Sennacherib Invades Judah

(2 Kings 18:13-16; Psalm 46:1-11; Psalm 47:1-9; Psalm 48:1-14)

1After these things and this truth, come hath Sennacherib king of Asshur, yea, he cometh in to Judah, and encampeth against the cities of the bulwarks, and saith to rend them unto himself. 2And Hezekiah seeth that Sennacherib hath come, and his face [is] to the battle against Jerusalem, 3and he taketh counsel with his heads and his mighty ones, to stop the waters of the fountains that [are] at the outside of the city—and they help him, 4and much people are gathered, and they stop all the fountains and the brook that is rushing into the midst of the land, saying, ‘Why do the kings of Asshur come, and have found much water?’ 5And he strengtheneth himself, and buildeth the whole of the wall that is broken, and causeth [it] to ascend unto the towers, and at the outside of the wall another, and strengtheneth Millo, [in] the city of David, and maketh darts in abundance, and shields. 6And he putteth heads of war over the people, and gathereth them unto him, unto the broad place of a gate of the city, and speaketh unto their heart, saying, 7‘Be strong and courageous, be not afraid, nor be cast down from the face of the king of Asshur, and from the face of all the multitude that [is] with him, for with us [are] more than with him. 8With him [is] an arm of flesh, and with us [is] Jehovah our God, to help us, and to fight our battles;’ and the people are supported by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Boasts against the Lord

(2 Kings 18:17-37)

9After this hath Sennacherib king of Asshur sent his servants to Jerusalem—and he [is] by Lachish, and all his power with him—against Hezekiah king of Judah, and against all Judah, who [are] in Jerusalem, saying, 10‘Thus said Sennacherib king of Asshur, On what are ye trusting and abiding in the bulwark, in Jerusalem? 11‘Is not Hezekiah persuading you, to give you up to die by famine, and by thirst, saying, Jehovah our God doth deliver us from the hand of the king of Asshur? 12Hath not Hezekiah himself turned aside His high places, and His altars, and speaketh to Judah and to Jerusalem, saying, Before one altar ye bow yourselves, and on it ye make perfume? 13‘Do ye not know what I have done—I and my fathers—to all peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands at all able to deliver their land out of my hand? 14Who among all the gods of these nations whom my fathers have devoted to destruction [is] he who hath been able to deliver his people out of my hand, that your God is able to deliver you out of my hand? 15‘And, now, let not Hezekiah lift you up, nor persuade you thus, nor give credence to him, for no god of any nation and kingdom is able to deliver his people from my hand, and from the hand of my fathers: also, surely your God doth not deliver you from my hand!’

16And again have his servants spoken against Jehovah God, and against Hezekiah His servant, 17and letters he hath written to give reproach to Jehovah, God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, ‘As the gods of the nations of the lands that have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah doth not deliver His people from my hand.’ 18And they call with a great voice [in] Jewish, against the people of Jerusalem who [are] on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them, that they may capture the city, 19and they speak against the God of Jerusalem as against the gods of the peoples of the land—work of the hands of man.

Jerusalem Delivered from Sennacherib

(2 Kings 19:35-37)

20And Hezekiah the king prayeth, and Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, concerning this, and they cry to the heavens, 21and Jehovah sendeth a messenger, and cutteth off every mighty one of valour—both leader and head—in the camp of the king of Asshur, and he turneth back with shame of face to his land, and entereth the house of his god, and those coming out of his bowels have caused him to fall there by the sword. 22And Jehovah saveth Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Asshur, and from the hand of all, and He leadeth them round about; 23and many are bringing in an offering to Jehovah, to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, and he is lifted up before the eyes of all the nations after this.

Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery

(2 Kings 20:1-11)

24In those days hath Hezekiah been sick even unto death, and he prayeth unto Jehovah, and He speaketh to him, and a wonder hath appointed for him; 25and Hezekiah hath not returned according to the deed [done] unto him, for his heart hath been lofty, and there is wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem; 26and Hezekiah is humbled for the loftiness of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the wrath of Jehovah hath not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

27And Hezekiah hath riches and honour very much, and treasures he hath made to himself of silver, and of gold, and of precious stone, and of spices, and of shields, and of all [kinds] of desirable vessels, 28and storehouses for the increase of corn, and new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and herds for stalls; 29and cities he hath made for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God hath given to him very much substance. 30And Hezekiah himself hath stopped the upper source of the waters of Gihon, and directeth them beneath to the west of the city of David, and Hezekiah prospereth in all his work; 31and so with the ambassadors of the heads of Babylon, those sending unto him to inquire of the wonder that hath been in the land, God hath left him to try him, to know all in his heart,

32And the rest of the matters of Hezekiah, and his kind acts, lo, they are written in the vision of Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, on the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33And Hezekiah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in the uppermost of the graves of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have done honour to him at his death, and reign doth Manasseh his son in his stead.