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/L strengthened 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 [L Millo; C possibly fortified terraces] of the City of David [C Jerusalem]. 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; L an 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:
10 Sennacherib king of Assyria says this: “·You have nothing to trust in [L On what are you trusting…?] to help you. ·It is no use for you to [L Why do you…?] stay in Jerusalem under ·attack [siege]. 11 Hezekiah says to you, ‘The Lord our God will ·save [rescue; T deliver] us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ but he is ·fooling [misleading; deceiving] you, condemning you to death from hunger and thirst. 12 ·Hezekiah [L Did not Hezekiah…?] himself removed your Lord’s ·places of worship [L high places; 11:15] and altars. He told you people of Judah and Jerusalem that you must worship and burn incense on only one altar [C in the Temple at Jerusalem].
13 “·You know [L Do you not realize…?] what my ·ancestors [fathers] and I have done to all the people ·in other nations [of the lands]. ·The gods of those nations could not [L Were the gods of those lands able to…?] ·save [rescue] their people from my ·power [L hand]. 14 My ·ancestors [fathers] destroyed those nations. ·None [L Which…?] of their gods could save them from ·me [L my hand]. ·So your god cannot [L Why suppose your god/God can…?] ·save [rescue; T deliver] you from my ·power [L hand]. 15 Do not let Hezekiah ·fool [deceive] you or ·trick [mislead] you, and do not believe him. No god of any nation or kingdom has been able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] his people from me or my ·ancestors [fathers]. ·Your god is even less [L How much less will your god/God be…?] able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] you from me.”
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; T deliver] their people from me. In the same way Hezekiah’s ·god [God] won’t be able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] his people from me.” 18 Then the king’s ·officers [officials] shouted in ·Hebrew [L the 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 [L house] of his god, some of his own ·sons [children] killed him with a sword.
22 So the Lord ·saved [rescued; T delivered] Hezekiah and the people in Jerusalem from [L the 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; C God 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 [L wrath 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 [L the 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 [C Jerusalem]. 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 [L lay down/T slept 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.