2 Chronicles 32

Expanded Bible

Assyria Attacks Judah^(A)

32 After Hezekiah ·did all these things to serve the Lord [accomplished these faithful acts], Sennacherib king of Assyria ·came and attacked [invaded] Judah. He and his army ·surrounded and attacked [besieged] the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities, ·hoping [intending] to take them for himself. ² Hezekiah ·knew [realized] that Sennacherib had come to Jerusalem to attack it. ³ So Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials] and army ·commanders [officers] decided to ·cut off [stop the flow of] the water from the springs outside the city. So they helped Hezekiah. ⁴ Many people ·came [gathered] and ·cut off [stopped up] all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. They said, “Why should the king of Assyria come and find ·plenty of [abundant] water?” ⁵ Then Hezekiah ·made Jerusalem stronger. He […took courage/or worked hard/^Lstrengthened himself and] rebuilt all the broken parts of the wall and ·put [erected; raised] towers on it. He also built another wall outside the first one and strengthened the ·area that was filled in on the east side [^LMillo; ^Cpossibly fortified terraces] of the City of David [^CJerusalem]. He also made many weapons and shields.

⁶ Hezekiah ·put [appointed] army ·commanders [officers] over the ·people [or army] and met with them ·at the open place near [in the square at] the city gate. Hezekiah encouraged them, saying, ⁷ “Be strong and ·brave [courageous]. Don’t be afraid or ·worried [panic] because of the king of Assyria or ·his large army [all his horde]. There is a greater ·power [one] with us than with him. ⁸ He only has ·men [human strength; ^Lan arm of flesh], but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

⁹ After this King Sennacherib of Assyria and all his army ·surrounded and attacked [besieged] Lachish. Then he sent his ·officers [officials; servants] to Jerusalem with this message for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah in Jerusalem:

¹⁶ Sennacherib’s ·officers [officials] ·said worse things against [further insulted/mocked] the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah. ¹⁷ King Sennacherib also wrote letters ·insulting [mocking] the Lord, the God of Israel. They spoke against him, saying, “The gods of the other nations could not ·save [rescue; ^Tdeliver] their people from me. In the same way Hezekiah’s ·god [God] won’t be able to ·save [rescue; ^Tdeliver] his people from me.” ¹⁸ Then the king’s ·officers [officials] shouted in ·Hebrew [^Lthe language of Judah], calling out to the people of Jerusalem who were on the city wall. The ·officers [officials] wanted to ·scare [frighten and terrify] the people so they could capture Jerusalem. ¹⁹ They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as though he were like the gods the people of the ·world [earth] worshiped, which are made by human hands.

God Rescues Judah^(B)

²⁰ King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz ·prayed [cried out to] to heaven about this. ²¹ Then the Lord sent an angel who ·killed [destroyed; annihilated] all the soldiers, ·leaders [commanders], and officers in the ·camp [army] of the king of Assyria. So the king went back to his own country in ·disgrace [shame; humiliation]. When he went into the ·temple [^Lhouse] of his god, some of his own ·sons [children] killed him with a sword.

²² So the Lord ·saved [rescued; ^Tdelivered] Hezekiah and the people in Jerusalem from [^Lthe hand of] Sennacherib king of Assyria and from all other people. He ·took care of [guided; or gave rest to] them on every side. ²³ Many people brought ·gifts [offerings] for the Lord to Jerusalem, and they also brought ·valuable gifts [precious things] to King Hezekiah of Judah. From then on all the nations ·respected [looked up to; exalted] Hezekiah.

Hezekiah Dies^(C)

²⁴ At that time Hezekiah became so sick he almost died. When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord spoke to him and gave him a ·sign [miraculous sign; ^CGod gave him a sign that he would live for another fifteen years; Is. 38:1–8]. ²⁵ But Hezekiah ·did not thank God for his kindness [did not respond to/was not grateful for the kindness shown him], because he was so proud. So ·the Lord was angry with [^Lwrath came upon] him and the people of Judah and Jerusalem. ²⁶ ·But later [Then] Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem ·were sorry and stopped being proud [humbled themselves], so ·the Lord did not punish [^Lthe wrath of the Lord did not come on] them while Hezekiah was alive.

²⁷ Hezekiah had ·many riches [great wealth] and much honor. He made treasuries for his silver, gold, ·gems [precious stones], spices, shields, and other valuable things. ²⁸ He built ·storage buildings [storehouses] for grain, new wine, and olive oil and stalls for all the cattle and pens for the sheep. ²⁹ He also built many towns. He had ·many [vast] flocks and herds, because God had given Hezekiah much wealth.

³⁰ It was Hezekiah who ·cut off [blocked; stopped; dammed] the upper pool of the Gihon spring and ·made those waters flow [channeled/directed the water] straight down to the west side of the City of David [^CJerusalem]. And Hezekiah ·was successful [prospered] in everything he did. ³¹ But one time the ·leaders [officials] of Babylon sent messengers to Hezekiah, asking him about a ·strange [miraculous] sign that had happened in the land [2 Kin. 20:12–19; Is. 39:1–8]. When they came, God left Hezekiah ·alone [to himself] to test him so he could know everything that was in Hezekiah’s heart.

Hezekiah Dies^(D)

³² Hezekiah’s ·love for God [acts of devotion] and the ·other things [rest of the events/acts] he did as king are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. This is in the ·book [scroll] of the kings of Judah and Israel. ³³ Hezekiah ·died [^Llay down/^Tslept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried on a hill, where the ·graves [tombs] of David’s ·ancestors [descendants] are. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem honored Hezekiah when he died, and his son Manasseh became king in his place.