29:12 30 This same Hezekiah also astopped up the upper outlet of the waters of bGihon and channeled them down to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah succeeded in everything that he did.2 Kin 20:201 Kin 1:33 31 And so in the matter of athe envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who were sent to him to inquire about bthe wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only cto test him, in order to know everything that was in his heart. Is 39:1-72 Kin 20:12; Is 39:12 Chr 32:24; Is 38:7, 8Deut 8:16
32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his godly achievements, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 So Hezekiah slept with his fathers in death and they buried him in the upper section of the tombs of the descendants of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem ahonored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.Ps 112:6; Prov 10:7