Hezekiah Prays when Jerusalem Is Threatened

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked Judah and captured its fortified cities. In Kings, Hezekiah first sent payment to Assyria, giving silver from the Lord’s house and the palace, and even gold taken from the temple doors and pillars. Chronicles adds that Sennacherib meant to seize the strong cities for himself.

Hezekiah prepared Jerusalem for danger. He and his leaders blocked the springs outside the city, strengthened broken walls, added defences, made many shields and weapons, and appointed commanders. Then he encouraged the people not to be afraid, because Assyria had only human strength, but the Lord their God was with them to help and fight for them.

From Lachish the Assyrian king sent officials and a great army to Jerusalem. Rabshakeh stood by the upper pool and mocked Hezekiah’s trust in Egypt and in the Lord. He shouted in the people’s own language so those on the wall would hear, urging them to surrender and claiming no god had rescued other nations. The people obeyed Hezekiah’s command and answered nothing.

When Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went to the Lord’s house. He sent messengers to Isaiah the prophet. Isaiah replied that Hezekiah should not fear: the Assyrian king would hear news, return to his own land, and die there. Later, when another threatening message and letter came, Hezekiah spread the letter before the Lord and prayed that all kingdoms would know the Lord alone is God.

God answered through Isaiah. Jerusalem would not fall to Sennacherib. He would not enter the city, shoot an arrow there, or build up a siege mound against it, but would go back the way he came. That night the Lord’s angel struck down 185,000 in the Assyrian camp. Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, and later, while worshipping in his god’s house, he was killed there. Chronicles adds that many people then brought gifts to the Lord and to Hezekiah.