2 Chronicles 32

1 After all these acts of faithfulness [and this truth, faithfully described], Sennacherib [king of the Assyrians] king of Assyria came [and entered into] and invaded Judah [the region, the tribe]. He laid siege to the fortified [strong, walled] cities, intending [thinking, designing] to conquer them [win them, break through] for himself [to take possession, to rend unto himself]. word study 2 When Hezekiah [the faithful king] saw [perceived, understood] that Sennacherib [the Assyrian invader] had come [arrived, approached] to make war [to fight, to battle] against [opposed to, hostile towards] Jerusalem [the city of peace, the holy city], word study 3 he consulted [took counsel, advised with] with his leaders [princes, rulers] and commanders [mighty men, warriors] about stopping up [blocking, closing] the waters [sources, fountains] of the springs [fountains, eye of the city] outside [beyond, without] the city [town, settlement], and they helped [assisted, aided] him carry it out. word study 4 Many [a large multitude, a great number] people assembled and stopped up [blocked, closed off] all the springs [fountains, sources of water] and the stream [brook, river] that flowed [rushing, overflowing] through the land [earth, territory]. “Why [for what reason, how] should the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation] come and find [discover, attain] plenty [much, abundant] of water [refreshment, sustenance]?” they said. word study 5 Then Hezekiah worked resolutely [with courage and determination] to rebuild [to restore and repair] all the broken sections [the parts that were shattered and torn down] of the wall [the barrier of protection] and to raise up [to elevate and exalt] towers [strongholds and fortified structures] on it. He also built [constructed and established] an outer wall [an additional barrier of defense] and reinforced [strengthened and supported] the supporting terraces [the sloping platforms and ramps] of the City of David [the fortified city and stronghold of King David], and he produced [manufactured and created] an abundance [a plentiful and overflowing supply] of weapons [instruments of war and battle] and shields [protective devices and defensive armor]. word study 6 Hezekiah appointed [military leaders, war chiefs] military commanders over the people and gathered [assembled, collected] the people in the [public, broad] square of the city [town, urban center] gate. Then he encouraged [spoke comfortably to, gave heart to] them, saying, word study 7 “Be strong [and of good courage, take heart] and courageous [behave like men]! Do not [in no way] be afraid [or revere] or discouraged [dismayed, completely broken] before the king [royal person, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians] and the vast [large, huge] army [crowd, multitude] with him, for there is a greater [more powerful, supreme] One [God] with us than with him [on their side]. word study 8 With him is only the arm [of human strength] of flesh [mortal weakness], but with us is the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] our God [Elohim, the supreme Helper] to help [assist, aid, and support] us and to fight [wage war, contend] our battles [conflicts, struggles].” So the people [nation, community] were strengthened [encouraged, supported] by the words [speech, message] of Hezekiah [faithful one, strong one] king [ruler, leader] of Judah [praise, worship]. word study 9 Later [after this, following these events], as Sennacherib [the king of Assyria, son of Sargon] king of Assyria [a powerful and dominant empire] and all his forces [army, military might] besieged [laid siege to, surrounded] Lachish [a city in Judah, a key stronghold], he sent [dispatched, commissioned] his servants [messengers, representatives] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Judah] with a message [a word, an announcement] for King Hezekiah [a righteous king, son of Ahaz] of Judah [the southern kingdom, descended from Jacob] and all the people [citizens, inhabitants] of Judah [the tribe, the region] who were in Jerusalem [residing, dwelling in the city]: word study 10 “This is what [thus, in this manner] Sennacherib king [royal ruler, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation] says: What [on what grounds, for what reason] is the basis [foundation, source] of your confidence [trust, faith], that you remain [dwell, sit] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital] under siege [in a state of being besieged, surrounded by enemy forces]? word study 11 Is not Hezekiah [deceiving] misleading you to give you over to death [spiritual and physical] by famine [lack of food, hunger] and thirst [physical and spiritual dryness] when he says, ‘The LORD [Yehovah, our covenant God] our God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] will deliver [rescue, save] us from the hand [power, control] of the king [ruler, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation]?’ word study 12 Did not Hezekiah [the faithful king of Judah] himself remove [turn aside, destroy] His high places [cultic platforms, idolatrous shrines] and His altars [places of sacrifice, worship] and say [command, speak] to Judah [the tribe, the region] and Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital], ‘You must worship [bow down, offer sacrifices] before one [single, united] altar, and on it you shall burn [offer, make] sacrifices’? word study 13 Do you not know [are you unaware, have you no knowledge] what I [as a ruler, with divine authority] and my fathers [ancestors, predecessors] have done [accomplished, brought about] to all [every, the entire] the peoples [nations, tribes] of the lands [countries, territories, regions]? Have the gods [deities, idols, Elohim] of these nations [Gentile nations, non-Hebrew peoples] ever been able [had the power, been capable] to deliver [rescue, save, snatch away] their land [country, territory, soil] from my hand [power, control, authority]? word study 14 Who [which one, any] among all [every single one] the gods [divine beings, deities] of these [specific, aforementioned] nations [Gentile peoples, non-Hebrews] that my fathers [ancestors, forefathers] devoted [utterly destroyed, dedicated to destruction] to destruction [total annihilation, devastation] has been able [had the power, was capable] to deliver [rescue, save] his people [nation, tribe] from my hand [power, control]? How then [in what way, possibly] can your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] deliver [rescue, snatch away] you from my hand [power, grasp]? word study 15 So now [at this present time, in this current situation], do not let Hezekiah [the king of Judah] deceive [lead astray, mislead] you, and do not let him mislead [seduce, persuade] you like this [in this manner, with these words]. Do not believe [have faith in, trust] him, for no god [deity, idol] of any nation [Gentile, non-Hebrew people] or kingdom [domain, territory] has been able [has the power, is capable] to deliver [rescue, save] his people [nation, tribe] from my hand [my power, my control] or from the hand [the power, the authority] of my fathers [ancestors, predecessors]. How much less [to a far greater degree, even more so] will your God [Elohim, the one true God] deliver [rescue, redeem] you from my hand [my power, my dominion]!” word study 16 And the servants [or slaves, attendants] of Sennacherib spoke further [yet more, continued to speak] against the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] God [Elohim, the supreme deity] and against His servant [faithful attendant, devoted follower] Hezekiah. word study 17 He also wrote letters mocking [blaspheming, speaking against] the LORD [Yehovah], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Israel, and saying against Him: “Just as the gods [idols, false deities] of the nations did not deliver [rescue, save] their people from my hand, so the God [Elohim, the one true God] of Hezekiah will not deliver [rescue, save] His people from my hand.” word study 18 Then the Assyrians called out [with a loud voice, crying out] loudly in [the Jewish language] Hebrew to the people [a nation, a community] of Jerusalem [the city of peace] who were on [upon, above] the wall [a barrier, a protection], to [intentionally] frighten [to fear, to revere] and [to cause alarm, to dismay] terrify [to alarm, to disturb] them in order to [for the purpose of, with the intention of] capture [to seize, to take control of] the city [a town, a settlement]. word study 19 They spoke [talked about, belittled] against the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of Jerusalem [the city of peace] as they had spoken [communicated, compared] against the gods [idols, false deities] of the peoples [nations, Gentiles] of the earth [the land, the world]—the work [deed, action] of human [man’s, mortal] hands [strength, power]. word study 20 In response [because of this, for this cause], King [royal ruler, monarch] Hezekiah [faithful to Jehovah] and the prophet [one who speaks for God, spokesperson] Isaiah [Jehovah has saved] son [descendant, offspring] of Amoz [faithful, strong] cried out [to cry out, shout for help] to heaven [the sky, God’s abode] in prayer [petition, supplication], word study 21 and the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] sent an angel [messenger, representative of God] who annihilated [cut off, destroyed] every mighty man of valor [strong warrior, champion] and every leader [commander, captain] and commander [ruler, person in charge] in the camp [army, military encampment] of the king of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians]. So he withdrew [returned, turned back] to his own land [country, territory] in disgrace [shame, embarrassment]. And when he entered [came into] the temple [house, dwelling place] of his god [Elohim, supreme being], some of his own sons [offspring, descendants] struck him down [caused him to fall, defeated him] with the sword [cutting instrument, weapon]. word study 22 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] saved [rescued, delivered from danger] Hezekiah [a king of Judah who served Jehovah] and the people [inhabitants, dwellers] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Palestine] from the hands [power, direction] of King Sennacherib [an Assyrian king] of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians] and all [everything, every side] the others, and He gave them rest [peace, guided them] on every side [around, surrounding them]. word study 23 Many [a large multitude, a great number] brought offerings [gifts, sacrifices] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah] for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and valuable gifts [precious things, choice presents] for Hezekiah [a king who served Jehovah] king of Judah [the region of the tribe of Judah], and from then on [after this time, from thenceforth] he was exalted [magnified, lifted up] in the eyes [the sight, the view] of all [everything, the whole] nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples]. word study 24 In those days [a period of time, a season] Hezekiah [a king of Judah, son of Ahaz] became mortally ill [sick unto death, near to death]. So he prayed [to entreat, to beg] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], who spoke [to say, to communicate] to him and gave [to put, to set] him a sign [a wonder, a miracle]. word study 25 But because his heart [the seat of feelings, will, and intellect] was proud [exalted, lofty], Hezekiah did not repay [render, return] the favor [benefit, kindness] shown to him [done unto him]. Therefore wrath [anger, indignation] came upon him and upon Judah [the tribe, the region] and Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital]. word study 26 Then Hezekiah [humbled himself, apologized for his arrogance] humbled the pride [loftiness, elevated heart] of his heart—he and the people [inhabitants, dwellers] of Jerusalem—so that the wrath [anger, rage] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] did not come [fall, approach] upon them during the days [lifetime, reign] of Hezekiah. word study 27 Hezekiah had very great [exceeding, abundant] riches [wealth, treasures] and honor [glory, high esteem], and he made treasuries [storehouses, repositories] for his silver [money, precious metal], gold [valuable, yellow metal], precious [costly, highly valued] stones [gems, jewels], spices [fragrant, aromatic substances], shields [protective armor, defense], and all kinds [every type, variety] of valuable [desirable, precious] articles [utensils, vessels]. word study 28 He also made storehouses [for the increase of grain] for the harvest of grain [corn, wheat, staple food] and new wine [freshly squeezed from grapes] and oil [producing light, for anointing], stalls [mangers, enclosures] for all kinds of livestock [animals, quadruped mammals], and pens [folds, herding places] for the flocks [groups of sheep or cattle]. word study 29 He made [provided, built] cities [towns, settlements] for himself, and he acquired [possessed, owned] herds [flocks] of sheep [or goats] and cattle [oxen, livestock] in abundance [great quantity, plentifully], for God [Elohim, the supreme Provider] gave him very great [exceedingly much, abundant] wealth [property, substance]. word study 30 It was Hezekiah [the faithful king of Judah] who blocked [stopped, closed off] the upper [higher, elevated] outlet [source, spring] of the Spring [water source, fountain] of Gihon [a river in the Garden of Eden] and channeled [directed, brought] it down [beneath, underneath] to the west [western direction, toward the evening sun] side of the City [town, settlement] of David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel]. And Hezekiah [the son of Ahaz and Abijah] prospered [succeeded, was successful] in all [everything, every aspect] that he did [accomplished, undertook]. word study 31 And so when ambassadors [representatives, messengers] of the rulers [princes, leaders] of Babylon [a city of confusion, Babel] were sent [dispatched, departed] to him to inquire [seek, ask] about the wonder [miracle, sign] that had happened [occurred, taken place] in the land [earth, territory], God [Elohim, the supreme God] left him alone [forsaken, relinquished] to test [try, prove] him, that He might know [ascertain, understand] all [everything, the whole] that was in Hezekiah’s heart [innermost being, mind]. word study 32 As for the rest [remainder, what is left] of the acts [chronicles, events] of Hezekiah [a king of Judah, son of Ahaz] and his deeds [goodness, kind acts] of loving devotion [kindness, mercy], they are indeed written [recorded, inscribed] in the vision [prophetic revelation, divine insight] of the prophet [one who speaks for God] Isaiah [Jeshaiah, Jehovah has saved] son of Amoz [father of the prophet] in the Book [scroll, written record] of the Kings [rulers, monarchs] of Judah [the southern kingdom, tribe of Judah] and Israel [the northern kingdom, God’s chosen people]. word study 33 And Hezekiah [the faithful king, son of Ahaz] rested [slept, lay down] with his fathers [ancestors, predecessors] and was buried [laid to rest, interred] in the upper [highest, chiefest] tombs [sepulchres, graves] of David’s descendants [sons, family line]. All [every, the whole] Judah [the tribe, the people] and the people [inhabitants, residents] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital] paid him honor [did him glory, celebrated him] at his death [passing, demise]. And his son [descendant, heir] Manasseh [the forgetful one, son of Hezekiah] reigned [ruled, governed] in his place [stead, position]. word study