1. After these faithful deeds, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah and encamped against its fortified towns with the aim of taking them over. 2. When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, intent on making war against Jerusalem, 3. he consulted with his officers and warriors about stopping the flow of the springs outside the city, and they supported him. 4. A large force was assembled to stop up all the springs and the wadi that flowed through the land, for otherwise, they thought, the king of Assyria would come and find water in abundance. 5. He acted with vigor, rebuilding the whole breached wall, raising towers on it, and building another wall outside it. He fortified the Millo of the City of David, and made a great quantity of arms and shields. 6. He appointed battle officers over the people; then, gathering them to him in the square of the city gate, he rallied them, saying, 7. “Be strong and of good courage; do not be frightened or dismayed by the king of Assyria or by the horde that is with him, for we have more with us than he has with him. 8. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by the speech of King Hezekiah of Judah.
9. Afterward, King Sennacherib of Assyria sent his officers to Jerusalem […] with this message to King Hezekiah of Judah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem: 10. Thus said King Sennacherib of Assyria “On what do you trust to enable you to endure a siege in Jerusalem? 11. Hezekiah is seducing you to a death of hunger and thirst, saying, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the king of Assyria.’ […] 15. Now then, do not let Hezekiah delude you; do not let him seduce you in this way; do not believe him. For no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from me or from my fathers—much less your God, to save you from me!” 16. His officers said still more things against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17. He also wrote letters reviling the Lord God of Israel, saying of Him, “Just as the gods of other nations of the earth did not save their people from me, so the God of Hezekiah will not save his people from me.” 18. They called loudly in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them into panic, so as to capture the city. 19. They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as though He were like the gods of other peoples of the earth, made by human hands. 20. Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed about this, and cried out to heaven.
21. The Lord sent an angel who annihilated every mighty warrior, commander, and officer in the army of the king of Assyria, and he returned in disgrace to his land. He entered the house of his god, and there some of his own offspring struck him down by the sword. 22. Thus the Lord delivered Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria, and from everyone; He provided for them on all sides. 23. Many brought tribute to the Lord to Jerusalem, and gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah; thereafter he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations.
