Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

18 Now it came about (A)in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that (B)Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. He was (C)twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. (D)He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father David had done. (E)He removed the high places and smashed the memorial stones to pieces, and cut down the [a]Asherah. He also crushed to pieces (F)the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called [b]Nehushtan. (G)He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; and (H)after him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who came before him. For he (I)clung to the Lord; he did not desist from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.

Hezekiah Victorious

(J)And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he was successful. And (K)he revolted against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. (L)He [c]defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from (M)watchtower to fortified city.

Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, (N)Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it. 10 And at the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was (O)the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. 11 Then the king of Assyria led Israel into exile to Assyria, and put them in (P)Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 12 This happened because they (Q)did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, but violated His covenant, all that Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded; they would neither listen nor do it.

Invasion of Judah

13 (R)Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria marched against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent messengers to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “(S)I have done wrong. [d]Withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will endure.” So the king of Assyria imposed on Hezekiah king of Judah the payment of three hundred [e]talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 (T)Hezekiah then gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the doorposts, which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and he gave it to the king of Assyria.

17 Then the king of Assyria sent (U)Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they went up, they came and stood by the (V)conduit of the upper pool, which is on the road of the [f]fuller’s field. 18 Then they called to the king, and (W)Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, (X)Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the secretary, went out to them.

19 And Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: “(Y)What is this confidence that you [g]have? 20 You say—but they are only [h]empty words—‘I have a plan and strength for the war.’ Now on whom have you relied, (Z)that you have revolted against me? 21 Now behold, you have [i](AA)relied on the [j]support of this broken reed, on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his [k]hand and pierce it. That is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who rely on him. 22 However, if you say to me, ‘We have trusted in the Lord our God,’ is it not He whose high places and (AB)whose altars Hezekiah has removed, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? 23 Now then, [l]come make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to put riders on them! 24 How then can you drive back even [m]one [n]official of the least of my master’s servants, and [o]rely on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 25 Have I now come up without [p]the Lords approval against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”

26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, because we [q]understand it; and do not speak with us in [r](AC)Judean [s]so that the people who are on the wall hear you.” 27 But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words? Has he not also sent me to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

28 Then Rabshakeh stood up and shouted with a loud voice in Judean, [t]saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29 This is what the king says: ‘(AD)Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to save you from [u]my hand. 30 And do not let Hezekiah lead you to trust in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will certainly save us, and this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 31 Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: “Make [v]your peace with me and come out to me, and eat, (AE)each one, from his vine and each from his fig tree, and drink, each one, the waters of his own cistern, 32 until I come and take you (AF)to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees producing oil, and of honey, so that you will live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah, because he misleads you by saying, “The Lord will save us.” 33 (AG)Has any of the gods of the nations actually saved his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 (AH)Where are the gods of Hamath and (AI)Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and [w](AJ)Ivvah? Have they saved Samaria from my hand? 35 Who among all the gods of the lands are there who have saved their land from my hand, (AK)that the Lord would save Jerusalem from my hand?’”

36 But the people were silent and did not answer him with even a word, because it was the king’s [x]command: “Do not answer him.” 37 Then (AL)Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the secretary, came to Hezekiah (AM)with their clothes torn, and they reported to him the words of Rabshakeh.

Isaiah Encourages Hezekiah

19 (AN)Now when King Hezekiah heard the report, he (AO)tore his clothes, (AP)covered himself with sackcloth, and entered the house of the Lord. Then he sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the household, with Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests, (AQ)covered with sackcloth, to (AR)Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. And they said to him, “This is what Hezekiah says: ‘This day is a day of distress, rebuke, and humiliation; for children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to deliver them. (AS)Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent (AT)to taunt the living God, and will avenge the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for (AU)the remnant that is [y]left.’” So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. And Isaiah said to them, “This is what you shall say to your master: ‘The Lord says this: “Do not be fearful because of the words that you have heard, with which the (AV)servants of the king of Assyria (AW)have blasphemed Me. Behold, I am going to put a spirit in him so that (AX)he will hear news and return to his own land. And (AY)I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.”’”

Sennacherib Defies God

Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against (AZ)Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left (BA)Lachish. When he heard them say about Tirhakah king of [z]Cush, “Behold, he has come out to fight you,” he sent messengers again to Hezekiah, saying, 10 “This is what you shall say to Hezekiah king of [aa]Judah: ‘Do not (BB)let your God in whom you trust deceive you by saying, “(BC)Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 11 Behold, you yourself have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, destroying them completely. So will you be saved? 12 (BD)Did the gods of the nations which my fathers destroyed save them: (BE)Gozan, (BF)Haran, Rezeph, and (BG)the sons of Eden who were in Telassar? 13 (BH)Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and of Hena and Ivvah?’”

Hezekiah’s Prayer

14 Then (BI)Hezekiah took the [ab]letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and [ac]spread it out before the Lord. 15 Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said, “Lord, God of Israel, [ad](BJ)enthroned above the cherubim, (BK)You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 (BL)Incline Your ear, Lord, and hear; (BM)open Your eyes, Lord, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent (BN)to taunt the living God. 17 It is true, Lord; the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, 18 and have [ae]hurled their gods into the fire; (BO)for they were not gods, but only the work of human hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. 19 But now, Lord our God, please, save us from his hand, (BP)so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, (BQ)Lord, are God.”

God’s Answer through Isaiah

20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah, saying, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, (BR)I have heard you.’ 21 This is the word that the Lord has spoken against him:

‘She, (BS)the virgin daughter of Zion, has shown contempt for you and mocked you;
She, the daughter of Jerusalem, (BT)has shaken her head behind you!
22 Whom have you (BU)taunted and (BV)blasphemed?
And against whom have you raised your voice,
And [af]haughtily raised your eyes?
Against the (BW)Holy One of Israel!
23 (BX)Through your messengers you have taunted the Lord,
And you have said, “With my many chariots
I went up to the heights of the mountains,
To the remotest parts of Lebanon;
And I cut down its tall cedars and its choicest junipers.
And I entered its farthest resting place, its (BY)thickest forest.
24 I dug wells and drank foreign waters,
And with the soles of my feet I (BZ)dried up
All the streams of Egypt.”

25 (CA)Have you not heard?
Long ago I did it;
From ancient times I planned it.
(CB)Now I have brought it about,
That you would turn fortified cities into ruined heaps.
26 Therefore their inhabitants were [ag]powerless,
They were shattered and put to shame.
They were (CC)like the vegetation of the field and the green grass,
Like grass on the housetops that is scorched before it has grown.
27 But (CD)I know your sitting down,
Your going out, your coming in,
And your raging against Me.
28 Because of your raging against Me,
And because your complacency has come up to My ears,
I (CE)will put My hook in your nose,
And My bridle in your lips,
And (CF)I will turn you back by the way by which you came.

29 ‘Then this shall be (CG)the sign for you: [ah]you will eat this year what grows of itself, in the second year what grows by itself, and in the third year sow, harvest, plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. 30 (CH)The survivors that are left of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. 31 For out of Jerusalem will go a remnant, and survivors (CI)out of Mount Zion. (CJ)The zeal of [ai]the Lord will perform this.

32 ‘Therefore this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: “(CK)He will not come to this city nor shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield nor heap up an assault ramp against it. 33 (CL)By the way that he came, by [aj]the same he will return, and he shall not come to this city,”’ declares the Lord. 34 (CM)For I will protect this city to save it for My own sake, and (CN)for My servant David’s sake.’”

35 (CO)Then it happened that night that the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when the rest got up early in the morning, behold, all of [ak]the 185,000 were [al]dead. 36 So (CP)Sennacherib the king of Assyria departed and [am]returned home, and lived at (CQ)Nineveh. 37 Then it came about, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that [an](CR)Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword; and they escaped to (CS)the land of Ararat. And his son (CT)Esarhaddon became king in his place.

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

20 (CU)In those days Hezekiah became [ao]mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘(CV)Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’” Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, “Please, Lord, just (CW)remember (CX)how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight!” And (CY)Hezekiah wept [ap]profusely. And even before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Return and say to (CZ)Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: “(DA)I have heard your prayer, (DB)I have seen your tears; behold, I am going to heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add fifteen years to your [aq]life, and I will save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and (DC)I will protect this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’” Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” And they took it and placed it on the inflamed spot, and he recovered.

Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” Isaiah said, “(DD)This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will perform the word that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” 10 So Hezekiah said, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but have the shadow turn backward ten steps.” 11 Then Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and (DE)He brought the shadow on the [ar]stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the [as]stairway of Ahaz.

Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures

12 (DF)At that time [at]Berodach-baladan, a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, because he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah listened to [au]them, and showed them (DG)all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the balsam oil, the [av]scented oil, the house of his armor, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 Isaiah said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah [aw]answered, “They have seen everything that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.”

16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17 ‘Behold, the days are coming when (DH)everything that is in your house, and what your fathers have stored up to this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘And some (DI)of your sons who will come from you, whom you will father, will be taken away; and they will become (DJ)officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is (DK)good.” For he [ax]thought, “Is it not good, if there will be peace and [ay]security in my days?”

20 (DL)Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he (DM)constructed the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 (DN)So Hezekiah [az]lay down with his fathers, and his son Manasseh became king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 18:4 I.e., a wooden symbol of a female deity
  2. 2 Kings 18:4 I.e., a bronze sculpture
  3. 2 Kings 18:8 Lit struck
  4. 2 Kings 18:14 Lit Turn back
  5. 2 Kings 18:14 A talent was about 75 lb. or 34 kg
  6. 2 Kings 18:17 I.e., launderer’s
  7. 2 Kings 18:19 Lit trust
  8. 2 Kings 18:20 Lit a word of lips
  9. 2 Kings 18:21 Lit relied for yourself
  10. 2 Kings 18:21 Or staff
  11. 2 Kings 18:21 Lit palm
  12. 2 Kings 18:23 Lit please exchange pledges
  13. 2 Kings 18:24 Lit the face of one
  14. 2 Kings 18:24 Or governor
  15. 2 Kings 18:24 Lit rely for yourself
  16. 2 Kings 18:25 Lit the Lord
  17. 2 Kings 18:26 Lit hear
  18. 2 Kings 18:26 I.e., Hebrew
  19. 2 Kings 18:26 Lit in the ears of...wall
  20. 2 Kings 18:28 Lit and spoke, saying,
  21. 2 Kings 18:29 MT his
  22. 2 Kings 18:31 Lit with me a blessing
  23. 2 Kings 18:34 In 2 Kin 17:24, Avva
  24. 2 Kings 18:36 Lit command, saying
  25. 2 Kings 19:4 Lit found
  26. 2 Kings 19:9 Or Ethiopia
  27. 2 Kings 19:10 Lit Judah, saying,
  28. 2 Kings 19:14 Lit letters...read them
  29. 2 Kings 19:14 Lit Hezekiah spread
  30. 2 Kings 19:15 Lit sitting
  31. 2 Kings 19:18 Lit given
  32. 2 Kings 19:22 Lit on high
  33. 2 Kings 19:26 Lit short of hand
  34. 2 Kings 19:29 Lit to eat
  35. 2 Kings 19:31 Some ancient mss the Lord of armies
  36. 2 Kings 19:33 Lit it
  37. 2 Kings 19:35 Lit them
  38. 2 Kings 19:35 Lit dead bodies
  39. 2 Kings 19:36 Lit went and returned
  40. 2 Kings 19:37 Some ancient mss his sons Adrammelech
  41. 2 Kings 20:1 Lit sick to death
  42. 2 Kings 20:3 Lit great weeping
  43. 2 Kings 20:6 Lit days
  44. 2 Kings 20:11 Lit steps
  45. 2 Kings 20:11 Lit steps
  46. 2 Kings 20:12 Some mss and ancient versions Merodach-baladan; cf. Is 39:1
  47. 2 Kings 20:13 I.e., messengers
  48. 2 Kings 20:13 Lit good
  49. 2 Kings 20:15 Lit said
  50. 2 Kings 20:19 Lit said
  51. 2 Kings 20:19 Lit trustworthiness
  52. 2 Kings 20:21 I.e., died

Hezekiah Succeeds Ahaz in Judah

29 (A)Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. (B)He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father David had done.

In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he (C)opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the public square on the east.

Reforms Begun

Then he said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites. (D)Consecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out of the holy place. For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the Lord our God, and they have abandoned Him and (E)turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and have [a]turned their backs. They have also (F)shut the doors of the porch and extinguished the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. Therefore (G)the wrath of the Lord was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of (H)hissing, as you see with your own eyes. For behold, (I)our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this. 10 Now it is in my heart (J)to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that His burning anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for (K)the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”

12 Then the Levites arose: (L)Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of (M)the Kohathites; and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and [b]Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and from the sons of Heman, [c]Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They assembled their brothers, (N)consecrated themselves, and went in (O)to cleanse the house of the Lord, according to the commandment of the king (P)by the words of the Lord. 16 So the priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and they brought every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the Lord out to the courtyard of the house of the Lord. Then the Levites received it to carry out to (Q)the Kidron [d]Valley. 17 Now they began [e]the consecration (R)on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the Lord. Then they consecrated the house of the Lord in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table of the showbread with all of its utensils. 19 Moreover, (S)all the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.”

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

20 Then King Hezekiah got up early and assembled the princes of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats (T)as a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs as well, and (U)sprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and (V)they laid their hands on them. 24 The priests slaughtered them and purified the altar with their blood (W)to atone for all Israel, because the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.

25 (X)He then stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, (Y)according to the command of David and of (Z)Gad, the king’s seer, and of (AA)Nathan the prophet; for the command was from the Lord through His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with (AB)the musical instruments of David, and (AC)the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, (AD)the song to the Lord also began with the trumpets, [f]accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. 28 While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

29 Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, (AE)the king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer. (AF)So they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “(AG)Now that you have [g]consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come forward and bring sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings to the house of the Lord.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and (AH)everyone who was [h]willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all of these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 The consecrated offerings were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; (AI)therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was finished and the other priests had consecrated themselves. For (AJ)the Levites were more [i]conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests. 35 There were also [j](AK)many burnt offerings with (AL)the fat of the peace offerings and (AM)the drink offerings for the burnt offerings. So the service of the house of the Lord was established again. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.

All Israel Invited to the Passover

30 Now Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem to [k]celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided (AN)to celebrate the Passover in the second month, since they could not celebrate it (AO)at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. So the [l]decision was right in the sight of the king and all the assembly. So they established a decree to circulate a [m]proclamation throughout Israel (AP)from Beersheba to Dan, that they are to come to celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as was written. (AQ)The [n]couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “Sons of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from (AR)the [o]hand of the kings of Assyria. (AS)Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the Lord God of their fathers, so that (AT)He made them an object of horror, just as you see. Now do not (AU)stiffen your neck like your fathers, but [p]yield to the Lord and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, (AV)that His burning anger may turn away from you. For (AW)if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion in the presence of those who led them captive, and will return to this land. (AX)For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

10 So the [q]couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but (AY)they laughed at them with scorn and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless, (AZ)some men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The (BA)hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.

Passover Reinstituted

13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread (BB)in the second month, a very large assembly. 14 They got up and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also (BC)removed all the incense altars and (BD)threw them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then (BE)they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And (BF)the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 (BG)They stood at their stations following their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, (BH)the Levites were in charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, (BI)many from Ephraim and Manasseh, and Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, (BJ)yet they ate the Passover (BK)contrary to what was written. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon 19 (BL)everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and (BM)healed the people. 21 The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem (BN)celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests were praising the Lord day after day with loud instruments to the Lord. 22 Then Hezekiah (BO)spoke [r]encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the Lord. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and (BP)giving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.

23 Then the whole assembly (BQ)decided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. 24 For (BR)Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and (BS)a large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and (BT)all the assembly that came from Israel, both the strangers who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem (BU)since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27 Then (BV)the Levitical priests stood and (BW)blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to (BX)His holy dwelling place, to heaven.

Idols Are Destroyed

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, (BY)broke the memorial stones in pieces, cut down the [s]Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until [t]they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

And Hezekiah appointed (BZ)the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, (CA)for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to serve and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.

Reforms Continued

He also appointed (CB)the king’s portion of his property for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and for the new moons and for the appointed festivals, (CC)as it is written in the Law of the Lord. Also he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give (CD)the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to (CE)the Law of the Lord. As soon as the [u]order spread, the sons of Israel abundantly provided the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly (CF)the tithe of everything. The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and (CG)the tithe of [v]sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. In the third month they began to [w]make the heaps, and they finished them by the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and (CH)His people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah, the chief priest (CI)of the house of Zadok, said to [x]him, “(CJ)Since the contributions started coming into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the Lord has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”

11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare (CK)rooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge (CL)of them, and his brother Shimei was second. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers [y]under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and (CM)Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the [z]voluntary offerings for God, to distribute the contributions for the Lord and the most holy things. 15 [aa]Under his authority were (CN)Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in (CO)the cities of the priests, to distribute their portions faithfully to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from [ab](CP)thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the Lord (CQ)for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17 as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites (CR)from twenty years old and upward, by their duties and their divisions. 18 The genealogical enrollment included [ac]all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves [ad]faithfully in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in (CS)the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, (CT)there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

20 Hezekiah did this throughout Judah; and (CU)he did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God. 21 Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in the Law and in the commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and (CV)prospered.

Sennacherib Invades Judah

32 After these [ae]acts of faithfulness (CW)Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and [af]intended to break into them for himself. Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that [ag]he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. So many people assembled (CX)and stopped up all the springs and (CY)the stream which flowed [ah]through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” And he resolutely set to work and (CZ)rebuilt all of the wall that had been broken down and [ai]erected towers on it, and built (DA)another outside wall and strengthened the [aj](DB)Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great numbers. He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the public square at the city gate, and (DC)spoke [ak]encouragingly to them, saying, (DD)Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; (DE)for the One with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only (DF)an arm of flesh, but (DG)with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Undermines Hezekiah

After this (DH)Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was [al]besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10 “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: ‘On what are you trusting that you are staying in Jerusalem under siege? 11 Is Hezekiah not misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “The Lord our God will save us from the [am]hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 (DI)Is it not the same Hezekiah who removed His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and [an]Jerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall [ao]burn incense”? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? (DJ)Were the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to save their land from my hand? 14 (DK)Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could save his people from my hand, that your God would be able to save you from my hand? 15 Now then, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for (DL)no god of any nation or kingdom was able to save his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God save you from my hand?’”

16 His servants spoke further against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “(DM)As the gods of the nations of the lands [ap]have not saved their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not save His people from my hand.” 18 (DN)They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city. 19 They spoke [aq]of the God of Jerusalem as they did against (DO)the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of human hands.

Hezekiah’s Prayer Is Answered

20 But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and called out to heaven for help. 21 And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every warrior, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned [ar]in shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with the sword. 22 So the Lord (DP)saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and [as]guided them on every side. 23 And (DQ)many were bringing gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem and valuable presents to Hezekiah king of Judah; so thereafter (DR)he rose in the sight of all nations.

24 (DS)In those days Hezekiah became [at]mortally ill; and he prayed to the Lord, and [au]the Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did nothing in return for the benefit [av]he received, (DT)because his heart was [aw]proud; (DU)therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26 However, (DV)Hezekiah [ax]humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable articles, 28 also storehouses for the produce of grain, wine, and oil; stalls for all kinds of cattle, and [ay]sheepfolds for the flocks. 29 He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, because (DW)God had given him very great [az]wealth. 30 It was Hezekiah who (DX)stopped the upper outlet of the waters of (DY)Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah was successful in everything that he did. 31 Even in the matter of (DZ)the messengers of the rulers of Babylon, who were sent to him to inquire about (EA)the wonder that had happened in the land; God left him alone only (EB)to test him, so that He might know everything that was in his heart.

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 So Hezekiah [ba]lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the [bb]upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (EC)honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:6 Lit given
  2. 2 Chronicles 29:13 Or Jeuel
  3. 2 Chronicles 29:14 Another reading is Jehuel
  4. 2 Chronicles 29:16 Or wadi
  5. 2 Chronicles 29:17 Lit to consecrate
  6. 2 Chronicles 29:27 Lit and on the hands of
  7. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Lit filled your hands
  8. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Lit willing of heart
  9. 2 Chronicles 29:34 Lit upright of heart
  10. 2 Chronicles 29:35 Lit the burnt offerings to an abundance
  11. 2 Chronicles 30:1 Lit do, and so throughout the ch
  12. 2 Chronicles 30:4 Lit word
  13. 2 Chronicles 30:5 Lit voice
  14. 2 Chronicles 30:6 Lit runners
  15. 2 Chronicles 30:6 Lit palm
  16. 2 Chronicles 30:8 Lit give a hand
  17. 2 Chronicles 30:10 Lit runners
  18. 2 Chronicles 30:22 Lit to the heart of
  19. 2 Chronicles 31:1 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  20. 2 Chronicles 31:1 Lit to completion
  21. 2 Chronicles 31:5 Lit word
  22. 2 Chronicles 31:6 Lit consecrated things
  23. 2 Chronicles 31:7 Lit lay
  24. 2 Chronicles 31:10 Lit him, and he said
  25. 2 Chronicles 31:13 Lit from the hand of
  26. 2 Chronicles 31:14 Or freewill offerings
  27. 2 Chronicles 31:15 Lit On his hand
  28. 2 Chronicles 31:16 Heb three
  29. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit with all
  30. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit in their faithfulness
  31. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit things and this faithfulness
  32. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit said
  33. 2 Chronicles 32:2 Lit he set his face for war
  34. 2 Chronicles 32:4 Lit in the midst of
  35. 2 Chronicles 32:5 Lit raised on the towers
  36. 2 Chronicles 32:5 I.e., terraced structure
  37. 2 Chronicles 32:6 Lit upon their hearts
  38. 2 Chronicles 32:9 Lit against
  39. 2 Chronicles 32:11 Lit palm
  40. 2 Chronicles 32:12 Lit Jerusalem, saying,
  41. 2 Chronicles 32:12 Lit offer up in smoke
  42. 2 Chronicles 32:17 Lit who have
  43. 2 Chronicles 32:19 Lit to
  44. 2 Chronicles 32:21 Lit in shame of face
  45. 2 Chronicles 32:22 Another reading is gave them rest
  46. 2 Chronicles 32:24 Lit sick to the point of death
  47. 2 Chronicles 32:24 Lit He
  48. 2 Chronicles 32:25 Lit to Him
  49. 2 Chronicles 32:25 Lit high
  50. 2 Chronicles 32:26 Lit humbled himself in
  51. 2 Chronicles 32:28 As in ancient versions; MT herds for the stables
  52. 2 Chronicles 32:29 Lit possessions; or property
  53. 2 Chronicles 32:33 I.e., died
  54. 2 Chronicles 32:33 Or ascent to

Destruction in Israel and Judah

The (A)word of the Lord which came to (B)Micah of Moresheth in the days of (C)Jotham, (D)Ahaz, and (E)Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and which he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem.

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