II Chronicles 32 · דברי הימים ב

After these things and these deeds of integrity, Sanĥeriv king of Ash­shur came, and entered into Yehuda, and encamped against the forti­fied cities, and thought to win them for himself.

And when Yeĥizqiyyahu saw that Sanĥeriv was come, and that he intended to fight against Yerushalayim,

he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the water of the springs which were outside the city: and they helped him.

So a great many people were gathered together, who stopped up all the springs, and also the wadi that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Ashshur come, and find much water?

Also he took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall outside that, and he strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the road place at the gate of the city, and spoke encouragement to them saying,

Be strong and courageous, be not afraid or dismayed on account of the king of Ashshur, or on account of the multitude that is with him: for there are more with us than with him:

with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people took confidence from the words of Yeĥizqiyyahu king of Yehuda.

After this Sanĥeriv king of Ashshur sent his servants to Yerushalayim, (for he himself laid siege to Lakhish, and all his power with him,) to Yeĥizqiyyahu king of Yehuda, and to all Yehuda who were at Yerushalayim, saying,

Thus says Sanĥeriv king of Ashshur, On what do you trust, that you stand siege in Yerushalayim?

Is not Yeĥizqiyyahu persuading you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Ashshur?

Has not the same Yeĥizqiyyahu taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Yehuda and Yerushalayim, saying, You shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?

Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand?

Who among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?

Now therefore let not Ḥizqiyyahu deceive you, or persuade you in this manner, and do not believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand?

And his servants spoke yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Yeĥizqiyyahu.

He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Yisra᾽el, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Yeĥizqiyyahu not deliver his people out of my hand.

Then they cried with a loud voice in the language of Yehuda to the people of Yerushalayim who were on the wall, to affright them, and to terrify them; that they might take the city.

And they spoke against the God of Yerushalayim, as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.

And for this Yeĥizqiyyahu the king, and the prophet Yesha῾yahu the son of Amoż, prayed and cried to heaven.

And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men at arms, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Ashshur. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, his own offspring slew him there with the sword.

Thus the Lord saved Yeĥizqiyyahu and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim from the hand of Sanĥeriv the king of Ashshur, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.

And many brought tribute to the Lord to Yerushalayim, and presents to Yeĥizqiyyahu king of Yehuda: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

In those days Yeĥizqiyyahu fell mortally sick, and he prayed to the Lord: and he spoke to him, and he gave him a sign.

But Yeĥiz­qiyyahu did not pay back according to the benefit done to him; for his heart was proud: therefore wrath came upon him, and upon Yehuda and Yerushalayim.

Nevertheless Yeĥizqiyyahu did humble himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Yeĥizqiyyahu.

And Yeĥizqiyyahu had very much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of choice vessels;

storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stables for all manner of beasts, and folds for sheep.

Moreover he provided cities, and possessions of flocks and herds for himself in abundance: for God had given him very great substance.

This same Yeĥizqiyyahu also stopped up the upper watercourse of Giĥon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Yeĥizqiyyahu prospered in all his works.

Howbeit in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Bavel, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

Now the rest of the acts of Yeĥizqiyyahu, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Yesha῾yahu the prophet, the son of Amoż, and in the book of the kings of Yehuda and Yisra᾽el.

And Yeĥizqiyyahu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David: and all Yehuda and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim did him honour at his death. And Menashshe his son reigned in his stead.