2 Chronicles 32:1–16

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

32:9-19^pp — 2Ki 18:17–35; Isa 36:2–20 32:20-21^pp — 2Ki 19:35–37; Isa 37:36–38

After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib^a king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to make war on Jerusalem,^b he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. A large force assembled and blocked all the springs^c and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall^d and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces^e of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons^f and shields.

He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “Be strong and courageous.^g Do not be afraid or discouraged^h because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.ⁱ With him is only the arm of flesh,^j but with us^k is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”^l And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish,^m he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:

“This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence,ⁿ that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading^o you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar^p and burn sacrifices on it’?

“Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand?^q Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand? Now do not let Hezekiah deceive^r you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver^s his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors.^t How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!”

Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah.