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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 32
Sennacherib invades Judah and besieges her cities—He rails against the
Lord—Isaiah and Hezekiah pray, and an angel destroys the leaders of
Assyrian armies—Hezekiah reigns in righteousness despite some faults.
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1 AFTER these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.
2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.
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4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up
all the awall that was broken, and raised it up to
the towers, and another wall without, and repaired bMillo
in the city of David, and made cdarts and shields in
abundance.
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6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
8 With him is an arm of
aflesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us,
and to fight our battles. And the people brested themselves
upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
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9 ¶ After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria
asend his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid
siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of
Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,
10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
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11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his
ahigh places and his altars, and commanded Judah and
Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon
it?
13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?
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14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?
15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
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16 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah.
17 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.
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18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the
Jews' aspeech unto the people of Jerusalem that were
on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the
city.
19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.
20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.
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21 ¶ And the LORD sent an
aangel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the
leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with
shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his
god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.
22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.
23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
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24 ¶ In those days Hezekiah was sick to the
death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a
asign.
25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
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27 ¶ And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches
and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for
precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of
apleasant jewels;
28 Storehouses also for the increase of
acorn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of
beasts, and cotes for flocks.
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29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper
awatercourse of bGihon, and brought it
straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered
in all his works.
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31 ¶ Howbeit in the business of the
ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the
wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to
atry him, that he might know all that was in his
heart.
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32 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of
aHezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are
written in the vision of
Isaiaha the prophet, the son of
Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
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32a written in the vision of
Isaiah It is likely that Isaiah was not merely considered to be
a prophet but also a seer or visionary man. It seems here that the 'book' of
Isaiah is wholely referenced as 'the vision of Isaiah', and this despite that
various historical events such as 'the acts of Hezekiah' are also written in
it as well (see Isaiah 38:1-22).
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