2 Chronicles 31:6–32:19

6 And the children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and sheep; also the jtithe of holy things which were consecrated to the Lord their God they laid in heaps.

7 In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. 8 And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 And Azariah the chief priest, from the khouse of Zadok, answered him and said, l“Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people; and what is left is this great mabundance.”

11 Now Hezekiah commanded them to prepare nrooms 6in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 Then they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things; oCononiah the Levite had charge of them, and Shimei his brother was the next. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the pruler of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over the qfreewill offerings to God, to distribute the offerings of the Lord and the most holy things. 15 And under him were rEden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, his faithful assistants in sthe cities of the priests, to distribute tallotments to their brethren by divisions, to the great as well as the small.

16 Besides those males from three years old and up who were written in the genealogy, they distributed to everyone who entered the house of the Lord his daily portion for the work of his service, by his division, 17 and to the priests who were written in the genealogy according to their father’s house, and to the Levites ufrom twenty years old and up according to their work, by their divisions, 18 and to all who were written in the genealogy—their little ones and their wives, their sons and daughters, the whole company of them—for in their faithfulness they 7sanctified themselves in holiness.

19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in vthe fields of the common-lands of their cities, in every single city, there were men who were wdesignated by name to distribute portions to all the males among the priests and to all who were listed by genealogies among the Levites.

20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he xdid what was good and right and true before the Lord his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he yprospered.

Sennacherib Boasts Against the Lord

32 After athese deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his leaders and 1commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him. 4 Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the bsprings and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the 2kings of Assyria come and find much water?” 5 And che strengthened himself, dbuilt up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired 3the eMillo in the City of David, and made 4weapons and shields in abundance. 6 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and fgave them encouragement, saying, 7 g“Be strong and courageous; hdo not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for ithere are more with us than with him. 8 With him is an jarm of flesh; but kwith us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

9 lAfter this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10 m“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? 11 Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, n“The Lord our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 oHas not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on pit”? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? qWere the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my rhand? 15 Now therefore, sdo not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’ ”

16 Furthermore, his servants spoke against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah.

17 He also wrote letters to revile the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, t“As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my uhand.” 18 vThen they called out with a loud voice in 5Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might take the city. 19 And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth—wthe work of men’s hands.