2 Chronicles 32

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 After these loyal actions, Sennacherib king of Assyria advanced and invaded Judah, and laid siege tothe fortified towns, intending to demolish them.	1 But after he had proved his fidelity by such deeds, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came. He invaded Judah, besieged the fortified cities, and proposed to take them by storm.
2 Hezekiah, realising that Sennacherib's advance was the preliminary to an attack on Jerusalem,	2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was coming with the intention of attacking Jerusalem,
3 consulted his officers and warriors about sealing off the waters of the springs outside the city, and theysupported him.	3 he decided in counsel with his princes and warriors to stop the waters of the springs outside the city. When they had pledged him their support,
4 So a large number of people were cal ed out to block al the springs and cut off the watercourseflowing through the country. 'Why', they said, 'should the kings of Assyria find plenty of water when they arrive?'	4 a large crowd was gathered which stopped all the springs and also the running stream in the valley nearby. For they said, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find an abundance of water?"
5 Acting with determination, he also repaired al the damaged parts of the wal , built towers on it,constructed a second wal on the outer side, strengthened the Mil o of the City of David and made quantities ofmissiles and shields.	5 He then looked to his defenses: he rebuilt the wall where it was broken down, raised towers upon it, and built another wall outside. He strengthened the Millo of the City of David and had a great number of spears and shields prepared.
6 He then appointed generals to command the people, summoned them to him in the square by the citygate and spoke as fol ows to encourage them,	6 Then he appointed army commanders over the people. He gathered them together in his presence in the open space at the gate of the city and encouraged them with these words:
7 'Be strong and brave; do not be afraid or tremble when you face the king of Assyria and the wholehorde he brings with him, for there are more on our side than on his.	7 "Be brave and steadfast; do not be afraid or dismayed because of the king of Assyria and all the throng that is coming with him, for there is more with us than with him.
8 He has only human strength, but we have Yahweh our God to help us and fight our battles.' Thepeople took heart at the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.	8 For he has only an arm of flesh, but we have the LORD, our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people took confidence from the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.
9 Next, Sennacherib king of Assyria, who was then besieging Lachish with all his forces, sent hisrepresentatives to Jerusalem, to Hezekiah king of Judah, and al Judah at Jerusalem, with the fol owingmessage,	9 After this, while Sennacherib, king of Assyria, himself remained at Lachish with all his forces, he sent his officials to Jerusalem with this message for King Hezekiah of Judah, and all the Judahites who were in Jerusalem:
10 'Sennacherib king of Assyria says this, "What gives you the confidence to remain in the fortress ofJerusalem?	10 "King Sennacherib of Assyria has this to say: On what are you relying, while you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
11 Isn't Hezekiah deluding you, only to condemn you to die of famine and thirst, when he says: Yahwehour God wil save us from the King of Assyria's clutches?	11 Has not Hezekiah deceived you, delivering you over to a death of famine and thirst, by his claim that 'the LORD, our God, will save us from the grasp of the king of Assyria'?
12 Isn't Hezekiah the very man who has suppressed his high places and altars, and given the order toJudah and to Jerusalem: You must worship before one altar and on that alone offer incense?	12 Has not this same Hezekiah removed his high places and altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, 'You shall prostrate yourselves before one altar only, and on it alone you shall offer incense'?
13 Don't you know what I and my ancestors have done to al the peoples of the other countries? Havethe national gods of those countries had the slightest success in saving their countries from my clutches?	13 Do you not know what my fathers and I have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations in those lands able to save their lands from my hand?
14 Of al the gods of those nations whom my ancestors devoted to destruction, which one has been ableto save his people from my clutches, for your god to be able to save you from my clutches?	14 Who among all the gods of those nations which my fathers put under the ban was able to save his people from my hand? Will your god, then, be able to save you from my hand?
15 Do not let Hezekiah mislead you. Do not let him delude you like this. Do not believe him, for no godof any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from me or from my ancestors' clutches. No more wilyour god be able to save you from my clutches." '	15 Let not Hezekiah mislead you further and deceive you in any such way. Do not believe him! Since no other god of any other nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from my hand or the hands of my fathers, how much the less shall your god save you from my hand!"
16 And his representatives said a great deal more, maligning Yahweh God, and his servant Hezekiah.	16 His officials said still more against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah,
17 He also wrote a letter to insult Yahweh, God of Israel, maligning him as follows, 'Just as the nationalgods of the other countries could not save their peoples from my clutches, so Hezekiah's god cannot save hispeople from my clutches.'	17 for he had written letters to deride the LORD, the God of Israel, speaking of him in these terms: "As the gods of the nations in other lands have not saved their people from my hand, neither shall Hezekiah's god save his people from my hand."
18 They then shouted loudly in the Judaean language to the people of Jerusalem on the ramparts tofrighten and confuse them, in the hope of capturing the city,	18 In a loud voice they shouted in the Judean language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them so that they might capture their city.
19 maligning the God of Jerusalem as though he were one of the man-made gods of other peoples inthe world.	19 They spoke of the God of Israel as though he were one of the gods of the other peoples of the earth, a work of human hands.
20 Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed and cried out to Heaven about this,	20 But because of this, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, son of Amos, prayed and called out to heaven.
21 and Yahweh sent an angel who destroyed every warrior, commander and officer in the king ofAssyria's camp. So he had to retire shamefacedly to his own country and when he went into the temple of hisgod, some of his own sons there struck him down with the sword.	21 Then the LORD sent an angel, who destroyed every valiant warrior, leader and commander in the camp of the Assyrian king, so that he had to return shamefaced to his own country. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down there with the sword.
22 So Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the clutches of Sennacherib kingof Assyria and of everyone else, and gave them peace on every side.	22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, as from every other power; he gave them rest on every side.
23 Many people then brought gifts to Yahweh in Jerusalem and valuable presents to Hezekiah king ofJudah; from then on, all the other nations held him in high esteem.	23 Many brought gifts for the LORD to Jerusalem and costly objects for King Hezekiah of Judah, who thereafter was exalted in the eyes of all the nations.
24 About then Hezekiah fel il and was at the point of death. He prayed to Yahweh, who heard him andgranted him a sign.	24 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. He prayed to the LORD, who answered him by giving him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah made no return for the benefit which he had received; he became proud and broughtretribution on himself and on Judah and Jerusalem.	25 Hezekiah, however, did not then discharge his debt of gratitude, for he had become proud. Therefore anger descended upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Then, however, Hezekiah did humble himself in his pride, and so did the inhabitants of Jerusalem; asa result of which, Yahweh's retribution did not overtake them during Hezekiah's lifetime.	26 But then Hezekiah humbled himself for his pride--both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and therefore the LORD did not vent his anger on them during the time of Hezekiah.
27 Hezekiah enjoyed immense riches and honour. He built himself treasuries for gold, silver, preciousstones, spices, jewels and every kind of desirable object,	27 Hezekiah possessed very great wealth and glory. He had treasuries made for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, jewels, and other precious things of all kinds;
28 as wel as storehouses for his returns of grain, new wine and olive oil, and stal s for al kinds of cattleand pens for the flocks.	28 also storehouses for the harvest of grain, for wine and oil, and barns for the various kinds of cattle and for the flocks.
29 He also provided himself with donkeys in addition to his immense wealth of flocks and herds, sinceGod had made him immensely wealthy.	29 He built cities for himself, and he acquired sheep and oxen in great numbers, for God gave him very great riches.
30 It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them straightdown on the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah succeeded in al that he undertook,	30 This same Hezekiah stopped the upper outflow of water from Gihon and led it underground westward to the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his undertakings.
31 although when the envoys were sent to him by the rulers of Babylon to enquire about theextraordinary thing which had taken place in the country, God left him alone to test him and discover what lay inhis heart.	31 Nevertheless, in respect to the ambassadors (princes) sent to him from Babylon to investigate the sign that had occurred in the land, God forsook him to test him, that he might know all that was in his heart.
32 The rest of the history of Hezekiah, and his deeds of faithful love, are recorded in the Vision of theprophet Isaiah son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.	32 The rest of Hezekiah's acts, including his pious works, can be found written in the Vision of the Prophet Isaiah, son of Amos, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 Then Hezekiah fel asleep with his ancestors and was buried in the upper section of the tombs of thesons of David. Al Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem paid him honours at his death. His son Manassehsucceeded him.	33 Hezekiah rested with his ancestors; he was buried at the approach to the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. His son Manasseh succeeded him as king.