HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 780
2 C H RO N I C L ES 3 3
letters scorning the Lord, the God of Israel. He
wrote, “Just as the gods of all the other nations
failed to rescue their people from my power, so
the God of Hezekiah will also fail.” 18 The Assyrian officials who brought the letters shouted this
in Hebrew* to the people gathered on the walls
of the city, trying to terrify them so it would be
easier to capture the city. 19 These officers talked
about the God of Jerusalem as though he were
one of the pagan gods, made by human hands.
20 Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to God in
heaven. 21 And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to
return home in disgrace to his own land. And
when he entered the temple of his god, some
of his own sons killed him there with a sword.
22 That is how the Lord rescued Hezekiah and
the people of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib
of Assyria and from all the others who threatened them. So there was peace throughout the
land. 23 From then on King Hezekiah became
highly respected among all the surrounding
nations, and many gifts for the Lord arrived at
Jerusalem, with valuable presents for King Hezekiah, too.
Hezekiah’s Sickness and Recovery
24 About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill.
He prayed to the Lord, who healed him and
gave him a miraculous sign. 25 But Hezekiah
did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the
Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah humbled
himself and repented of his pride, as did the
people of Jerusalem. So the Lord’s anger did
not fall on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.
27 Hezekiah was very wealthy and highly honored. He built special treasury buildings for his
silver, gold, precious stones, and spices, and for
• Leadership
2 CH R O NIC LE S 3 2 :2 0
The great occupational hazard of leaders
is the trap of believing their own press.
When leaders begin to believe that they
need no guidance or second opinions,
they become vulnerable to arrogance and
ego. In this instance, Hezekiah shows
sensible leadership in calling upon both
a spiritual adviser (Isaiah) and the God of
heaven. Whatever leadership responsibilities you may have, you will benefit
from regular prayer as well as from the
help of wise and godly counselors.
page 410
his shields and other valuable items. 28 He also
constructed many storehouses for his grain, new
wine, and olive oil; and he made many stalls for
his cattle and pens for his flocks of sheep and
goats. 29 He built many towns and acquired vast
flocks and herds, for God had given him great
wealth. 30 He blocked up the upper spring of
Gihon and brought the water down through a
tunnel to the west side of the City of David. And
so he succeeded in everything he did.
31 However, when ambassadors arrived from
Babylon to ask about the remarkable events
that had taken place in the land, God withdrew
from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see
what was really in his heart.
Summary of Hezekiah’s Reign
32 The rest of the events in Hezekiah’s reign and
his acts of devotion are recorded in The Vision
of the Prophet Isaiah Son of Amoz, which is included in The Book of the Kings of Judah and
Israel. 33 When Hezekiah died, he was buried in
the upper area of the royal cemetery, and all Judah and Jerusalem honored him at his death.
And his son Manasseh became the next king.
Manasseh Rules in Judah
Manasseh was twelve years old when he
became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did what was evil in the
Lord’s sight, following the detestable practices
of the pagan nations that the Lord had driven
from the land ahead of the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah,
had broken down. He constructed altars for the
images of Baal and set up Asherah poles. He
also bowed before all the powers of the heavens
and worshiped them.
4 He built pagan altars in the Temple of the
Lord, the place where the Lord had said, “My
name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” 5 He
built these altars for all the powers of the heavens in both courtyards of the Lord’s Temple.
6 Manasseh also sacrificed his own sons in the
fire* in the valley of Ben-Hinnom. He practiced
sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and he
consulted with mediums and psychics. He did
much that was evil in the Lord’s sight, arousing
his anger.
7 Manasseh even took a carved idol he had
made and set it up in God’s Temple, the very
place where God had told David and his son
Solomon: “My name will be honored forever in
this Temple and in Jerusalem—the city I have
chosen from among all the tribes of Israel. 8 If
the Israelites will be careful to obey my commands—all the laws, decrees, and regulations
given through Moses—I will not send them into
exile from this land that I set aside for your
ancestors.” 9 But Manasseh led the people of
33
32:18 Hebrew in the dialect of Judah.
sons pass through the fire.
33:6 Or also made his